Ah, the air fryer… We all bought it with enthusiasm, dreaming of golden fries, crisp vegetables, or chicken wings worthy of a good bistro. And yet, after a few unconvincing attempts—limp fries, uneven cooking, soggy food—the enthusiasm quickly fades. The culprit? A very common mistake that (almost) all of us make. What if we finally corrected it?
Too much is too much: the number 1 enemy is overloading the basket
It’s tempting, we know. You have a mountain of fries to prepare and you want to do it all at once? Bad idea. The air fryer is not a pressure cooker: it needs space for the hot air to circulate properly around each food item.
When you overload the basket:
- Food doesn’t brown, it steams.
- The center remains soft or raw, while the edges burn.
- And the cooking time is extended… to the detriment of the much-anticipated speed .
The solution?
- Cook in batches.
- Leave a space of at least 2 to 3 cm between each piece.
- Shake or turn halfway through cooking.
Bonus tip : Invest in a stackable rack to maximize cooking surface (perfect for small vegetables like Brussels sprouts).
These other mistakes that sabotage your recipes without you realizing it
Forget about preheating
Although it may seem trivial, preheating your air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes makes a big difference. This prevents uneven cooking and ensures a beautiful golden brown.
