How To Reheat Food In An Air Fryer

Air fryers are excellent for preparing fries, chicken wings, grilled cheese, doughnuts, and cinnamon rolls, but did you know that they can be used for reheating foods?

Undeniably, when it comes to kitchen gadgets, air fryers are one of the most versatile kitchen appliances.

Can You Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?

Of course, you can.

You can use air fryers for frying, baking, grilling, roasting, and, undoubtedly, reheating leftover foods. From egg rolls, mashed potatoes, and pizza to meatloaf, steak, and fried fish, you can reheat most foods in an air fryer, except for stews, sauces, and soups.

You can reheat food that has been prepared in an air fryer or that has been cooked using another method. Regardless of the type of food you’re reheating, reheating food in an air fryer is so easy and fast that you will never want to reheat your food in the oven or microwave. (1)

How To Reheat Food In An Air Fryer

To reheat food in an air fryer, you’ll need to use a lower temperature compared to the temperature you use when you prepare food for the first time in an air fryer to prevent your food from getting too dry. And irrespective of the food you’re reheating, the air fryer will reheat it evenly and won’t make it bland, limp, or soggy, which is exactly the way your food often turns out when you reheat it in the oven or microwave.

To reheat food in an air fryer, follow these steps:

1. Before placing your food in the air fryer, ensure that the basket is dry and clean.
2. Begin by preheating the air fryer to 400°F. If it’s hot when you put your food in the basket, this will give the food a crispy exterior.
3. Then, place your food in the air fryer basket and put the basket inside the appliance.
4. Lower the temperature to 350°F and let the food reheat for three minutes.

Useful Tips For Reheating Food In An Air Fryer

1. Don’t put too much food in the air fryer basket. Leave space so that air can circulate.
2. Different foods require a different length of time to reheat consistently. The length of time depends on the size of the food, the quantity of the food, and what temperature you use. It is best to regularly check your food while it’s in the air fryer to make sure it doesn’t get burnt.
3. Avoid putting too much oil in the air fryer basket. If you put too much oil, your food may not heat evenly, and it can become sticky. Adding a light spritz of oil will be enough, especially if you are reheating dry veggies.
4. The only downside of using an air fryer is that you need to clean it. So, to prevent the air fryer pan from getting messy, place parchment paper or foil on the bottom of it. (2)

5 Reasons Why You Should Reheat Food In An Air Fryer

1. It is easy. You only need to put your food in the air fryer basket, and the air fryer will take care of the rest.
2. It is fast. Compared to ovens and microwaves, air fryers reheat food way faster.
3. It is useful. Using all of your leftovers means that you won’t throw food away or spend more money on groceries.
4. The food turns out great. When using an air fryer, your food will always turn out tasty, crispy, and, more importantly, perfectly cooked.
5. The texture and taste of the food remain unaffected. Foods that are reheated in an air fryer never turn out bland, limp, or soggy.

Top 14 Leftovers To Reheat In An Air Fryer

I’ve reheated different foods in my air fryer, and I’ve found that the best foods for reheating in this excellent kitchen gadget are the following:

1. Steak

When the steak is reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop, it tends to dry out, and it becomes hard and chewy. On the other hand, when steak is reheated in the air fryer, it preserves its juiciness. To make it tastier, you can add some butter to the steak before putting it in the air fryer.

2. Chicken Wings

If you had chicken wings for lunch the other day and you had some left, don’t throw them away. Make them even tastier and crispier by reheating them in your air fryer. Just give them a spritz of oil and put them in the air fryer basket. You’ll be amazed at how delicious they’ll come out.

3. French Fries

Try reheating French fries in an air fryer, and you’ll never want to reheat them in another way. When reheated in an air fryer, they turn golden and preserve their softness.

4. Tortilla Chips

Tortilla chips are a great snack. When you have any leftover tortilla chips, just put them in the air fryer, and they’ll become crunchy again. And when it comes to their taste, don’t doubt they’ll taste the same way they did when you first ate them.

5. Pizza

No one likes to eat pizza that is bland and has a crisp crust, which is exactly how it turns out when reheated in a microwave.

Pizza is best reheated in an air fryer. To reheat pizza in an air fryer, heat the air fryer to a temperature of 320 °F and put your pizza slices in the air fryer basket. They’ll take three to four minutes to warm through evenly. And when the cheese melts perfectly, your leftover pizza will be simply yummy.

6. Grilled Or Roasted Chicken

I’ve tried reheating roasted chicken in the microwave, and it turned out rubbery. Besides that, it got cold very fast. That’s why I always reheat chicken in the air fryer. It always comes out crispier and tasty, and it stays warm for longer.

7. Hamburger

Yes, you read that right. Air fryers are excellent for reheating hamburgers too. Just put the hamburger in the air fryer basket, let it warm evenly, and you’ll be amazed at how crispy and tasty the bun will turn out.

8. Leftover Vegetables

Try reheating leftover vegetables in a microwave, and you’ll see how quickly they’ll become limp and soggy.

It is best to reheat leftover vegetables in an air fryer. The circulating air will give them a crispy exterior and they’ll stay warm for longer.

9. Baked Potato

When baked potatoes are reheated in a microwave, they turn to mush. So, to prevent your delicious and crispy baked potatoes from becoming mush when reheating them, don’t put them in the oven. Instead, reheat them in your air fryer to make them even tastier and crispier.

10. Fried Fish

If you’ve ever tried reheating fried fish in an oven or a microwave, you know how mushy it comes out. On the other hand, when fried fish is reheated in an air fryer, it preserves its texture and gets crispy on the outside.

11. Chicken Nuggets

To reheat chicken nuggets in an air fryer, heat the air fryer to a temperature of 320 °F, pop your chicken nuggets in it, and let them warm through for three to four minutes. They’ll turn out even crispier and tastier than the first time you ate them.

12. Barbeque Ribs

To get the best results when reheating barbeque ribs, avoid doing so in the oven or microwave. Instead, reheat them in the air fryer and add some barbeque sauce to them before reheating them. They’ll preserve their moisture and the sauce will caramelize perfectly.

13. Chinese Food

Chinese food tastes even better when reheated in an air fryer. It preserves its flavour and texture, and it tastes even better than the first time you ate it.

14. Egg Cups

If you’ve just had egg cups for breakfast and you didn’t eat all of them, don’t throw out the leftovers. You can reheat and eat them later during the day. But, instead of reheating your egg cups in the microwave, use your air fryer. This excellent kitchen gadget will crisp up their edges and make them taste the same way they tested the first time you ate them.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can You Reheat Chinese Food In An Air Fryer?

Absolutely yes. Reheating your Chinese food leftovers in the air fryer is very easy.

To do this, follow these steps:

• If your leftovers are frozen, you might want to put them in the microwave first since the air fryer may not reheat your food evenly.
• Preheat the air fryer to 350 °F. This will take you a couple of minutes.
• Place your food in the air fryer basket and put the basket in the air fryer. To prevent your food from getting burnt, you can lower the temperature a bit. This should take you around three minutes.
• Regularly flip the food over within the air fryer basket to make sure it is reheated evenly.
• Once your food is warm, remove the basket from the air fryer, and then, you can enjoy your super tasty, crispy meal.

2. How Can You Reheat Fried Food In An Air Fryer?

As we already said, different foods require a different amount of time and temperature to reheat consistently in an air fryer. For instance, to reheat French fries, you’ll need to heat your air fryer to a temperature of 350 °F and preheat it for two to three minutes. While putting the fries in the air fryer basket, make sure you leave enough room so that air can circulate.

Then, reheat the French fries for around four minutes while shaking the basket regularly so that your fries don’t get burnt. You want them crispy, not burnt.

To reheat the fried chicken, set your air fryer to 320°F and reheat the chicken for three to four minutes. If your chicken is frozen, before putting it in your air fryer, let it come to room temperature.

To reheat pizza, preheat your air fryer to 320°F, put your pizza slices in the air fryer basket, but make sure you don’t overlap them, and reheat them for about four minutes.

To reheat egg rolls, heat your air fryer to a temperature of 350 °F. Then, preheat it for a couple of minutes, and put the egg rolls in the air fryer basket. Let them reheat until evenly warmed. This should take you around three to four minutes.

Conclusion

• Air fryers can be used for reheating a variety of foods.
• Air fryers are better for reheating food than ovens and microwaves since they make the food crispier and tastier and they don’t interfere with its texture.
• Soups, sauces, and stews are the only foods that can’t be reheated in an air fryer.
• To reheat food in an air fryer, you should follow these steps:
• Make sure that the air fryer basket is dry and clean.
• Preheat the air fryer to 400 °F.
• Put your leftovers in the air fryer basket.
• Decrease the temperature to 350°F and allow the food to reheat for three to four minutes.
• The best foods to reheat in an air fryer are the following:
• Steak
• Chicken wings
• French fries
• Tortilla chips
• Pizza
• Grilled or roasted chicken
• Hamburger
• Leftover vegetables
• Baked potato
• Fried fish
• Chicken nuggets
• Barbeque ribs
• Chinese food
• Egg cups