When you have leftovers, reheating them in the air fryer is almost always the best way. It's a great way to ensure maximum flavor and texture. In this post you will learn which foods are best reheated in the air fryer, and how to reheat them.
The Air Fryer Is a Game Changer for Reheating Food
You probably know by now that the air fryer is my all time favorite kitchen appliance. And one of the reasons is that it's just so amazing when you have leftovers you need to reheat - whether those leftovers are fast food fries or a whole steak.
In this post I've gathered all my best tips and tricks for reheating food, as well as links to specific posts for reheating certain types of food. So go ahead and bookmark it and save for the next time you've got leftovers you want to enjoy again!
In this post you will learn:
- Why you should reheat food in the air fryer
- Which foods are best to reheat in the air fryer
- Which foods you should NOT reheat in an air fryer
- A general process for reheating food in the air fryer
- Specific step-by-step instructions for reheating certain types of food in the air fryer
- Tips and tricks to ensure you succeed with reheating in your air fryer every single time
4 Reasons Why You Should Use Your Air Fryer to Reheat Food
First things first: why should you even use your air fryer to reheat food? That's easy - for a lot of foods, it far surpasses other methods when it comes to taste, speed, texture and ease.
1. It's Quick
How the air fryer works, is that it circulates hot air around your food. This is the same as with a regular convection oven. However, using an air fryer with a basket (as opposed to an oven tray) will ensure the hot air reaches all surfaces of the food - including the bottom.
This means food cooks quicker, and more evenly. And it's the main reason the air fryer is so good for reheating leftovers, as well as for cooking food straight from frozen.
2. Food is Less Likely to Dry Out
Reheating leftovers in less time also means they will be less likely to dry out. That's how you get a juicy steak, even after reheating.
3. Refresh the Crisp
The circulating hot air also helps refresh the crisp on any food that you want really crispy - like French fries, or fried chicken. Adding a bit of extra oil often helps this even further!
4. It's So Easy
Reheating food in an air fryer is as easy as reheating it in the microwave. But the result is so much better.
What Foods are Best to Reheat in the Air Fryer?
An easy rule of thumb is that any type of food you can cook in an air fryer, you can also reheat in an air fryer.
Some of the best foods to reheat are:
- Leftover pizza - slice and reheat; the crust crisps up while the cheese on top melts.
- French fries - homemade or McDonald's, doesn't matter! Add a spritz of oil spray (or skip it) and reheat, for fries that are almost as good as the day before. It also works for sweet potato fries, waffle fries, crinkle fries, curly fries... you get the point.
- Fried snacks like onion rings and chicken nuggets.
- Chicken: For example chicken tenders & chicken breasts.
- Fried chicken - crisp it up on the outside without overcooking the inside.
- Steak - slice it or cook it as it is.
- Burgers - meat, chicken or veggie, anything goes.
- Roasted or air fried vegetables - just as new, in a few short minutes.
Which Foods Should You Not Reheat in an Air Fryer?
While you can reheat most foods in the air fryer, there are some exceptions.
Here are some foods I would not recommend cooking or reheating in your air fryer:
- Leafy greens like spinach or arugula. Why you would even want to heat or reheat them to start, I'm not sure. But if you do for some reason, use the oven or microwave instead. In the air fryer they can start flying around, and land on the heating vents - and we don't want that!
- Whole roasts like roast beef or chicken. However, if you slice it first you can then reheat it in the air fryer, just like a regular steak!
- Cheese without a coating. It will just melt and drip through your basket. The exception is halloumi cheese and other similar grilling cheeses. If you want to heat or reheat something like a brie or other melty cheese, place it on a piece of aluminum foil or in an air fryer-safe dish.
- Soups and stews. While you could technically reheat them in your air fryer using an air fryer-safe bowl, you won't get the same benefit from it as for other types of food.
- Pasta and rice. As with soups and stews, while you can use the air fryer for this, there are better ways.
General Process for Reheating Food in the Air Fryer
While the perfect time and temperature will vary for different foods, this simple process is a good place to start.
- Place the food in the air fryer basket and add a spritz of olive oil
- Set the air fryer to 360°F (180°C) and cook the food until heated through. Shake the food around, or flip it, about halfway, to ensure the most even cook.
FAQ
For more answers to your Air Fryer questions, check out my extensive Air Fryer FAQ.
360°F (180°C) is a good place to start, and it will work fine for most foods. However, some foods reheat better at lower or higher temperatures.
A good rule of thumb is that if you're worried about drying something out (like a steak or chicken wings), reheat it at a lower temperature (360°F/ 80°C or lower).
If it's something you want to crisp up, reheat it at a higher temperature (390°F/200°C or higher).
Further, if you are reheating something smaller (like French fries or thin slices of steak), you can reheat at a higher temperature, while thicker foods (whole steaks or chicken breasts) will turn out best at a lower temperature.
The time it will take to reheat your food varies a lot depending on what you're reheating, the size of the food, and how much there is of it.
Leftovers should always be reheated to at least 165°F (74°C) to be safe to consume, so a great way to gauge when it's done is to use a meat thermometer.
If you don't have a thermometer, you will need to cut into your food to check if it is well heated throughout.
Below are a few guidelines for how long different foods take to reheat. (follow the links for full instructions). Since the times can vary a lot, always make sure the food is in fact heated through before consuming.
French fries: 4-6 minutes
Chicken wings: 4-6 minutes
Sliced steak: 2-3 minutes
Whole steak: 5-6 minutes
I like adding a spritz of olive oil when reheating most foods, as I find it refreshes the food a bit. It's optional though, so feel free to skip it.
Pro Tips
No need to preheat! Since we're just rehating the food, it doesn't matter if the temperature is perfectly high to start.
Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Some foods, like French fries, can be cooked in multiple layers, but you should not fill the entire basket. Others, like steak, should be cooked in a single layer. If reheating a lot of food, cook it in batches.
Check the food regularly. You want to ensure it doesn't burn or dry out. If it is starting to burn, lower the temperature. If it starts to look dry, add a spritz of oil and lower the temperature.
Flip the food, or shake it around, about halfway. This will give you the most even cook. It's optional, but makes the end result even better.
Make a note of the time it takes to reheat your favorite foods. This way it will be even easier the next time!
Do not reheat again. Reheat just as much as you will finish, most foods are not good when reheated multiple times.
The exact times will vary with your specific air fryer model. Please make sure your food is heated through before consuming, either by using a thermometer or checking manually.
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