17 Healthy Air Fryer Recipes for Fruits and Vegetables
Article posted in: Diet & NutritionAir fryers are the ultimate tool for the dieter who likes immediate (or almost) gratification and who pines for the delectable fried foods that don’t appear on ANY “eat this” list. Air fryer recipes are the perfect way to satisfy both of these needs while sticking to a healthy weight loss plan!
At Nutrisystem, our philosophy has been that the best diet is one you’ll stick to. So if you need your crispy fries or your piping hot dessert ASAP, you go for it! Let your air fryer help you on your weight loss journey, keeping you satisfied while making sure your diet is healthy.
We’ve come up with some healthy air fryer recipes that we think you’re going to love. Bonus: They’re sure to help you get in your daily servings of fruits and veggies! So get ready to put your food in the air fryer, push some buttons and enjoy.
1. Air Fryer Baked Apple >
Baked apple has the same irresistible flavor of apple pie without the crust. However, it’s usually covered in a buttery, brown-sugar crumble of oats and nuts which puts it out of bounds on a diet. We’re changing all that with the air fryer! This recipe comes in at only 139 calories without skimping on taste and sweetness. It has chopped walnuts, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg and cooks up in 20 minutes.
2. Homemade Air Fryer Veggie Tots >
You won’t believe you’re allowed to eat these crispy, cheesy, veggie snacks that crisp up like crazy in the air fryer without having to absorb dollops of oil. They make a great snack or side dish. Two are only 176 calories.
3. Healthy Air Fryer Peaches >
You may want to save this one for peach season. This recipe calls for two underripe peaches. And that’s it! Slice them and remove the pit, then pop them in the air fryer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Enjoy them any way you want—with a dollop of yogurt or nondairy whipped topping, drizzled in honey or sprinkled with nuts. They’d be lovely in a salad, too.
4. Air Fryer Onion Rings >
Crispy, crunchy and delicious, this healthy take on onion rings will be your go-to recipe for snacks and party food. The coating is made from whole wheat flour, whole grain panko crumbs, eggs and spiced with paprika and oregano. In less than 10 minutes in the air fryer, you’re enjoying an appetizer every bit as good as the ones you get in restaurants. Pair them with one of the dips below!:
5. Air Fryer Apple Almond Butter S’mores >
S’mores get a double makeover in this recipe. First, you get to enjoy this sweet treat for only 127 calories. Second, chocolate is replaced with almond butter and thin apple slices. The only two things we’re keeping are graham crackers and marshmallows. Create your s’mores sandwich in the air fryer, push the button and three minutes later, you have a dessert that fits into your Nutrisystem plan.
6. Air Fryer Eggplant Parm Poppers >
When you pop one of these poppers into your mouth, you won’t believe that they’re only 221 calories per serving (that’s three poppers). Plus, they’re so easy to make! They’re coated with bread crumbs, whole wheat flour, Italian seasonings and low-sodium parmesan cheese for a nice crispy outside, while eggplant cubes form the soft, tasty inside. Have with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.
7. Air Fryer Apple Chips >
What happens when your sweet tooth and your yen for crispy coincide? Reach for these apple crisps, which take only about eight minutes in the air fryer. Thin apple slices are tossed with cinnamon and nutmeg for a crispy chip you’ll crave at every snack time. The recipe makes one serving which comes in at 98 calories.
8. Air Fryer Raspberry Crisp >
Crisps are a great way to get a serving of fruit. And with an air fryer, you can have this classic summer dessert on the table in 15 minutes. This one starts with a cup of raspberries (or pick your own favorite berry!) mixed with just two teaspoons of sugar and some cornstarch, then topped with rolled oats, walnuts, cinnamon, chia seeds and light butter.
9. Air Fryer Cauliflower Tater Tots >
You can cut the amount of prep time for this guilt-free appetizer by using store-bought riced cauliflower, available in the produce or freezer section of your market. The veggie rice is mixed with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs, then spiced with onion powder and Italian seasoning. Once formed, the tots go into the fryer where they bake for 10 minutes.
10. Cinnamon Sugar Air Fryer Grilled Pineapple >
You used to need a grill for this recipe but the air fryer is perfect for “grilling” these sweet sticks of fresh pineapple. They are refreshing by themselves but even more awesome when paired with something savory as a side dish. They’re coated with brown sugar and cinnamon, but you can get creative with hot pepper, ginger, coconut sugar, lime zest or even basil.
11. Air Fryer Italian Spaghetti Squash >
Cut loads of time off cooking this spaghetti squash-based dish by using your air fryer. It only takes 20 minutes to produce the soft, pasta-like strands of this versatile vegetable. When it’s done, mix it with a combo of ricotta, mozzarella, egg and herbs, add spinach and marinara sauce, then top with mozzarella cheese. Finally, cook it for another 10 minutes in the air fryer.
12. Air Fryer Stuffed Peaches >
Sweet peaches filled with a yummy oatmeal-based granola are lightly sweetened with brown sugar and spiced with cinnamon. They are a cinch to make in your air fryer and only take 10 minutes.
13. Air Fryer Sausage, Potatoes and Veggies >
This versatile recipe makes either a hearty breakfast or a filling homestyle dinner. Chicken sausage is nestled in a combination of baby potatoes and chopped zucchini, seasoned with a pinch of garlic powder, pepper and two teaspoons of olive oil. It spends less than 20 minutes in the air fryer and you have a delicious meal for only 247 calories.
14. Air Fryer Peanut Butter and Banana S’mores >
You don’t have to wait for summer or a campfire to enjoy this version of s’mores. But once you taste it, you may not go back to traditional S’mores even when campfire season starts. We’ve replaced chocolate with peanut butter and banana slices, then placed them between two graham cracker squares with a marshmallow that melts perfectly in your air fryer.
15. Air Fryer Apple Fritter >
Just two tablespoons of sugar sweeten the entire batch of four apple fritters (only 128 calories per!) in this recipe. The donut-like dough is made with whole wheat pastry flour, which adds fiber. The rest of the recipe: chopped apples, baking powder, cinnamon, lemon juice, nonfat milk and eggs. The best part is that, unlike other fritters, these aren’t fried in oil. That’s the beauty of the air fryer—you get all the taste and texture of your favorite fried foods without all of the calories and fat.
16. Air Fryer Roasted Parmesan Carrots >
Get in your four veggie servings with this one of our favorite healthy, customer submitted recipes using an air fryer! These simple “roasted” carrot sticks are easy, cheesy and only required a handful of simple ingredients.
17. Air Fryer Jicama Fries >
Jicama is transformed into French fries in one of our favorite healthy air fryer recipes! If you’ve never tried jicama before, this easy appetizer is the perfect recipe to try it out. It’s non-starchy vegetable side dish that the whole family will enjoy!