Olive oil in an air fryer: yes, with two conditions

An air fryer is a small convection oven that moves hot air quickly. It does not fry anything, despite the name — and that is exactly why it suits extra virgin olive oil.

Why it works

Deep frying submerges food in hot oil for an extended time. An air fryer uses a teaspoon or two to coat the surface of the food, and the heat comes from the air rather than from the oil itself.

That means the oil is not held at high temperature in bulk. It coats the food, helps the surface brown and crisp, and is largely absorbed into what you are cooking.

The two conditions

1. Do not use an aerosol spray

Commercial cooking sprays contain propellants and sometimes lecithin, which can build up on the non-stick coating of an air fryer basket and damage it over time. Most air fryer manufacturers give this advice themselves.

Instead, toss the food with oil in a bowl before it goes into the basket, or use a refillable pump bottle that you fill with olive oil yourself.

2. Use a moderate temperature

Most air fryer recipes work well at a moderate setting, which is also where olive oil is most comfortable. If you run it at the highest setting for a long time, you may pass the smoke point and the oil will start to smell scorched.

How much oil to use

Far less than you think. One to two teaspoons is enough for a basket of vegetables or potatoes. The aim is a thin film on the surface, not a pool in the bottom of the basket.

Excess oil drips into the drawer below, burns there, and produces smoke and a scorched smell that has nothing to do with your food.

What works well

• Potatoes and sweet potatoes cut and tossed with oil and salt
• Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and carrot
• Chicken, seasoned and tossed in a little oil
• Fish, which needs the least oil of anything
• Chickpeas, for a crisp snack
• Cubed bread for salad croutons

One habit worth keeping

Use olive oil to cook in the air fryer, then pour a little raw oil over the food once it comes out. Heat softens the oil's flavour; the final drizzle puts it back.