The air fryer is the perfect equipment for healthy, oil-free cooking. Air fryers have an internal fan that circulates and distributes heat evenly. This allows the food to cook thoroughly and develop a crisp, brown crust and light texture. Although little oil is used, the resulting food looks and tastes like it was prepared in a lot of oil. And the best part is there is no mess to clean up later.
Did you know that you can also use this device to make deliciously crisp and perfectly fried pickles? Vegan air fryer fried pickles make great appetizers and sides. They are very flavorful and taste good with any dipping sauce. Also, this recipe is low in sodium and great for someone who is watching the salt intake.
Here is how you can prepare perfectly healthy and hassle-free version fryer fried pickles!
Servings: 2 people
Cost: $1
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 2 large dill pickles
- cooking spray
- For the “egg”:
- 2 tsp corn meal
- 2 Tbsp +¼ tsp chia seeds
- ½ cup water
- For the flour mixture:
- 3 Tbsp whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Salt-Free seasoning bland
- For the Panko mixture:
- 6 Tbsp Panko bread crumbs
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper powder
Instructions
- Cut pickles into spears,or slice them into ¼ inch coins, as desired.
- Drain off the excess liquid from the pickles and pat each piece dry with a paper towel.
- Prepare the “egg”. Tap, crush and smash chia seeds and cornmeal with a pestle until the ingredients become less course and more fine consistency. Place the mixture into a medium deep bowl, add water, and set aside.
- Next, prepare the flour mixture by mixing the flour, garlic powder, and Mrs. Dash together in a bowl.
- Next, combine Panko bread crumbs with paprika and cayenne pepper powder in a medium sized bowl.
- Meanwhile, coat generously the bottom of the air-fryer bucket with cooking spray. Next, preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees.
- Coat the pickles evenly first with the flour mixture, then dip them into the “egg” and roll gently. You can use a teaspoon to help. Next, coat the pickles with Panko breadcrumbs.
- Place the pickles in the air fryer leaving enough space between each piece. You can cook them in batches if there are many pieces. Spray with cooking spray.
- The pickles are done when they are crispy and golden on both sides. Flip the pieces halfway through, during cooking to make sure that each side cooks evenly. It can take up to five min nutes for one side to be completely cooked. The exact time will depend on the fryer model.
- In my Ninja model of air-fryer, it takes 6 minutes total for the coin-shaped pickles. However, it takes longer for the spears, 8-10 minutes, depending on how thin I sliced them.
- Gently remove them from the air fryer and serve them hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
- I highly recommend pairing air fryer fired pickles with my spicy vegan Creamy Southwest Ranch. Its recipe included below.
- Check out some additional expert tips to make your air fryer fried pickles even better.
Notes
Tips:
- For the coating to stick to the pickles, drain off the excess juice completely before frying them. You can use a paper towel to get rid of the extra liquid.
- Space the pickles in the air fryer in such a way that they do not touch each other. This will allow air to freely circulate over them. If the pickles touch each other, the area of contact will not crisp up.
- The speed and time of cooking will depend on the type of air fryer as well as the size of the pickles. The pickles should quickly cook and crisp up at a temperature of 390 degrees. However, the time may vary for different air fryers. Keep an eye on them to make sure that they don’t overcook.
- Serve air fryer fried pickles fresh to retain their crispness. The crust can become soggy over time.
- If you want to save them for later, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. You can either eat them cold or reheat them in the microwave when needed.
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Creamy Southwest Ranch Dip
Servings: 2
Cost: $1
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegan mayo
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp almond milk
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning according to taste.
Notes
Note: Store this dip in the refrigerator in a sealed, airtight container and you can use it for up to a week.
Loved this recipe?Mention @cookingmypoundsoff or tag #cookingmypoundsoff!
