How to Air-Fry Vegetables: A Simple Guide for Easy, Flavorful Sides
Crispy, flavorful vegetables with almost zero effort.
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Air-fried vegetables might be one of the easiest sides you can make, but getting consistently great results does take a tiny bit of technique.
This guide focuses on simple, real-life cooking—the kind of veggie recipes you can prep in minutes, not the “best-ever air fryer potatoes” that require 10 steps and an afternoon. You’ll learn which veggies to choose, how to season them well, and air fry them so they’re crisp on the outside, tender inside, and full of flavor without drowning them in oil.
If you’re new to air frying (or just want reliably good veggies with almost no effort), this guide will teach you everything you need to make it happen.
Here for the how-to? Start from the top.
Just want recipes for different veggies? Click here to jump straight to the list.
Editor’s Note: I spent 4+ hours putting this guide together. My goal was to make this your (and mine) one-stop resource for anything related to air frying veggies. Bookmark it, use it, and if there’s something you’d love to see added, drop a comment below — I’ll keep updating and improving this guide over time.
Want to jump around? Use these jump links:
Basic Air Frying Method
Here’s the simple, repeatable setup you’ll use for almost any vegetable.
Ingredients
- Veggies of choice. Not all vegetables air-fry well, but many shine in the air fryer. Some great starter options: squash (butternut, pumpkin), Brussels sprouts, asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and zucchini.
- Oil. Olive oil or a neutral-flavored oil like avocado works best. Oil helps the veggies cook evenly and keeps spices stuck to the surface instead of falling to the bottom of the basket. Avoid flavored or finishing oils for cooking—they’re better drizzled on after.
- Seasonings & spices. Anything that adds flavor works here. For beginners, simple is best: salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, cinnamon (for the pumpkin family), and Italian seasoning are enough to get going. If you’re a bit more advanced, swap Italian seasoning for dried oregano, basil, rosemary, and thyme, or incorporate a selection of these.
Method
- Prep your veggies. Wash, peel if needed, and chop into uniform pieces. Consistent size is more important than the exact shape—it ensures even cooking and helps avoid burnt edges + undercooked centers. Pat veggies dry if needed so the oil sticks.
- Mix oil and seasonings. Add your oil and spices to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Coat the veggies. Add chopped veggies to the bowl and toss until evenly coated. For cubes or slices (like sweet potato), stirring with a spoon is fine. For irregular shapes (like broccoli florets), using your hands helps get into all the nooks and crannies.
- Air fry. Preheat your air fryer. Spread veggies in a single layer with a bit of space around each piece so they roast instead of steam. Air fry for the recommended time, shaking or stirring halfway. This flips the pieces that sit on the bottom and prevents soggy spots. When time’s up, check doneness: look for browned, crispy edges and a tender center. Pierce with a fork and taste if unsure.
- Finish and serve. Remove the basket and add any finishing touches: extra seasoning, grated cheese, lemon juice, seeds, or flavored oil.
Beginner Air-Fryer Tips
1. Give the Veggies Space (Avoid Overcrowding)
An air fryer roasts, not steams, which only works if the hot air can reach all sides of each piece. If veggies are packed tightly, moisture gets trapped and you end up steaming instead of crisping.
A little touching is fine, but try to stick to one layer when possible. It doesn’t need to be restaurant-level perfect—just enough space for airflow.
That said, don’t stress if there’s more contact than ideal. The veggies will still taste good, even if a few pieces turn out softer instead of perfectly crisp.
2. Use Time Ranges, Not Exact Times
Every air fryer behaves slightly differently, so all times in this guide are given as ranges.
When cooking a veggie for the first time, start at the low end, check doneness, then add 2–3 minutes at a time. Make a mental (or written) note of what worked so you can repeat it easily next time.
3. Let the Veggies Stop Cooking (Open the Basket After Frying)
When the timer finishes, open the basket—even if you’re not serving right away. Air fryers trap heat well, so keeping the basket closed will keep cooking the veggies, overcooking and drying them out.
If you need a few extra minutes before serving, open the basket for about 2 minutes to let the temperature drop so cooking stops. Then close it again to keep the veggies warm.
4. Taste First, Adjust Spices Later
When trying a new seasoning combo, follow the recipe as written, then adjust after tasting.
Everyone’s spice baseline is different—e.g., I rarely use much black pepper, so my “default” ratios may taste mild to you. Start with the recipe, then tweak it to match your tastes. Often you only need a small adjustment (like adding more pepper) to go from “okay” to “great,” not a totally new recipe. Plus, adjusting teaches you more than just copying.
5. Start Simple (It Helps You Actually Cook More Often)
It’s much easier to make a recipe that uses one vegetable and four pantry spices you already have than something that mixes four veggies with three unfamiliar seasonings.
Simple setups also make last-minute meals doable. Save the more complex blends for when you’re comfortable with the basics—or when you have time to experiment (and maybe fail at times).
6. Match Cutting Sizes When Cooking Veggies Together
If you air-fry multiple vegetables at once, cut them so they finish cooking at the same time.
Think of veggies as two groups:
- Firm veggies: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash (need longer time)
- Soft veggies: bell peppers, zucchini, onions (cook fast)
To make them finish together:
- Cut firm veggies smaller than usual
- Cut soft veggies larger than usual
- Pick an air-frying time somewhere between their normal individual times
If you’re new to air-frying, start with single-vegetable batches—they’re more reliable and help you learn how each veggie behaves.
Veggie-by-Veggie Air-Fryer Recipes
Use the list below to go straight to the veggie you’ve got in the fridge. Each recipe keeps things easy: minimal prep, pantry spices, and great flavor.
Butternut Squash
This is butternut squash at its simplest: quick prep, pantry spices, and a soft-center, crisp-edge finish. A perfect weeknight side that doesn’t ask much more than a bit of chopping.
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pound butternut squash cubed, ~450 g
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Peel and Cube Squash: Peel the squash, remove the seeds, and cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes.1 pound butternut squash
- Mix Oil and Spices: In a large bowl, combine the olive oil with the salt, paprika, black pepper, and cinnamon, stirring until the spices are evenly distributed.1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon paprika, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- Coat the Squash: Add the cubed squash to the bowl and stir or toss with your hands until every piece is well coated with the oil and spice mixture.
- Preheat Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 390°F (200°C).
- Air Fry the Squash: Once preheated, place the coated cubes in the air fryer basket in a single layer, spreading them so there is space around each piece. Air fry at 390°F (200°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, tossing or shaking the basket halfway through so they brown evenly.
- Serve and Enjoy: Remove the squash from the air fryer and serve hot. Enjoy.
Notes
- New to air frying veggies? Read the beginner tips above.
Nutrition
Sweet Potato
Soft on the inside with just the right amount of crisp on the edges, these air-fried sweet potatoes are as easy as it gets. A quick toss with pantry spices and 20 minutes in the air fryer, and you’ve got a warm, caramelized side that works with just about any meal.
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potato cubed; ~450 g
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Cut the Potatoes: Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes so they cook evenly.1 pound sweet potato
- Mix Oil and Spices: In a large bowl, combine the olive oil with the salt, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper, stirring until well mixed.1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon paprika, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Coat the Cubes: Add the cubed sweet potatoes to the bowl and stir or toss with your hands until every piece is evenly coated with the oil-spice mixture.
- Preheat Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 390°F (200°C) so it’s ready when the potatoes are coated.
- Air Fry the Potatoes: Once preheated, arrange the coated cubes in the air fryer basket in a single layer with space around each piece so they roast nicely. Air fry at 390°F (200°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, tossing halfway through.
- Serve and Enjoy: Remove the roasted sweet potatoes and enjoy while hot.
Notes
- If you’re new to air-frying vegetables, see the beginner tips above.