A Guide to Air Frying Vegetables (Even the Ones You Actually Want to Eat)

The air fryer is a game-changer for making crispy, crunchy treats without the added fats and calories of deep frying. But it’s not just for snacks—it can quickly cook a variety of dishes, including vegetables, making them tender and delicious in a fraction of the time compared to traditional methods.

Plus, using an air fryer means you can save oven space for other dishes, or even skip the oven entirely. It heats up quickly and produces far less heat than a conventional oven, making it a great option for warmer days.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to air fry vegetables of all kinds. While cook times and temperatures may differ slightly depending on your air fryer model, use this as a starting point and adjust based on how your machine performs. (Need an air fryer? Check out our list of the top models to buy.)

How to Air Fry Your Vegetables

Air frying vegetables is similar to roasting them, with the key difference being the speed and the crispiness. An air fryer acts like a mini convection oven, cooking veggies quickly while ensuring a perfectly crispy texture every time.

Get the Recipe: Air-Fryer Roasted Vegetables

Step 1: Chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.

Cutting vegetables, particularly denser ones like potatoes and winter squash, into smaller, uniform pieces ensures they cook faster. It also increases the surface area, leading to a better crisp. Since air fryers are compact, chopping vegetables helps you fit more pieces into the cooking basket, as larger chunks may not cook as evenly.

Step 2: Add Oil and Seasoning

Before placing your vegetables in the air fryer, toss them in a large bowl with oil, salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you like. You’ll want to use less oil than usual—air frying requires much less oil than traditional roasting.

If you're breading your vegetables, now is the time to do so. Wet batters won’t cook well in an air fryer, so make sure to coat any veggies you're dipping in flour and egg wash before air frying.

Step 3: Arrange the Veggies

Arrange your vegetables in a single, flat layer to speed up cooking time. If you haven’t preheated your air fryer yet, now is the time to do so.

Air Frying Times for Different Vegetables

Cooking times for vegetables in an air fryer depend on their size and texture. Firmer vegetables, such as potatoes and winter squash, need longer cook times or higher temperatures, while tender ones like eggplant and asparagus cook much faster at lower settings.

Frozen vegetables may need a few extra minutes and some additional space due to the excess moisture. If your air fryer has separate compartments, group vegetables with similar textures and cook times together. Here’s a general guideline for air frying various veggies.

• Potato (whole) – 40 minutes at 400°F
• Potato (cut) – 15 minutes at 400°F
• Baby potatoes – 15 minutes at 400°F
• Potato wedges – 18-22 minutes at 360°F
• Broccoli – 5 minutes at 400°F
• Carrots – 15 minutes at 380°F
• Brussels sprouts (halved) – 15 minutes at 380°F
• Zucchini – 12 minutes at 400°F
• Squash chunks – 12 minutes at 400°F
• Sweet potato – 30-35 minutes at 380°F
• Sliced peppers – 15 minutes at 400°F
• Pearl onions – 10 minutes at 400°F
• Asparagus – 5 minutes at 400°F
• Cauliflower – 12 minutes at 400°F
• Cherry tomatoes – 4 minutes at 400°F
• Sliced tomatoes – 10 minutes at 350°F
• Eggplant – 15 minutes at 400°F
• Kale – 12 minutes at 250°F
• Parsnips – 15 minutes at 380°F
• Beets – 40 minutes at 400°F
• Corn on the cob – 6 minutes at 390°F

Step 4: Start Cooking

With your cooking time and temperature set, it's time to air fry your vegetables. Halfway through, give them a shake to ensure they cook evenly and get that perfect crispiness.

For extra crispy, golden bits, simply extend the cooking time. Just be sure to keep an eye on the food—air fried items cook quickly.

How to Air Fry Vegetables with Varying Cook Times

If some vegetables finish cooking before others, feel free to remove them once done. Alternatively, for next time, try spacing out your veggies on the tray and add quicker-cooking ones a few minutes later. This way, everything will be ready and crispy all at once.