When it comes to the keto diet, it can be difficult to indulge in fried snacks. But thanks to the air fryer, which you can use to make some delicious keto air fryer recipes, a crispy crunchy and oil-free snack is right around the corner.
Whether you want an air fryer snack that’s cheesy or one that is healthier and made of veggies, the air fryer can do it all, and it’s much simpler than traditional frying.
If you’re ready to venture into the world of air frying while on the keto diet, then this article is for you as it will cover 35 amazing air fryer keto recipes that you will absolutely love.
What Foods Can You Cook in Keto Air Fryer Recipes?
The keto diet is a very specific diet, and you may be wondering which of the foods you can eat can be cooked in an air fryer. The answer is almost all of them can be.
There are very few foods that cannot be cooked in an air fryer. Below is a list of some of the most common foods you can cook in an air fryer while on the keto diet.
Common Keto Air Fryer Recipes Foods
- Broccoli
- Avocado
- Cheese
- Chicken
- Brussel Sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Jalapenos
- Shrimp
- Zucchini
- Salmon
- Steak
- Pickles
- Bell Peppers
- Scallops
- Artichokes
- Tomatoes
Don’t see your favorite keto food on the list? Don’t panic, as it can probably go in the air fryer, as long as it isn’t cut too thin. Foods that are cut too thin tend to burn in the air fryer, otherwise, almost anything you decide to cook should be able to be made in your air fryer.
Are Air Fryers Good for Keto?
Many people on the keto diet think they have to be restrained to just eating vegetables, meats, and lots of cheese. It may surprise you to find out that an air fryer is perfect for someone on the keto diet.
An air fryer is ideal for someone on a keto diet because you can skip the breadcrumbs that you usually need to make a fried snack and make foods crispy all on their own. It also makes it easy to fry non-traditional coatings that would fall apart in the oven or in a deep fryer.
Not to mention that an air fryer takes less time than most cooking methods, which means you can have a keto-friendly snack on the table in no time at all.
Can You Lose Weight Eating Keto Air Fryer Recipes?
Eating the keto diet is often done for the purpose of trying to lose weight. Therefore many people are cautious to begin consuming food made by using the word “frying.”
You need not worry, however, as an air fryer couldn’t be more different than traditional frying. It doesn’t include any oil, and it cooks the food using air convection. Thus it is healthier than almost any other method of cooking.
You can’t go too crazy though, as anything you eat from the air fryer still contains calories. You will need to continue to watch your portion sizes even as you eat food made in the air fryer.
It is also recommended to check the nutritional value of anything you make in the air fryer to see if it is healthy or not.
Those who follow dietary recommendations on nutrition and portion size will find that it is possible to lose weight even if their diet contains food made in the air fryer.
What Are the Disadvantages of Keto Air Fryer Recipes?
When cooking food, there are very few disadvantages to using an air fryer. There are a few, however, and the main one is that it is very easy to burn food.
Air fryers cook using very hot air which becomes hot quite rapidly. Sometimes, when left unattended, even food left in the air fryer for a short period of time can become charred.
Charred food has been shown to sometimes be carcinogenic in nature, which is why you should always stay near your air fryer while it is cooking, and check in on your food periodically to ensure it isn’t burning.
If the food does burn, throw it out and try the recipe again another time.
Additionally, air fryers are quite small, thus it can be difficult to make enough food in an air fryer for an entire family.
But if you can master the art of cooking in batches, and stay in the kitchen while the air fryer is on, there are no disadvantages to having one in your home.
Can You Have a Cheat Day on the Keto Diet?
All this talk about fried foods may have you craving some French fries or a non-keto breaded fried snack. You may be wondering if it is okay for you to cheat on your keto diet for a day.
You should never cheat on your keto diet; this is because the whole point of the keto diet is to keep your body in ketosis—or fat-burning mode. If you cheat on your diet, the body leaves this state and it will stop burning fat, which may cause you to gain weight.
Rather than cheat on the keto diet, you should find a keto-friendly air fryer recipe that you love and can turn to on those days when you are craving something you shouldn’t have while on the keto diet.
How to Cook Eggs in an Air Fryer
Eating a lot of eggs is an important part of the keto diet, and now it is even easier thanks to your air fryer. Here are the steps to make an egg in your air fryer.
Step 1: Place Eggs in the Air Fryer
Place the eggs in raw, ensuring they are on the metal rack of your air fryer.
Step 2: Cook Eggs
Set the air fryer to 260 degrees. Cook the eggs for 15 minutes for soft-boiled eggs, or 25 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.
Step 3: Ice Bath
After the eggs are finished cooking, put them in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes you can peel and eat them.
Making eggs in your air fryer can help you to make a quick keto breakfast any day of the week no matter what time you have to be out the door.
Eggs are delicious, but you definitely shouldn’t restrain yourself to just making eggs when it comes to air fryer keto recipes. Keep reading as we introduce the 35 best keto air fryer recipes.
35 Tasty Keto Air Fryer Recipes that Will Make Your Life Easier
1. Air Fryer Stuffed Bell Peppers
Stuffed bell peppers are an easy-to-make keto dinner that will typically please the entire family. Rather than waiting for these to cook for 40 minutes in the oven, switch them up and put them in the air fryer for just 15 minutes following this recipe by Fork to Spoon.
Stuffed with the meat of your choice, cheese, and a mix of seasonings, this will soon become one of your favorite go-to weeknight meals.
2. Whole Chicken
It can be difficult to cook for a large family using just an air fryer. But thanks to this recipe by Low Carb Africa, it is possible to make an entire chicken in your air fryer.
You’ll need to prep the chicken before it goes in by rubbing it with olive oil and spices, then just place it in the air fryer for 30 minutes at 360 degrees. Check the chicken with a thermometer before removing it, let it rest while you set the table, then dinner is served.
3. Keto Air Fryer Recipes Steak Bites
Steak bites are not only keto-friendly, but very formidable as they can be eaten as a meal, or served at a party as a snack. Find out how to make them in this recipe by Food Folks and Fun.
For those eating them as a meal, serve them with a nice portion of broccoli or tasty Brussel sprouts. If there are any leftovers, they can be saved for up to three days, but these are so good you shouldn’t count on having any leftovers.
4. Egg Bites
Bored of the hard-boiled eggs for breakfast? Switch it up with these keto-friendly air fryer eggs bites from Frozen Bananas.
Start by cracking some eggs and mixing in goat cheese, almond milk, spinach, and bell peppers. Mix everything together and pour into silicone baking cups. Put them in your air fryer for 10 minutes at 300 degrees then breakfast is served.
5. Keto Turkey Meatballs Air Fryer Recipes
Meatballs can be tricky on a keto diet, as they typically contain some sort of flour to help with binding them together. Check out this recipe from Sun Kissed Kitchen for air fryer turkey meatballs which are made with almond flour to make them keto-friendly.
Prepping the meatballs does take a bit of time, but this is a dinner recipe that you can have on the table in under 30 minutes.
6. Keto Buffalo Wings
Don’t want to make an entire chicken in your air fryer? Try this recipe for air fryer buffalo chicken wings from Chef De Home instead.
The buffalo sauce is made with a mix of butter and hot sauce keeping it low carb and good for maintaining your ketosis. Just be sure you stay in the kitchen while you air fry this recipe as chicken is easy to overcook and you’ll need to flip the wings halfway through.
7. Air Fryer Squash
Eating enough veggies on the keto diet is essential to maintaining balanced nutrition. When you need a side dish for a meal, pull out this recipe by The Domestic Dietitian for air fryer squash.
You’ll slice the squash, tossing it in a mix of olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and parmesan cheese. Next, place in the air fryer for just 15 minutes, shaking halfway through. After you pull them out, add a little more lemon zest and serve—it’s that easy.
8. Keto Air Fryer Recipes Turkey Sandwich
Besides just being used to make keto breakfasts and dinners, your air fryer can also be used to make a quick and easy lunch, such as this low carb air fryer turkey sandwich by Small Farm Big Life.
The recipe calls for the keto bread of your choice, to which you will be adding turkey, cheese, and some condiments. Add a couple of toothpicks to hold the sandwiches together then stick them in the air fryer, that’s all there is to it.
9. Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Chicken is versatile meat when referring to keto air fryer recipes—you can make it whole, as wings, or even as a crusted breast like they did on Frozen Bananas.
The chicken in this recipe is breaded with almond flour, and you’ll be using Greek yogurt to get all the toppings and spices to stick to the meat. The result is a crispy, cheesy chicken breast that can be added to salads or served by itself with some vegetables.
10. Miso Glazed Vegetables Keto Air Fryer Recipes
Can’t decide on what vegetable to serve for dinner? Serve a mix of veggies using this keto air fryer recipe from Healing Tomato.
The recipe lists both keto and non-keto versions of the recipe so ensure you are following the keto version which requires you to leave out the sriracha sauce. Otherwise simply grab your veggies, miso, and ginger powder, and start air frying.
11. Crispy Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
The best part about the keto diet is that you don’t have to give up bacon and you can still lose weight. Reap this benefit when you make these air fryer crispy Brussel sprouts and bacon by Jar of Lemons.
Simply coat the Brussel sprouts in the oil and seasonings, mix with the bacon, then put them in your air fryer for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, and removing them once the bacon is crisp.
12. Keto Air Fryer Recipes Green Beans
Green beans are another great vegetable that can be cooked to crisp perfection in an air fryer. Follow this recipe by Cheerful Choices to cook green beans in your air fryer then top them with the desired toppings.
Whether you drizzle them with lemon or add some chopped almonds, this is a keto side dish you can’t mess up.
13. Keto Air Fryer Recipes Asparagus
A close relative of the green bean, asparagus checks all the boxes as it is both keto and gluten-free. Next time you have a craving for the stalky vegetable grab this recipe from Frozen Bananas which uses an air fryer to make crispy lemon parmesan asparagus.
It only takes about 7 minutes from start to finish, making this the ideal side dish for a complicated main dish that requires a lot of your attention.
14. Air Fried Keto Radishes
One of the worst parts about the keto diet is that you have to cut out those roasted potatoes that seem to go great with everything. Replace them with this keto friendly air fryer recipe for air fried radishes from The Short Order Cook.
They’re small, round, crispy, and for a minute you may just forget you are missing potatoes while you’re eating them.
15. Garlic Shrimp with Smoky Baja Sauce
You may not think to cook shrimp in an air fryer, but the results will have you wanting to cook shrimp in your air fryer every day. Before you go too crazy, start with this recipe by Deb’s Daily Dish.
First, you will be coating the shrimp in garlic and other seasonings and then cook them in the air fryer for 5 minutes—which is conveniently just enough time to make the Baja sauce you will be using for dipping.
16. Keto Air Fryer Recipes Ribeye Steak
Steak is a delicious treat that you can’t just pull out for any dinner unless you learn to cook it in the air fryer. Thanks to this air fryer keto recipe from Kitchen Divas you can now make a steak cooked to medium-rare in just 8 minutes.
No longer will steak be something for weekends only, as this dish is so quick you’ll prefer it over almost any other meal you usually cook after a long day at work.
17. Keto Air Fryer Recipes Glazed Pork Belly
Many keto eaters tend to shy away from bacon’s more complicated cousin pork belly because of how difficult it is to cook. But just like most foods, you can crisp your pork belly to perfection in your air fryer.
Follow this recipe by Joy Filled Ideas to make a keto-friendly glaze to add to your pork belly before you put it in your air fryer.
18. Air Fryer Edamame
Edamame can be eaten as a snack or added to a salad while on the keto diet, as long as the portion is kept small. Make edamame in your air fryer following this easy recipe by Cheerful Choices.
You simply be mixing the edamame with Brussel sprouts to create a crunchy side that goes perfectly with any chicken dish or a medium rare air fryer ribeye.
19. Jalapeno Poppers
Planning a party? Pull out this keto air fryer recipe from HWC Magazine for stuffed jalapeno poppers which can be enjoyed by those who are on keto as well as those who are not.
Success when making jalapeno poppers starts in the store, where you should select the straightest peppers possible. After that, you’ll clean them, stuff them with cheese, then wrap them in salami. Your guests won’t be able to stop eating these so be sure to make extra.
20. Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
Fritters are typically a fried bread-like creation served as a side with a meal or as an afternoon snack. You can make these keto-friendly snacks in your air fryer by following this recipe from Sweet and Savory Meals.
You will need to follow the directions for the low carb variation, which involves swapping the wheat flour for an almond flour, but otherwise making these zucchini fritters is a simple feat that takes only 25 minutes from start to finish.
21. Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Air fryers are critical when it comes to cooking the more cruciferous vegetables which can take a long time to cook in the oven like cauliflower.
With this keto air fryer recipe from Healing Tomato you can cook an entire cauliflower in your air fryer, complete with seasonings that will make this dish something your family asks for time and time again.
Although it is suggested to be served as the main dish, feel free to make this a side you serve with a meaty main dish.
22. Keto Calamari
Thanks to alternative flours, it is actually quite simple to make keto-friendly fried snacks using your air fryer. Try this keto air fryer recipe from Summer Yule, which uses coconut flakes to make the crispy breading on the outside of the calamari.
Calamari is easy to overcook, however, so set the timer for 5 minutes and stay in the kitchen while these tasty morsels fry.
23. Keto Fish Sticks
Looking for something keto-friendly that your kids can enjoy too? Look no further than these Air fryer gluten-free fish sticks by Hungry Hobby.
They are specifically marketed to the gluten-free crowd, but they are made with almond flour which makes them keto too. It’s best to make this recipe using fresh fish, but if you have leftovers, stick them in the freezer for an easy to reheat snack.
24. Air Fryer Artichokes
Artichokes are a healthy snack, especially when on the keto diet, but they take so long to cook in the oven. Cut your cooking time in half when you follow this keto air fryer recipe by Went Here 8 This.
This recipe teaches you how to both cook artichokes in your air fryer as well as make a delicious keto-friendly aioli to dip them in.
25. Carrot Fries
When cutting potatoes out of your diet, it is likely that you thought you had to say goodbye to fries for good. Don’t fret just yet, as these carrot fries from Two City Vegans are a great replacement for French fries and they are keto.
You still can’t dip them in ketchup, however, but you can make the aioli outlined in the recipe using regular mayo instead of the vegan mayo for a nice accompaniment.
26. Keto Air Fryer Tuna Steak
In recent years, eating a large portion of tuna medium rare has become a dish known as tuna steak. Most people order it at a restaurant thinking it is something fancy, but you can actually make this in your air fryer in just 4 minutes.
So next time you are at the store, grab everything you need for this Tuna Steak recipe from Deb’s Daily Dish, and make the accompanying tomato relish which is keto friendly if a sugar substitute is used.
27. Cauliflower Keto Gnocchi
Gnocchi is a small, pasta-like food that is typically made out of potatoes, but there are cauliflower versions that are keto-friendly. Follow this keto air fryer recipe from Hungry Blonde to learn how to make cauliflower parmesan gnocchi in your air fryer.
These can be served as a meal with a keto sauce like pesto, or as a snack with a dip, the choice is yours.
28. Coconut Shrimp
While most coconut shrimp recipes aren’t okay for the keto diet, this recipe from Summer Yule is low carb and will keep you in ketosis. Instead of flour, you’ll be using almond flour to bread the shrimp.
You will also be skipping the added sugar, and sugary dip which is usually served with this dish, but they can still be served with garlic aioli for dipping if you desire.
29. Air Fryer Broccoli
Broccoli is a commonly hated vegetable, and it’s easy to see why as it isn’t that great raw or boiled. But have you ever tried broccoli air-fried?
You’ll be surprised at how tasty they are, especially if you follow this recipe by Killing Thyme which involves tossing the broccoli in a few spices as well as some nutritional yeast—giving them a nice crunch you don’t usually get with cooked broccoli.
30. Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
It has often been said that bacon makes everything better, and on the keto diet, this is most certainly true. Check out this keto air fryer recipe by 30 Minutes Meals which only calls for four ingredients.
You will need green beans, bacon, salt, and a dash of pepper, and after a few minutes of prep, toss these in the air fryer for an easy, healthy snack you can’t resist.
31. Air Fryer Almonds
While on the keto diet, you’ll need to avoid sugary and processed snacks which can make it difficult to find snacks you can have. Use your air fryer to make these delicious roasted almonds from Sweet and Savory Meals that you can season yourself.
Add some paprika and vinegar for a tangy taste, or add garlic and parmesan to create a snack you can’t put down. The sky is the limit when it comes to air fryer almonds.
32. Pumpkin Seeds
Next fall, when you are carving pumpkins, don’t toss out the seeds. These thin seeds can be thrown into your air fryer with a few spices to make a delicious snack that you will crave all year long.
Look up this recipe from HWC Magazine to find out what spices you can use as you make this seasonal keto-friendly snack.
33. Bacon Wrapped Halloumi
Cheese is encouraged on the keto diet, but it can be difficult to put in the air fryer as is, mostly because it tends to melt. Solve this problem by making bacon wrapped halloumi as outlined in this recipe by Curly’s Cooking.
The recipe only has two ingredients, bacon and halloumi cheese, which you will prep and cook for just 12 minutes.
34. Air Fryer Pork Chops
You’ve made chicken, beef, and even seafood in your air fryer, but did you know you can also make pork chops too? After trying this keto air fryer pork chop recipe from Maven Cookery you may just find you don’t even need your oven anymore.
The pork chop in this recipe is rubbed in a mix of olive oil, sage, apple cider vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper, to create a delicious tangy taste without taking you out of ketosis.
35. Keto Air Fryer Mushrooms
You can put almost any vegetable you want in the air fryer, and this includes mushrooms. Check out this air fryer recipe by Twosleevers to discover the magic of air fried mushrooms which can be consumed as a snack, or added as a side for the main dish.
You’ll be seasoning them with salt, pepper, and garlic, but this is another recipe you can experiment with when it comes to spices.
Keto Air Fryer Recipes FAQs
Is Air Fryer Bacon Healthier?
Sticking bacon in the air fryer doesn’t make it any healthier, so just cook it the way you find easiest and enjoy the most.
Are Sweet Potatoes Keto?
Although you may be itching to eat some air fried sweet potato fries, sweet potatoes are high in carbs and should not be consumed on the ketogenic diet.
Do I Use Oil with My Keto Air Fryer Recipes?
Generally, air fryers don’t need any oil, but if you really want to use some, brush oil on the outside of your food or use an oil spray to coat the food before you put it in the air fryer.
Can You Cook Frozen Foods in My Keto Air Fryer Recipes?
Absolutely, air fryers are perfect for cooking all kinds of frozen keto foods like veggies, meat, and cheeses.
Can You Put Aluminum Foil in an Air Fryer?
Most models of air fryer do work when you put aluminum foil in them, but for safety reasons always check your owner’s manual before putting foil in your air fryer.
Can I Air Fry a Pork Chop?
You can certainly air fry a pork chop, in fact you can air fry almost any meat, from chicken, to beef, and even fish.
Can You Reheat Food in an Air Fryer?
It is possible to reheat foods in an air fryer, you will just want to be extra careful that you don’t burn the food. In general, most food can be reheated in the air fryer in as little as 5 minutes.
Keto Air Fryer Recipes Conclusion
Eating fried snacks and other fun foods can be difficult on the keto diet, but with these keto air fryer recipes, you can make all kinds of delicious snacks that you won’t need to cheat on your diet for.
Whether you decide to make some crunchy coconut shrimp, or maybe a medium rare ribeye, you will love the results you can achieve with your air fryer. Don’t delay, start making some delicious air fryer keto recipes today.
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