Can Parchment paper be used in an air fryer? Yes, absolutely it can! This is actually very popular in air fryer cooking to keep the metal basket as clean as possible over time. However, you should only use perforated parchment (tiny holes all over the sheet of parchment), otherwise, it can create a stoppage in airflow from the vents that increase the chance of a fire.
You can buy perforated parchment paper at many retails stores and cooking shops, but if you can’t find it, simply poke the holes in yourself. Using a fork is probably the easiest way to do it. When shopping for pre-perforated paper, seek out what’s now known as “air fryer liners.” These often come in the common shape of air fryer baskets.
The other reason for using the only parchment with holes is for better cooking results. The holes allow the food to cook (“fry”) evenly from all sides. Nobody likes a mozzarella stick that’s crispy on one side and soft on the other. Ew!
Reasons to use parchment in an air fryer:
- It makes cleaning up exponentially easier than when cooking directly on the fryer basket. No scrubbing necessary and nothing huge to fit into your dishwasher that may not even do the trick.
- It’s safer than using foil because there is no chance that particles of it can seep/stick into your food. Foil does that at times, and those particles are often harmful to your health.
- Parchment is easy to move across and turn on the metal basket if you need to adjust the food.
Follow these instructions for SAFE use of parchment paper in the air fryer:
- Line only the food basket
- Do not place the paper at the base of the unit where food debris falls
- Don’t cover the entire basket; the fryer needs free airflow to properly cook the food to a safe temperature
- Make sure none of the paper edges stick out over the side edges of the basket
- The lightness of parchment can cause it to be sucked into the heating unit. THIS WILL CAUSE A FIRE, so always put food on the paper before powering up the (that includes preheating).
TIP: ALWAYS check your air fryer’s manual for their instructions before using parchment paper in the oven. The manufacturers will give you the specific instructions allowed for each model of air fryer.
Covering greasy food that spurts with parchment paper
Some people like to cover certain foods to prevent grease from shooting all over their appliance. I don’t blame them. Chicken wings can be especially messy in the fryer. Though normally, you don’t want to insulate your food from the airflow, it’s okay to place a perforated sheet of parchment or fryer liner over the food in the basket.
Just remember that the parchment is light and will likely fly off of the food, so weigh it down on two opposite sides with a small piece of food OR tuck it under the food on opposite sides. Easy fix for an easy clean!
In conclusion, Yes you are safe to put parchment paper in your air fryer but follow your manufacturers guidelines before doing so. Happy frying my friends!
If you enjoyed our can you put parchment paper in an air fryer article, please check out our top small air fryers article!
