Using an Instant Pot as an air fryer is an intriguing idea for people who want the crispy texture of air fried foods but only have an Instant Pot. While Instant Pots cannot truly air fry, there are some workarounds to mimic an air fryer and make foods with a crispy exterior in the Instant Pot.
How Air Fryers Work
Air fryers work by circulating hot air around food at high speeds to create a crisp outer layer. The rapid air circulation mimics deep frying without submerging foods in oil. Air fryers can quickly cook breaded foods like chicken nuggets, fries, and veggies with a crunchy exterior using little to no oil.
Instant Pots work very differently from air fryers. Instant Pots use pressure cooking to quickly cook foods with a minimal amount of liquid. The sealed pot builds up steam pressure, raising the temperature above boiling point. This high-pressure environment cooks foods faster than conventional ovens. However, the moisture inside the pot prevents creating the crispy outer layer that air fryers produce.
“Air Frying” in an Instant Pot
While Instant Pots can’t match the dry heat and air circulation of real air fryers, there are some tricks to make foods crispy using the functions of the Instant Pot.
Use the Sauté Function
The sauté function on Instant Pots allows ingredients to be browned and caramelized before pressure cooking. Using a small amount of oil, foods can get crispy and develop fond on the pot bottom. This is great for searing meats before braising or cooking down aromatics for soups and sauces. The sauté function alone won’t crisp up breaded foods, but it’s a start.
Use a Wire Rack or Trivet
Lifting breaded or battered foods out of the cooking liquid is key to crisping them in an Instant Pot. A wire rack or steamer basket placed above water in the pot lets air flow around the food. The food steams instead of simmering in liquid, resulting in a crisper exterior.
A trivet or foil balls can elevate foods like chicken wings out of drippings as well. Remove the food after pressure cooking and let the exterior dry out and become crispy.
Air Fry Lid
Specialized air fryer lids are now available that work with Instant Pot models. These lids have a fan and heating element that turns the Instant Pot into an air fryer. The lids give the crisping power of air fryers to create crunchier foods.
Oven Finish
For an extra crispy finish, foods pressure cooked in an Instant Pot can be broiled or baked at high heat in the oven. The dry heat of the oven draws moisture off the exterior, resulting in crisper chicken, fries, etc. This gives a double cooking effect.
Crisping Pans
There are now specialized crisper pans made to provide an air fryer-like cooking environment inside an Instant Pot. These pans have elevated bottoms and ridged surfaces to allow air flow. Foods can cook above drippings for a crispy finish.
Foods That Can be “Air Fried” in an Instant Pot
While the Instant Pot can’t perfectly mimic an air fryer, many crunchy foods can be made fairly crispy using Instant Pot functions and accessories.
| Food | Method |
|---|---|
| French fries | Parboil sliced potatoes using sauté function. Transfer to oven at 425°F on a wire rack lined pan until crispy. |
| Fried chicken | Pressure cook breaded chicken on a trivet over 1 cup water. Let cool until skin dries then broil to make skin crispy. |
| Fish sticks | Steam breaded fish sticks in a steamer basket over water on high pressure. Crisp under broiler if needed. |
| Chicken wings | Sauté with sauce to coat then pressure cook 10 mins. Broil after until crisped and sticky. |
| Egg rolls | Place egg rolls in a single layer on a steaming rack over 1 cup water. Steam 3 minutes then crisp in a hot oven. |
Tips for “Air Frying” in an Instant Pot
Follow these tips to get the crispiest results when mimicking air fryer functions with an Instant Pot:
- Use a minimum amount of oil or liquid – Excess moisture prevents crisping.
- Elevate foods out of the cooking liquid using a trivet, steamer basket, or crisper pan.
- Let foods dry before finishing with broiling or baking.
- Coat foods with cornstarch, breadcrumbs, or flour to encourage browning.
- Cook in batches for crisper results. Don’t overcrowd.
- Preheat oven to at least 400°F when crisping up after pressure cooking.
Conclusion
While the Instant Pot can’t exactly replicate air frying, there are clever methods to achieve somewhat crispy textures with an Instant Pot. Using the sauté function, steamer baskets, trivets, air fryer lids, broiling, and specialty crisping pans can all help create crispier foods. With some trial and error, many everyday crispy foods can be made in the Instant Pot with decent results.