What can you use Ninja cooker for?

The Ninja foodi cooker is an incredibly versatile kitchen appliance that can be used for a wide variety of cooking tasks. With its combination of pressure cooking, air frying, steaming, slow cooking, baking, and more, the Ninja foodi opens up endless possibilities in the kitchen.

Table of Contents

Pressure Cooking

One of the main functions of the Ninja foodi is pressure cooking. With pressure cooking, you can cook foods up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods. This is because pressure cooking uses steam pressure to raise the boiling point of water above 100°C. The higher temperature allows food to cook faster while locking in moisture.

You can use the Ninja foodi pressure cooker to quickly cook tough cuts of meat, beans, grains, soups, stews, and more. The accelerated cooking time is perfect for preparing weeknight dinners or meals ahead of time. It’s also great for quickly cooking vegetables without losing nutrients.

Here are some examples of foods you can pressure cook in the Ninja foodi:

Chicken, beef, pork – cook meats up to 70% faster than oven or stovetop

Beans and legumes – perfect for cooking dried beans without presoaking
Rice, grains, oats – quickly make rice, quinoa, barley, and more
Stews, chili, soups – cuts down cook time while infusing flavors

Root vegetables – cook potatoes, carrots, beets in minutes
Cheesecake – make classic cheesecake in under an hour

Air Frying

The Ninja foodi also functions as an air fryer, letting you make crispy fried foods with little to no oil. It uses rapid hot air circulation to mimic deep frying, resulting in deliciously crispy texture.

Air frying is a healthier cooking method compared to traditional deep frying. It reduces fat by 70-80%, allowing you to enjoy fried foods guilt-free. You can air fry everything from frozen foods and veggies to meats, seafood, baked goods and more.

Here are some examples of foods you can air fry in the Ninja foodi:

Chicken wings, chicken tenders, chicken nuggets

French fries, tater tots, potato wedges
Onion rings, zucchini sticks, vegetable fritters
Shrimp, fish fillets, calamari

Pizza, nachos, mozzarella sticks
Donuts, scones, fruit turnovers

Steaming

The Ninja foodi can also steam foods using its steam crisper basket insert. Steaming is one of the healthiest cooking methods, retaining more nutrients than other cooking techniques.

With steaming, the Ninja foodi uses hot steam to gently cook vegetables, seafood, eggs and more. It preserves the natural flavors and colors of food without adding any extra fat or calories.

Here are some examples of healthy foods you can steam in the Ninja foodi:

Broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, green beans

Sweet potatoes, beets, squash
Fish fillets, shrimp, clams, mussels
Hard boiled eggs

Dumplings, wontons, tamales

Slow Cooking

The Ninja foodi also functions as a 6.5 quart slow cooker, perfect for preparing soups, stews, roasts and more. Slow cooking uses low, steady heat over a long period of time to break down connective tissue in tougher cuts of meat.

Using the Ninja foodi’s slow cook function, you can prep your ingredients in the morning and come home to a hot, homecooked meal at night. The locked-in moisture from slow cooking results in incredibly tender and flavorful dishes.

Here are some dishes you can make using the slow cook function:

Pulled pork, beef brisket
Chicken tortilla soup, beef chili, vegetable soup

Pot roasts, pork shoulder, corned beef
Steel cut oatmeal, rice pudding, applesauce
Mac and cheese, baked beans, collard greens

Baking

The Ninja foodi is capable of baking everything from savory dishes to sweet treats. Its baking function lets you make quick breads, desserts, side dishes and more using its crisper plate insert.

You can fit a 9×13 inch baking pan in the Ninja foodi or use individual ramekins and pans. It’s perfect for making single-serve desserts or sides for family dinners.

Here are some examples of baked goods you can make in the Ninja foodi oven:

Cakes, brownies, cupcakes, cookies
Pizza, french bread, garlic bread
Casseroles like mac and cheese, lasagna, ziti

Roasted vegetables like potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots
Quiches, frittatas, stratas

Yogurt Making

Select models of the Ninja foodi have a unique yogurt making function. This allows you to turn milk and yogurt starter into fresh homemade yogurt right in the cooker.

Making yogurt at home gives you full control over ingredients and allows you to avoid added sugars found in store-bought versions. It also costs a fraction of the price.

To make yogurt in the Ninja foodi, simply add milk and plain yogurt with active cultures to the pot. Let it ferment for around 8-12 hours, and voila – creamy artisanal yogurt!

You can make all different types of yogurt including:

Greek yogurt
Coconut milk yogurt
Skyr yogurt

Lactose-free yogurt
High-protein yogurt

The possibilities are endless when making homemade yogurt from scratch.

Dehydrating

Some models of the Ninja foodi also have a dehydrating function. This lets you remove moisture from foods to create tasty dehydrated treats.

Dehydrating food preserves it for long-term storage without refrigeration. It also intensifies flavors and gives food a chewy texture.

Here are some examples of dehydrated foods you can make in the Ninja foodi:

Fruit leathers
Dried fruit like mango, apples, pineapple
Beef jerky

Granola and cereal
Trail mixes
Herbs and spices

Vegetable chips

Dehydrating is a great way to use overripe produce or preserve your garden harvest.

Sear/Sauté Function

The Ninja foodi also has a high heat sear/sauté function perfect for searing meats and sautéing aromatics. You can use this at the beginning of recipes to build bold flavor.

Benefits of searing and sautéing include:

Browns exterior of meats to seal in juices
Caramelizes vegetables to bring out sweetness

Enhances flavor by creating fond on bottom of pot
Cooks food quickly at high heat

You can sear meats like steak, pork chops, chicken thighs, or sauté veggies like onions, garlic, peppers before pressure cooking or slow cooking.

Keep Warm Setting

The Ninja foodi has a convenient keep warm setting that automatically switches on after pressure cooking or slow cooking is finished. This keeps your food piping hot and ready to serve for up to 12 hours.

The keep warm function is perfect for:

Bringing food to gatherings and potlucks

Keeping stew or soup hot throughout the day
Holding food until dinner is ready to be served
Allowing flexibility with hectic schedules

You don’t have to worry about your food overcooking or drying out either. The keep warm setting is gentle enough to hold food without altering texture or flavor.

Cooking From Frozen

You can even cook frozen foods in the Ninja foodi with no need to thaw first. The pressure cooking, air fryer, and steam functions all allow you to go straight from freezer to cooker.

Cooking from frozen saves time and makes the Ninja foodi even more convenient. You can cook frozen items like:

Meat like chicken breasts, burgers, meatballs
Seafood like shrimp, fish fillets
French fries and potato products

Dumplings, potstickers, pierogies
Prepared foods like pizza, nuggets, vegetables

Check your owner’s manual for precise cook times when cooking frozen foods in the Ninja foodi.

TenderCrisp Technology

Some Ninja foodi models feature exclusive TenderCrisp technology that allows you to pressure cook to quickly tenderize meats, then air fry to crisp them up. This gives you incredibly tender, juicy meats with crispy exteriors.

TenderCrisp makes it easy to cook meats like:

Chicken wings, legs, thighs

Ribs
Roasts
Chops

It delivers crispy, restaurant-quality results from the comfort of your kitchen.

One-Pot Meals

The Ninja foodi is designed to cook entire meals in one pot for easy cleanup. You can make complex recipes with different ingredients that finish at the same time.

For example, the Ninja foodi is great for one-pot meals like:

Chili – brown meat, sauté veggies, pressure cook with broth and beans
Risotto – sauté aromatics, pressure cook rice, stir in veggies
Paella – sear protein, steam rice and seafood together

Chicken parmesan – bread and fry chicken, then cook pasta on top with sauce

With a little planning, you can make nearly any one-pot meal in the versatile Ninja foodi.

Large Batch Cooking and Meal Prep

With its large capacity, the Ninja foodi excels at cooking large batches for meal prepping and big families. You can double or triple recipes to efficiently prepare a week’s worth of meals in one afternoon.

The Ninja foodi is great for batch cooking items like:

Proteins – cook a roast, whole chicken or pork shoulder
Sides – make a batch of mashed potatoes, rice, or steamed veggies

Big batch soups, curries, chilis and stews
Beans – easily cook 2-3 pounds of dried beans
Yogurt – make a week’s supply of homemade yogurt

Free up your weeknights by using the Ninja foodi to prep multiple meals at once.

Ninja Foodi Cooking Chart

Here is a helpful cooking chart summarizing different foods and what functions to use in the Ninja foodi:

Food	Ninja Foodi Function
Chicken breasts	Pressure cook, air fry/broil with TenderCrisp
Pork shoulder	Slow cook, pressure cook
Chili	Sauté ground meat, pressure cook
Ribs	Pressure cook, finish with air fry for crisping
French fries	Air fry frozen fries
Fish fillets	Steam or pressure cook
Cheesecake	Bake in springform pan
Yogurt	Use yogurt function
Beets	Steam or pressure cook
Mac and Cheese	Bake or slow cook
Lasagna	Bake
Oatmeal	Slow cook
Dried beans	Pressure cook
Granola	Bake dry ingredients then dehydrate

Conclusion

With its impressive versatility, the Ninja foodi can take on nearly any cooking task imaginable. It combines the benefits of pressure cooking, air frying, steaming, slow cooking, baking, and more into one convenient appliance. You can cook foods faster and healthier using the specialized functions of the Ninja foodi.

From weekday dinners to batch cooking and meal prep, the Ninja foodi helps expand your repertoire in the kitchen. Take advantage of its many cooking functions to whip up all your family favorites with delicious results.