No longer is popcorn reserved for the stovetop or the microwave. Popcorn straight from the air fryer is hot and delicious. Check the following guide to make popcorn in your air fryer!
You can begin by lining the bottom of the air fryer basket with tin foil, leaving about half an inch of space around the sides, and cooking it at 400 F for 5 minutes to make popcorn.
Popcorn is typically made on a stove burner by simply adding oil to a pot before adding the corn kernels. The outcomes are extraordinary, but there is a lot of cleanup required, and you need to keep an eye on it to keep the popcorn from burning.
Popcorn is being made in air fryers by an increasing number of people. It holds the taste and there are less chances of overcooking them or burning. Although it takes longer than other options, it is still a good option.
Can You Make Popcorn in An Air Fryer?
In an air fryer, you can make popcorn, but there might be problems. Popcorn kernels get stuck in the heating element and start to burn. Additionally, not all kernels may pop the first time, so you might need to repeat the procedure a further one or two times.
In a strict sense, air fryers can indeed be used to make popcorn. But should you, that’s a different matter.
The idea behind an air fryer is to speed up and simplify cooking. I assumed this would be simple because making popcorn isn’t particularly difficult in the first place.
In reality, using an air fryer to make popcorn is much more challenging than using a stovetop or air popper. There are numerous extra steps and considerations that are necessary that are not necessary with the other methods. Things like preheating, basket shaking, removing stuck and burnt pieces from the heating element. This is one instance where the air fryer makes life more difficult.
Read More: How to Preheat an Air Fryer – Will Food Become More Delicious?
Can You Pop Popcorn in An Air Fryer Without Oil Or Butter?
Yes, you can air fry popcorn without using any oil or butter. Popcorn can also be cooked in an air fryer without using any oil, which is one of its best features.
If you want to make cleanup even simpler, you can put aluminum foil in the air fryer bucket so all you have to do after your popcorn snack is finished is throw the foil away! You’re under no obligation to pop your popcorn in butter or oil. Popcorn can pop in the air fryer with or without oil and butter, however, butter and oil help seasonings stick to the popcorn! How long does popcorn take to cook in an air fryer you may wonder? Well, you will typically cook the popcorn for 8-10 minutes, and voila! You have now successfully popped the ideal popcorn snack in your air fryer! It might take a few tries to perfect your recipe for air-frying popcorn, but it’s always a good idea to check the manual for the particular brand and model of air fryer you’re using to make sure you’re operating it correctly.
How to Make Popcorn in An Air Fryer
I looked into it first before attempting to pop popcorn in the Ninja air fryer. I read blogs, watched YouTube videos, and watched TikToks. I discovered that, with a few minor variations in temperature and time, the general technique was consistent across the majority of sources. But other than that, it’s pretty basic. Here’s the air fryer popcorn recipe I used.
Also Check: 20+ Instant Pot Air Fryer Recipes 2023 – Tasty & Delicious
Air Fryer Popcorn Recipe
- Al foil is used to line the air fryer basket. Aluminum foil can be formed into a small bowl by crimping the sides.
- the air fryer for five minutes at 400°F.
- Measure out ¼ cup popcorn kernels and lightly coat them with coconut oil.
- Popcorn kernels should be placed in the foil-lined air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Return the basket to the air fryer.
- For 8 minutes, set the timer.
- Every two to three minutes, shake the basket.
- Remove the basket once the popping has subsided and pour the popcorn into a sizable bowl.
What is An Air Fryer?
The basic design of an air fryer is that of a countertop-sized, small convection oven. Philips Electronics Company unveiled it in 2010.
Food cooked in an air fryer cooks quickly and with little to no oil. The air fryer’s top is where the heating element is located. The air is heated, and a fan moves the heated air around the food inside the air fryer basket. This creates crispy, “fried” foods without the need for oil.
With an air fryer, you no longer have to preheat your oven! That saves a ton of time, which is great on a hot day. It also cooks your food much quicker than an oven.
Here’s What Happened When I Popped Popcorn in a Ninja Air Fryer
I started by lining the air fryer basket with foil. I left a tiny space between the aluminum foil and the basket’s side so that air could flow through. To make a small bowl, I crimped the sides of the aluminum foil.
The air fryer received a five-minute preheating period at 400°F. ¼ cup popcorn kernels were measured out, and coconut oil was used to lightly coat them.
In the lined air fryer basket, which I had removed from the air fryer, I placed the popcorn kernels in a single layer, making sure they had room to spread out and weren’t stacked on top of one another. I put the basket back into the air fryer and set the timer for 8 minutes.
The popcorn started to pop after about a minute. I noticed a zapping and sizzling sound shortly after the popping started. Then another. And another. I was a little worried because that sound has never come from my air fryer. Then I started to notice a burning smell. That’s definitely not good, I see. After about three minutes, I gave up and pulled out the basket.
popcorn kernels got under the aluminum foil. When the kernels popped, they pushed the foil up, and the other kernels flew around the basket and under the foil.
I was a little hesitant to look at the fryer’s heating element. The heating element was burning popcorn that had become stuck there. Not good!
I thought about giving it another shot to see if I could make it work, but ultimately decided against it. I didn’t want to risk ruining my beloved air fryer.
So, even though I had trouble making popcorn in the air fryer, it appears that others had success. If you really want to make popcorn in the air fryer, give it a try and see what you think.
I still adore my Ninja air fryer today, and I cook a wide variety of foods in it. But when it comes to popping corn, I’ll continue using my tried-and-true techniques, including my ideal stovetop popcorn recipe and air-popped.
Why Make Popcorn in the Air Fryer?
I have people ask me this or a similar question all the time about various things you might cook in an air fryer. Why use the air fryer to make popcorn when you can easily make it in the microwave or on the stove?
That’s a good question, to which I will answer as I always do, “Why not!”
The air fryer has a unique method for cooking food that uses less oil and cooks it more quickly than a stove would. It circulates air that aids in simultaneously popping the corn from all sides, resulting in fluffy, airy popcorn without the need for a lot of oil.
Pros & Cons of Using the Air Fryer
The simplest, quickest, or safest way to make popcorn, in my opinion, is not to use an air fryer. If you have the choice, I recommend sticking with the stovetop or microwave methods for making popcorn. You can definitely make this work, though, if you don’t have a choice.
Pros:
- It uses way less oil – you just need a nice spray of oil, not the 3 tablespoons required on the stovetop or popcorn maker
- Compared to microwave popcorn, freshly popped corn has superior flavor. It has very few calories and carbs because it isn’t covered in oil, butter, or any other high-calorie toppings.
Cons:
- It takes longer to make in the air fryer
- Kernels can fly up into the heating element and cause smoking or fires
- You can’t make a large batch
Tips & Suggestions for the Best Popcorn
It is best to limit the amount of kernels to 1/4 cup. You might want to limit yourself to just 2-3 tablespoons if your air fryer is less than 5 quarts in size. They risk burning in the heating element if they overfill the basket.
The biggest issue I’ve encountered when popping popcorn in the air fryer is that the fluffy popped corn is not dense enough to avoid getting caught in the heating element. Most of the time, they just bob around, though a few may get spotted. If they do, they can smoke a lot or even start a fire.
For this reason, you should never leave the air fryer unattended while making popcorn. Pull the basket out right away if you smell burning. It is now impossible to remove any kernels that are stuck in the element until the machine has cooled sufficiently to do so. NEVER stick your hand or any other object up inside the heating element while it’s hot.
If you discover that the heating element problem prevents you from popping corn successfully, you can make a tin foil orb to contain the kernels so they won’t fly out.
Can You Make Microwave Popcorn in An Air Fryer?
The answer is no, you cannot cook microwave popcorn in an air fryer. Because an air fryer cooks differently than a microwave, those microwave packets are designed specifically for a microwave. The kernels may become overheated and burn, or the paper bag may catch fire.
In the air fryer, you must use popcorn kernels that are 100 percent natural, such as Orville Redenbacher’s Gourmet Popcorn Kernels. Remember that the kernels will pop less effectively the longer they sit around becoming stale. Always use fresh kernels.
Conclusion
Making popcorn in your air fryer without using a microwave is a simple task that can give you the ideal crunch and homemade flavor in a small serving that is perfect for one person.
I don’t advise making multiple batches of popcorn in a row to feed the whole family because of how rough popcorn can be on the air fryer because any kernels that get stuck in the heating element could cause a fire hazard. If any kernels get stuck in the air fryer, it will take some time for them to come out while cooking other foods.
Try the following Air Fryer recipes if you are interested!
