Is It Possible To Make Fried Eggs In The Air Fryer?

There's no denying it: We're amidst an air fryer revolution. From pizza to spicy shrimp, it seems like there's nothing these helpful contraptions can't be used for. That said, every now and then, a tricky-sounding food has us a little confused. Could we fry an egg, for example, in an air fryer?

While eggs have many health benefits, it's pretty self-explanatory that the fried variety may end up on the greasy side. And while that may make for a delicious breakfast, it may not exactly be the healthiest choice. In 2021, Eat This, Not That spoke with several registered dietitians to hear about the risks of fried eggs. The general consensus was that fried eggs could contribute to a host of health problems, with Tara Tomaino warning that a person's risk of heart disease could increase. Another consensus was that the way in which people fried their eggs made all the difference. Katherine Basbaum suggested that instead of reaching for oil or butter, cooks should use some sort of cooking spray instead. 

Given that WebMD touts air fryers as a healthier alternative to traditional frying methods, we can't help but wonder if air-frying fried eggs could also help make the beloved dish healthier. However, our question remains. Is air-frying fried eggs even possible?

Luckily for those who savor the morning ritual of cutting into a perfectly fried egg, preparing them in an air fryer is absolutely possible. According to Cooking Light, frying an egg the healthy way is as simple as preheating the air fryer for a few minutes, ever-so-lightly greasing the pan or foil liner, popping in the raw eggs, and letting the magic happen. As for what you should be preheating the device to, that'll come down to preference. Registered dietitian Kelly Jones told the outlet 320 degrees F for a softer egg — leaving it to cook for around five minutes — and 350 degrees F for a harder egg. For the latter option, Jones recommends cooking it between six to seven minutes. 

That said, Fork to Spoon points out that every air fryer is different, so your best bet would be to check on the eggs throughout the process. Another thing the website recommends is to keep the number of eggs in the air fryer to a minimum to allow more room around the egg(s) you're cooking. Depending on the size of your air fryer, that could mean cooking a maximum of two eggs at a time (Fork to Spoon's recommendation), or up to three, as suggested by Cooking Light. Learning how to best air fry your eggs will take trial and error, but it's great to know this delicious dish can be adapted to a healthier method.