The Only Times You Can Overcrowd Your Air Fryer Basket

Overcrowding the air fryer is a pitfall for anyone who's impatient. Given the size of any given air fryer, you should generally veer on the side of cooking in batches to ensure a golden and well-crisped result. In fact, it's a good rule of thumb to air fry your food in single layers rather than all at once. However, there are a few exceptions to the overcrowding no-no. These exceptions come in the form of certain vegetables, which can be stacked and loaded, depending on the recipe at hand.

Brussels sprouts air fry even when crowded. Meanwhile, recipes for other roasted vegetables similarly allow for a bulk approach. Generally, crowding the air fryer results in steaming, rather than crisping, so it's okay to fill the fryer if you want to steam the likes of Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and similar food items. Still, to make sure your crowd of vegetables cooks evenly, make sure to stir or shake them about halfway through the air frying process.

Adding vegetables to the air fryer is a no-brainer, as it's a quick way to roast your greens. As for how, exactly, to cook your vegetables, the rules are straightforward. Simply fill your air fryer's basket with your vegetable — or vegetables — of choice. Whether you are air frying in a group or in small batches, you'll generally want to steer clear of leafy vegetables, which tend to cook unevenly in the air fryer.

In regards to temperature, you'll want your air fryer at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You can stir or shake your vegetables periodically, and make sure your vegetables aren't turning soggy.  About 10 to 15 minutes should do the trick. Of course, you can keep your vegetables in for longer if you want a more well-roasted result. 

If filling the air fryer with vegetables still doesn't give you enough surface area, consider getting an air fryer with a larger basket. That way, everything can cook at once — and overcrowding will hardly be a concern.