5 Air Fryer Recipes for Vegetarians

A lot of people don’t realize you can fry vegetables, let alone get really crispy and yummy veggies.  Vegetarians will LOVE these great crispy fried recipes, and there might even be a few non-vegetarians who love them, too!

Air Fryer Cauliflower Parmesan

Cauliflower is so much more versatile than people realized.  It has so much bite and great texture.  And it stars in this recipe for cauliflower parmesan. 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cauliflower florets
• 3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ⅓ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese  
• ¼ cup chopped almonds
• ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

Instructions:

Place cauliflower florets, 2 teaspoons oil, and garlic in a medium bowl; toss to coat.  Place in a single layer in an air fryer basket.

Cook in the air fryer at 360 degrees F (180 degrees C), for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.

Return cauliflower to the bowl and toss with remaining 1 teaspoon oil.  Add Parmesan cheese, almonds, breadcrumbs, and thyme; toss to coat.  Return cauliflower mixture to the air fryer basket and cook until mixture is crisp and browned, about 5 minutes more.

Thank you to AllRecipes.com for this recipe.

Air Fryer Tofu “Wings”

Who says you have to give up wings if you’re a vegetarian?  Not us!  The tofu in this recipe has all the chew and savory flavor you crave from a great wing.

Ingredients:

• 1 block of medium tofu (or skip processing & use extra-firm)
• ½ cup sparkling water
• ¼ cup chickpea flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• Pinch of cayenne
• ¼ cup almond flour
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp flax meal
• Vegan Buffalo Sauce for coating
• Plant Based Blue Cheese Dressing for dipping

Instructions:

1. First, prepare your tofu.  Take a package of medium- firm tofu and place the whole package in the freezer.  Once frozen, thaw it.  Then freeze it again, then thaw it.  Once it’s thawed the second time, squeeze out the water, and you get a super amazing, flaky texture for the tofu.  Next, cut the tofu four times long ways, and then cut the for pieces in half longways creating 8 tofu sticks.  If you’re using extra firm tofu, skip to cutting the tofu the same way.
2. Set up your tofu assembly station with the tofu, batter, breading, and then the tray of your air fryer.  If you do not have an air fryer, you can also bake your tofu for longer.  I’m not sure how much longer because my husband bestowed me with the gift of oil-less frying for my birthday last year, and I’ve hardly touched my oven since!  Pro-tip, if you have an air fryer, I highly recommend buying silicone dumpling basket liners to prevent your food from sticking with no oil or mess!
3. Dip the tofu into the batter, then into the breading, then place it in the air fryer basket.  You will likely have to work in batches.  Once your basket is full, cook the tofu at 370 F for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
4. Once the tofu is cool enough to handle, gently toss the sticks in the buffalo sauce and serve with blue cheese sauce.  

Thank you to NotThatKindofVegan.com for this recipe.

Air Fryer Garlic Green Beans

As a main course or a side dish, these garlicy green beans are crispy and good.  Whip them up for dinner at home, a finger food lunch, or make enough for your next potluck.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Fresh Green beans, trimmed
• 2 TBS Olive oil
• 2 Garlic cloves, sliced or chopped
• 1 TBS seasoning veggie blend.

Instructions:

1. Drizzle green beans with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning blend.
2. Use your fingers to coat beans evenly and spread them out on your cooking sheet so they don’t overlap.
3. Air fry in a preheated air fryer oven at 390 F for 5 minutes or until slightly wrinkled and lightly browned.
4. Enjoy

Thank you to DailyYum.com for this recipe.

Air Fryer Black Bean Burger

Do you think black bean burgers are tough, complicated to make, and flavorless?  Not this recipe.  Super simple to make and enough flavor to convert a carnivore, you’ll love these.  You can even make these patties ahead and freeze them for later.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups rolled oats (old fashioned oats) (use certified gluten-free oats to assure that the burgers are gluten-free)
• 16 ounces black beans (1 can, well drained)
• 3/4 cup salsa
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons mild chili powder
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (more or less, to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen and thawed) optional

Instructions:

1. Place the oats in a food processor fitted with an S-blade and pulse 5 or 6 times until they are partially chopped (some will be powder, some will be whole.) Add all ingredients except the corn and pulse until most of the beans are blended.
2. Pour bean mixture into a bowl and stir in the corn.  Cover and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the air fryer to around 375F. Place the burgers in a single layer and air fry until slightly crispy on the outside, about 15 minutes.  (They have a tendency to stick, so consider using perforated parchment paper underneath them.)

Note:

These are easy to freeze either baked or unbaked. Just shape the burgers and wrap them tightly to store in the freezer for about 3 months. Thaw unbaked burgers well before cooking.

Thank you to FatFreeVeganKitchen.com for this recipe.

Air Fryer Parmesan Chickpeas

Looking for something new for a chickpea side dish?  Tired of the same old snacks?  These parmesan chickpeas make a fantastic side dish, or a yummy snack for movie time.  

Ingredients:

• 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and patted completely dry
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated (crumbly) Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• zest of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Drain and rinse your chickpeas under cold water, patting completely dry with a paper towel.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently until chickpeas are covered uniformly in seasonings.
3. Set air fryer to 390 degrees F. Divide chickpeas into three batches, air frying one batch at a time as to not overcrowd them. Air fry for 5-6 minutes, remove and shake the basket and air fry for another 5 minutes or until desired crispiness is reached. Repeat with each batch until done.
4. Serve immediately or cool chickpeas in a single layer on paper towels or parchment sheets before storing in parchment bags for up to three days.
5. Thank you to NoblePig.com for this recipe.

Snacks, side dishes, and main courses, Oh My!  These recipes hit all the spots for any occasion and they’re all crispy and tasty.  Don’t wait for special occasions to bring these out, they’re right for any occasion!