Can You Use Olive Oil Spray In Air Fryer?

Olive oil is deemed a healthy option when cooking food in pans and woks.

However, many express their concerns about its prospects of overheating when used in air fryers.

Let’s see if you can use olive oil spray in an air fryer.

The straightforward answer is YES! You can use olive oil spray in the air fryer. However, due to the low smoke point of olive oil, we advise you to use it in recipes requiring temperature less than 375F.

In fact, extra virgin olive oil spray helps the food crisp, attaining that highly-anticipated golden brown crust like deep-fried food.

Using Olive Oil Spray In An Air Fryer

As mentioned above, olive oil spray can be used in an air fryer. However, there are certain caveats. I have listed them below:

Olive oil is not required for cooking all types of food.

• For Instance: You don’t need to use olive oil when cooking store-bought frozen foods like nuggets and pizza rolls.

Different qualities of olive oil have different smoking points.

• The smoke point of virgin olive oil is 410 °F
• Extra virgin low acidity oil is 405 °F
• Extra virgin normal quality is 374 °F.

Olive oil loses most of its nutritional value when heated at temperatures higher than its smoke point.

So, when using olive oil in an air fryer, consider its quality and the temperature required to cook a certain recipe.

Cooking At Temperatures Higher Than Olive Oil’s Smoke Point

It is widely known that using olive oil in recipes requiring temperatures higher than its smoke point leads to smoke release.

What most people don’t realize is that the temperature at which you cook the food may not always reflect the temperature of the oil.

In fact, in most cases, the food’s moisture prevents the oil from reaching its smoke point.

So, just because you are cooking at 400F, it does not mean the olive oil has exceeded its smoke point.

Hence, quite possibly, the oil may not release smoke.

Therefore, it is perfectly alright to use olive oil in an air fryer even when your cooking temperature is slightly higher than its smoke point.

That said, being cautious about using oils with lower smoke points is advisable.

How Much Olive Oil Do I Need When Cooking In An Air Fryer?

The best thing about cooking in an air fryer is that you don’t need as much oil as in a deep fryer.

The same goes for using olive oil in an air fryer.

The oil needed when cooking in an air fryer is minimal, generally a couple of tablespoons.

In fact, you need only enough oil to prevent food from sticking to the basket surface or a cooking appliance and drying out.

The benefit of using an oil spray, compared to adding oil by spoon, is that the oil disperses more evenly throughout the food.

So, lightly spray the ingredients with your homemade olive oil spray bottle before adding them to the basket.

Can I Use Flavored Olive Oil Spray?

Flavored olive oil sprays can be used in an air fryer.

However, some chemicals in olive oil sprays can change the oil’s smoke point or harm your food or the air fryer basket.

Therefore, always check the label when buying commercially made flavored olive oil to ensure it does not include any harmful elements.

Can I Use Olive Oil Non-Stick Cooking Spray?

Non-stick cooking sprays like PAM are not safe for your health as well as the air fryer.

They almost always contain some genetically modified ingredients and aerosols.

These elements can ruin the non-stick coating, decreasing the useful life of your air fryer.

The same principle is true for a store-bought non-stick olive oil spray. While you can use such cooking sprays, avoiding them is advisable.

Instead, make your own pump spray for air frying at home, as it is a much healthier and cost-effective alternative.

Alternatives To Using Olive Oil Spray In An Air Fryer

The best thing about being a chef or cooking enthusiast is that you get to experiment with different options.

Regarding using olive oil in an air fryer, if you are concerned about its smoke point, you can always try other options.

• Avocado oil
• Peanut oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Sunflower oil
• Clarified butter, also known as ghee

Final Words

An air fryer is an expedient kitchen appliance, but using it properly needs caution, especially when choosing the right type and quality of oil. With that said, you can use olive oil spray in an air fryer, but make sure it is not a non-stick spray like PAM. Additionally, you may sometimes cook food at temperatures higher than the smoke point, provided the oil’s temperature hasn’t exceeded its smoke point.