Nowadays, people are becoming more and more health-conscious. They like low carb and gluten-free foods. You may have heard of gluten-free shrimp, fried chicken, or green bean. But have you ever tried fried and crispy spinach? In this article, I am going to demonstrate you how you can prepare air-fried buttered spinach that can be a great addition to your keto diet. If you are the person who is looking for a low carb recipe with a little fat, then you must like this one. I expect that after the read, you will be able to cook the recipe by yourself. Let’s have a try!
Can the Spinach be air fried?
Deep-fried spinach is a common food item. But have you ever tried it with your air fryer? You may sometimes see that people are trying to cook spinach with the microwave oven. An air fryer is a great replacement for the traditional oven that can cook tasty buttered air-fried spinach without needing of drenching oil. To load the ingredients, you can use a pan, preferably the cake pan. Load the spinach with all the ingredients and enjoy the delicious air fried dish in just a few minutes.
Nutrition facts – Air fried Spinach
Below are the nutrition facts in 100 gm of fresh spinach –
| Nutrition facts | QTY |
| Calories | 27 kcal |
| Protein | 1.5 g |
| Fat | 1.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 2.5 g |
| Cholesterol | 4 g |
| Sodium | 52 mg |
| Potassium | 290 mg |
| Vitamin A | 4730IU |
| Vitamin C | 14 mg |
| Calcium | 50 mg |
| Iron | 1 mg |
| Fiber | 1 mg |
From the table above, we find that spinach is full of vitamin and mineral contents such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Sodium, Potassium, Iron, and so on. From different studies, we know that spinach is a great food that can help prevent cancer, diabetes, and asthma. It is also helpful in the prevention of hypertension. On the other hand, people with bone and skin problems can eat this food to get an improved result.
Ingredients and Tools necessary
There are three main ingredients of this recipe – spinach, butter, and seasoning ingredients. You can choose about half a bag or 300g fresh baby spinach leaves at a time. With this amount of spinach, I would love about 2 tablespoons of butter. But you can always add or subtract the amount as per your taste. The seasoning ingredients are also variable. You can choose a pinch of salt and pepper with 1 or 2 tablespoons of garlic powder.
- Spinach – 300gm (fresh and baby leaves)
- Butter – 2 tablespoons
- Garlic powder – 2 tablespoons
- Salt
- Pepper
- Air fryer
Process to prepare air fried Spinach
- Although you can find a specific measurement of the ingredients, you can always change it as per the requirement. The measurement of the ingredient will vary as per the taste and the size and functions of the air fryer. For example, if you have a small air fryer like the Dash compact 2qt air fryer, then you may not be able to cook in large batches. Then you should change the ingredients proportionately.
- At first, take the spinach in a bowl and rinse with tap water. Before putting it in the air fryer, squeeze it properly so that it does not have any extra water.
- Place the spinach leaves on the cake pan. You may place the leaves in multiple layers but make sure that the layer is not extra thick.
- Now top the leaves with butter and the seasoning ingredients. You may use cooking spray if the basket is not non-stick.
- Cook it for 5 to 10 minutes based on the parameter. You should shake the basket every 5 minutes to ensure an even heat distribution.
- After the cooking is done, you may sprinkle some lemon juice if you like.
Air fryer Parameter
The cooking parameter for spinach in an air fryer will vary. I would love to cook at a lower temperature for a longer time. Therefore, I would set the temperature to 300°F and cook for 10 minutes. You can also cook it for 5 minutes at 360°F if you want faster cooking. However, the parameter may be different for different types of air fryers. To find a suitable air fryer for this kind of recipe, read our article on the best air fryers that have racks.
Chefman 10 Liter air fryer is a great example that you can use for a medium to large family. It has multiple layer racks with the dehydrator function. Therefore, you can use it for versatile cooking. It has a lot of premium free accessories with the rotisserie function. You may check this out if you do not yet have your air fryer or looking for a new one.
Chefman 10L Digital Multifunctional Air Fryer and Dehydrator
Bottom line
Have you already tried the recipe by yourself? Let me know it through the comment section. As I always say, you will be a better cook if you make more mistakes. Therefore, do not be heartbroken if you fail in your first attempts. If you find this article helpful, do not forget to share it with others. Happy cooking!