Does frozen food need to be thawed before using it in an air fryer?

When using an air fryer to process frozen food, it is usually not necessary to thaw it in advance. An air fryer can effectively process frozen food by quickly heating it up and placing it directly into a frying basket. In fact, many frozen foods, such as frozen french fries, frozen chicken wings, and frozen vegetables, are designed to be cooked directly in an air fryer. Due to the high-temperature air circulation of the air fryer, it can quickly penetrate the surface of frozen food, causing it to thaw quickly and start cooking.

It is worth noting that when handling frozen food, the cooking time may be slightly longer than that of room temperature food. Due to the low temperature of frozen food, air fryers require additional time to heat the food from a frozen state to the ideal cooking temperature. If the food is very heavy or contains a lot of frost, it may be necessary to slightly extend the cooking time or adjust the temperature to ensure even heating.

Although most frozen foods can be directly placed in an air fryer for better cooking results, some frozen foods (such as frozen meat) may thaw slightly before cooking, especially when the food is larger or requires longer cooking time. The air fryer eliminates the need for thawing in traditional cooking methods when handling frozen food, simplifying the cooking process.