30 Best Healthy Air Fryer Recipes Under 500 Calories

2020 and 2021 are the year of the air fryer, and today we’re talking about 30 of the best healthy air fryer recipes under 500 calories per serving! Your air fryer is a powerhouse for cooking fast, healthy, and delicious meals with TONS recipes you can try out.

What Is An Air Fryer?

I don’t know if anyone truly understands the science behind the air fryer, but we’re going with it. Essentially, the air fryer is air heated to high temperatures in a small space, causing the pressure inside the air fryer to rise, and cook your food faster, and make them crispy and delicious.

In many cases, the air fryer can replace the traditional pot and oil deep frying method and cut down drastically on the amount of oil used for cooking. Overall, this allows your food to be healthier and a lot safer to cook because you’re not dealing with high-temperature oil that can leave you burned!

When it comes to healthy air fryer recipes, I looked for a few things on my quest to find the best healthy air fryer recipes. First, I stayed away from the chicken wings, burgers, and regular fries. Instead, I found recipes like fried tofu, zucchini coins, cauliflower buffalo wings, and a healthier blooming onion.

I’ve also found must-try southwest egg rolls, chicken fajita, and Caprese chicken the whole family will love! All the recipes I’ve found are under 500 calories per serving, and of course, because they’re made with an air fryer, they have less fat than if you were to do them deep-fried!

Want to learn more about any of the recipes? Click the recipe title link or photo to head over to the author’s website page! You can find the author of each recipe listed below the image, so make sure to give them full recognition for all their hard work.

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Number of Servings: 10 Tenders

Total Time: 20 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 10

Nutrition: Calories: 135 Fat: 4g Carbs: 14g Protein: 10g

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 20 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 10

Nutrition: Calories: 344 Fat: 16g Carbs: 39g Protein: 12g

 

Air Fryer Spring Rolls

Recipe & Photo By Your Healthy Beginning

Number of Servings: 8

Total Time: 60 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 10

Nutrition: Calories: 188 Fat: 5g Carbs: 31g Protein: 8g

Air Fryer Onion Rings

Recipe & Photo By Your Healthy Beginning

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 50 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 7

Nutrition: Calories: 211 Fat: 4g Carbs: 34g Protein: 8g

 

Air Fryer Zucchini Sticks

Recipe & Photo By Your Healthy Beginning

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 60-70 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 9

Nutrition: Calories: 214.75 Fat: 4g Carbs: 33.25g Protein: 9.25g

 

Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts

Recipe & Photo By Your Healthy Beginning

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time:27 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 5

Nutrition: Calories: 68 Fat: 5g Carbs: 4g Protein: 1g

Air Fryer Tofu

Recipe & Photo By Well Plated

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 35 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 9

Nutrition: Calories: 96 Fats: 4g Carbs: 9g Protein: 7g

Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes

Recipe & Photo By Your Healthy Beginning

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 60 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 5

Nutrition: Calories: 150 Fat: 9.3g Carbs: 16.6g Protein: 1.3g

Sriracha Cauliflower Apps

Recipe & Photo By 730 Sage Street

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 3

Nutrition: Calories: 197 Fats: 21g Carbs: 1g Protein: 0g

Air Fryer Asparagus

 

Recipe & Photo By Your Healthy Beginning

Number of Servings: 2

Total Time: 15 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 5

Nutrition: Calories: 105 Fat: 6.7g Carbs: 8.5g Protein: 5g

Fried Zucchini Coins

Recipe & Photo By Savory Tooth

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 25 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 10

Nutrition: Calories: 130 Fats: 9g Carbs: 2g Protein: 7g

Air Fryer Dino Nuggets

Recipe & Photo By Your Healthy Beginning

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 2 hours

Number of Ingredients: 11

Nutrition: Calories: 278 Fat: 14g Carbs: 14.7g Protein: 20g

Turkey Burgers

Recipe & Photo By Courtney Sweets

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 21 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 8

Nutrition: Calories: 209 Fats: 9g Carbs: 2g Protein: 31g

Southwest Egg Rolls

Recipe & Photo By Chelsea’s Messy Apron (homepage link)

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 42 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 18

Nutrition: Calories: 508 Fats: 27g Carbs: 37g Protein: 33g ( a few calories high, but you’ll be fine)

Air Fryer Mushrooms

Recipe & Photo By Sweet Peas & Saffron

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 52 Minutes (includes 30 minutes of marinade time)

Number of Ingredients: 3

Nutrition: Calories: 59 Fats: 4g Carbs: 4g Protein: 4g

Air Fryer Honey Lime Shrimp

Recipe & Photo By Sweet Peas & Saffron

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 40 Minutes (includes 30 minutes of marinade time)

Number of Ingredients: 6+

Nutrition: Calories: 187 Fats: 7g Carbs: 7g Protein: 23g

Air Fryer Stuffed Caprese Chicken

Recipe & Photo By Peanut Butter & Fitness

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 42 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 8

Nutrition: Calories: 356 Fats: 14g Carbs: 9g Protein: 44g

Air Fryer Cauliflower with Lemon-Garlic Aioli

Recipe & Photo By 40 Aprons

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 22 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 9

Nutrition: Calories: 148 Fats: 13g Carbs: 6g Protein: 2g

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Recipe & Photo By Life Made Sweeter

Number of Servings: 6

Total Time: 40 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 8

Nutrition: Calories: 165 Fats: 14g Carbs: 8g Protein: 5g

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Pizza Slices

Recipe & Photo By Slimming Eats

Number of Servings: 2

Total Time: 40 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 12

Nutrition: Calories: 379 Fats: 9g Carbs: 59g Protein: 15g

Vegan Parmesan & Herbs Polenta Fries

Recipe & Photo By Minimalist Baker

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 50 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 4

Nutrition: Calories: 286 Fats: 14g Carbs: 34g Protein: 5g

Air Fryer Orange Chicken

Recipe & Photo By Spoonful of Flavor

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 25 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 11

Nutrition: Calories: 305 Fats: 9g Carbs: 21g Protein: 33g

Baked Sweet Potato Cauliflower Patties

Recipe & Photo By Cotter Crunch

Number of Servings: 7

Total Time: 35 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 13

Nutrition: Calories: 85 Fats: 2g Carbs: 9g Protein: 2g

Air Fryer Chicken Breast

Recipe & Photo By Yellow Bliss Road

Number of Servings: 6

Total Time: 20 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 7

Nutrition: Calories: 216 Fats: 9g Carbs: 1g Protein: 32g

Chicken Fajita

Recipe & Photo By Whole Kitchen Sink

Number of Servings: 2-3

Total Time: 25 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 6

Nutrition: Not Specified

Chicken Paresman Meatballs

Recipe & Photo By The Bettered Blondie

Number of Servings: Not Specified

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 9

Nutrition: Calories: 102 Fats: 8g Carbs: 2g Protein: 15g

Stuffed Peppers

Recipe & Photo By What Molly Made

Number of Servings: 6

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 12

Nutrition: Calories: 403 Fats: 15g Carbs: 39g Protein: 26g

Stuffed Zucchini

Recipe & Photo By Cooking LSL

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 14

Nutrition: Calories: 231 Fats: 10g Carbs: 7g Protein:13g

Italian Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

Recipe & Photo By Jennifer Banz

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 22 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 10

Nutrition: Calories: 416 Fats: 36g Carbs: 6g Protein: 20g

Achari Aloo Tikka (Tandoori Potato Appetizer)

Recipe & Photo By Carve Your Craving

Number of Servings: 6

Total Time: 45 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 15

Nutrition: Calories: 137 Fats: 5g Carbs: 21g Protein: 4g

Air Fryer Blooming Onion

Recipe & Photo By Plated Cravings

Number of Servings: 6

Total Time: 35 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 8

Nutrition: Calories: 140 Fats: 6g Carbs: 16g Protein: 3g

Crispy Air Fryer Eggplant

Recipe & Photo By Running to the Kitchen

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 38 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 8

Nutrition: Calories: 140 Fats: 6g Carbs: 16g Protein: 3g

Air Fryer Granola (yes you can)

Recipe & Photo By Cook It Real Good

Number of Servings: 4

Total Time: 15 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 7

Nutrition: Calories: 293 Fats: 17g Carbs: 31g Protein: 6g

Air Fried Salmon

Recipe & Photo By Sailor Bailey

Number of Servings: 2

Total Time: 14 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 5

Nutrition: Not Specified

 

Air Fryer Shrimp Taco Bowl

Recipe & Photo By Good Noms Honey

Number of Servings: 8

Total Time: 70 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 12

Nutrition: Calories: 198 Fats: 8g Carbs: 8g Protein: 14g

 

Air Fryer Caramelized Bananas

Recipe & Photo By Okonomi Kitchen

Number of Servings: 2

Total Time: 7 Minutes

Number of Ingredients: 4

Nutrition: Not Specified