Toss Strawberries In Your Air Fryer And Thank Us Later

If you love fresh strawberries but struggle with what to do with them, your air fryer might offer the perfect solution. Much like the amazing outcome of air frying orange slices, you can also use the device to make quick and easy dehydrated strawberries. Simply set the appliance to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and allow the strawberries to cook for one hour, making sure to turn the fruit slices over about 30 minutes into the cooking time. Once they're finished, you'll have bite-sized strawberry slices that combine delightfully sweet flavors with a fun, crunchy texture.

After cooking, you can keep dried strawberries in the refrigerator or freezer. With refrigerator storage, the dried fruit will last approximately three days when placed in a sealed container. Dried strawberries will last a lot longer in the freezer, provided you take the right steps. In this case, freeze the fruit slices on a baking sheet first, then place them in a container and put them back into the freezer. You'll have about three months to use the strawberries before the quality begins to decline.

While air-fried strawberries are incredibly simple to make, choosing quality fruit is crucial to the outcome. In this case, there are steps you can take to avoid common mistakes when buying produce. For instance, certain characteristics indicate that the strawberries available at your preferred grocery store or fruit market are of high quality. Color is a key indicator of quality, so look for vibrant hues of red and green. As for texture, berries should offer ample firmness and lack any soft spots. And when it comes to flavor, smaller strawberries are best, as larger ones are moisture-rich and less flavorful.

In addition to selecting gorgeous strawberries, you'll also want to prep your air fryer. Do so by placing a piece of parchment paper cut to size in the bottom of the basket. Parchment paper makes it easy to remove the dehydrated strawberries when they're done cooking, but it also prevents the fruit from sticking to the basket. Punching a few holes in the paper is also recommended, as these holes facilitate proper air flow as food cooks.

You can feel free to eat dried strawberries on their own or use them to add a nice crunchy texture and sweet flavor to salads. As for other wholesome recipes, consider incorporating them into a nutritious and simple smoothie along with yogurt, ice, and juice. You can even make a grown-up version of your favorite kids' cereal by combining dehydrated strawberries with oats, almonds, coconut flakes, and maple syrup to make a healthy and hearty granola.

Dried strawberries are also the perfect accompaniment to lots of baked goods, including delightful strawberry crinkle cookies. They can be used to make dairy-free strawberry-flavored frosting when mixed with ingredients like honey, coconut butter, and vanilla extract. Strawberry icing tastes amazing when paired with chocolate cake, but it also works well with baked goods like scones and muffins. With air-fried strawberries on demand in your household, you'll never run out of fun and delicious ways to use them.