Gluten intolerance sometimes makes you feel it’s impossible to enjoy the simplest recipes for a savory Italian dinner, such as pasta or bread. But there are plenty of Italian dinner recipes with gluten-free ingredients for you to enjoy, and these can all be done in your handy-dandy air fryer!
The recipes below have been collected for you, so you have options to choose from for a delicious dish. Dinner doesn’t have to be boring if you’re gluten-free, and you can still enjoy your favorites like pasta and bread in these top 6 Italian-inspired dinners.
Why Cook in an Air Fryer?
Thanks to the new advancements in food technology, the air fryer is the perfect tool in your kitchen to ensure that you lower the fat content in your food while still being able to fry it. The bonus is that it also saves you tons of time with your cooking since you can cook things far faster. It also gives your food that nice, crisp texture, so if you like crunchy, it’s a necessity! Here are some of the Dine Dream Discover air fryer recipes.
1. Air Fryer Ravioli
These ravioli take just minutes to make and are much lighter than the traditional stuffed pasta you’re used to seeing. This Vivacious Life creates a successful, healthy version of ravioli that doesn’t require much preparation. You use packages of gluten-free cheese ravioli, half-n-half, and gluten-free breadcrumbs or crackers.
The best part is you can utilize any sauce with your ravioli and pair it with any sides you want. You can add cooked vegetables or serve them with a protein of your choice. Consider some gluten-free pesto, alfredo, or marinara sauce. There are plenty of variations to this recipe to make it your own. And don’t forget to top the ravioli with fresh parmesan for that added flavorful kick!
2. Air Fryer Gluten-Free Chicken Parm
Traditional chicken parm is breaded, deep-fried, or pan-fried, adding way more fat than necessary. Chicken parm is an Italian favorite, and you can make your own gluten-free version with this fantastic low-carb recipe from Eat the Gains, with juicy breaded chicken in the air fryer. Cover it with sauce and melted cheese, making it a perfect Italian dish for the whole family. It has tons of protein and can be made in just twenty minutes for an easy meal.
A good note here is with your air fryer, make sure you have some spray oil handy, like avocado or olive oil. If you have thick chicken breasts, thin them with a meat tenderizer to get them all close to the same size so they cook evenly. Add whatever sides you want to this dish, such as gluten-free pasta or garlic bread, for an authentic Italian feel.
3. Air Fryer Gluten-free Shrimp
Shrimp is a great dish that Italians love to make dinner with, and did you know you can cook it in the air fryer quickly, too? The recipe from What Molly Made has the perfect breaded air fryer shrimp to give you a crispy, seasoned, and flavorful bite.
Some sound advice here is to keep the tails on for easy pick-up. The recipe has you dredge them in almond flour with a kick of cajun seasoning for some incredible flavor. The last step is the gluten-free cracker breadcrumbs to give it some extra crunch.
You can swap breadcrumbs for the coconut flakes if you want to make coconut-fried shrimp. Pair it with a homemade sauce of Spicy Romulade with mayonnaise, horseradish, and sriracha (if you like it spicy). Squirt with lemon juice, or skip the dredge to create a shrimp scampi with your favorite gluten-free pasta and butter-garlic sauce.
4. Air Fryer Gluten-free Pizza
You can’t go Italian for dinner and not have some pizza. Your air fryer is basically a mini pizza oven, and you can cook a whole pizza gluten-free style. This fabulous recipe from Gluten Free Cuppa Tea out of the United Kingdom only takes 30 minutes to make.
The dough is created with two ingredients – some thick greek yogurt and gluten-free self-rising flour. Knead until it’s smooth, so it gets all the sticky out. The dough is similar to pita bread, too, so it can have multiple uses. You should bake the pizza in the air fryer first for about 6 minutes. Then, flip it, and add your sauce and favorite toppings before cooking for another few minutes until the cheese melts and your dough is nice and crispy.
5. Air Fryer Gluten-free Meatballs
You can cook meatballs in the air fryer, too – there’s nothing this little oven can’t do! And who doesn’t love a traditional Italian dinner of spaghetti and meatballs? The healthier and gluten-free recipe from Hello Spoonful provides a ground beef mixture with rice crumbs instead of breadcrumbs to make these meatballs gluten-free and still taste delicious.
Add onion powder, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder to your salt and pepper to make your meatballs bite-sized and flavorful. It’s important to note not to overload the basket or tray for your air fryer when cooking the meatballs; otherwise, they won’t turn out as crispy.
Once done, you can put them in warm tomato sauce and spread over gluten-free pasta for a delicious spaghetti and meatball dinner. You can also freeze them to use later if you want to make them ahead of time for a quick go-to meal on a busy day.
6. Air Fryer Gluten-free Gnocchi
Gnocchi is another Italian dinner that can be cooked in an air fryer. The cauliflower gnocchi recipe from Cotter Crunch provides an exceptional dish to make a tasty meal. Don’t be intimidated by making the gnocchi, and it’s pretty easy once you get the hang of the shape!
You steam your head of cauliflower until tender and squeeze out the moisture. Then you blend it into a mash and add some almond or gluten-free flour to mix into a dough ball, then freeze it before rolling it out into a log to make your gnocchi squares.
When cooking in the air fryer, you spread the pasta in even layers on the bottom of the pan. It helps to flip the gnocchi halfway through cooking to make it crispy. If you want it less crisp, then skip the flip!
Besides almond flour, you can use teff, coconut, cassava, or brown rice flour, depending on your preferences in taste and texture. Remember that gluten-free food has a shorter shelf life, so be sure to see about freezing or storing correctly to enjoy your leftovers!
