Recipe This | Air Fryer Spam (2024)

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Air Fryer Spam. This is a cheap and easy way to cook spam in the air fryer. Coated in a homemade breading, spam slices are air fried and perfect for an alternative on the dinner table.

You will love how crispy your fried spam is when cooked in the air fryer and how simple this recipe is for recreating at home in your air fryer.

We originally shared with you how to cook spam in the air fryer back in 2018 and wanted to update it today for you with new photos and extra ideas.

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Table of Contents

Spam In Air Fryer

My grandma was one of those amazing ladies that was feeding her kids on WW2 rations. She had five daughters and told me many stories of the WW2 rations that she had, how she did deals and how cans of spam or corned beef, became her best friend.

The idea that you can use spam instead of meat in meals and still feed the kids up during such a difficult time.

Even many years after the UK stopped rationing, my grandparents would still feed me canned spam and I loved it and have so many great childhood memories eating it.

That is why when I shared many of my favourite WW2 recipes back in 2018, spam in the air fryer had a prime position.

If you love spam, corned beef, or another meat from a can, note that you can follow this recipe and make your own in the air fryer.

Or like us make air fryer spam with a can from the pantry you forgot about along with leftover breading. For example, we made air fryer spam with leftovers from air fryer breaded pork chops.

Plus, as well as our free newsletter, we also have a free air fryer mini course. It is ideal for air fryer beginners or those that want to get more confident with their air fryer. The free course runs for 5 days with a new lesson delivered each day to your inbox.

Can You Air Fry Spam?

Yes, you can, and you will be amazed at how good spam tastes when it has been cooked in the air fryer.

Also, you can air fry other luncheon meats too. Don’t think it must be limited to spam because it doesn’t have to be. It can be canned corned beef, canned ham, canned chicken, or even canned turkey.

Do You Have To Cook Spam?

No, you don’t because when you buy canned spam it has already been cooked. Therefore, when you are cooking spam in the air fryer you are technically reheating it. Thus, this brings the length of the cook time way down.

Though of course, this depends on how you want your spam.

How Many Servings In A Can Of Spam?

My rationing grandma would disagree with me, when I say one can of spam is four servings.

I am sure she would have cut it down even further to feed a family of seven from one can!

But to make our air fryer spam recipe, you simply grab a can of spam and create four spam slices.

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Then each of those spam slices is air fried to make four portions.

Best Way To Cook Spam?

The best way to cook spam is fried spam. It is delicious and you can add a nice breading to it. Then it makes a cheaper alternative to breaded chicken or breaded fish.

But to save a lot of mess and to keep your fried spam nice and crispy, the air fryer provides a fantastic alternative.

Air frying spam is incredibly crispy spam and because of the size of the average air fryer, you can often do four portions aka one can of spam at once.

Air Fried Spam Ingredients

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Spam – I recommend that you use an original can of spam in this recipe. Though you can use one of the flavoured ones or swap it for corned beef. I also recommend prior to air frying your spam, that you place it in the fridge for an hour to help stiffen it a bit. This will help when you are slicing your spam and breading it to make sure the slices don’t fall apart.

Panko – You can use any type of breadcrumbs for your spam fritters, though we used panko. Note that when you use panko it is a dryer breadcrumb, and you need to make sure you have a good layer of egg otherwise you will have dry spam.

Egg. I recommend creating a production line with one bowl with your breadcrumbs, one with your egg and another with your flour. The egg can be any and I usually crack four eggs in a bowl, whisk them with a fork and then add in a little seasoning to make them more flavoursome.

Flour. For the flour, any will do the trick. But what I do recommend is that you season the flour before breading.

Seasoning – You can mix and match your seasonings in this air fryer spam recipe. I love salt, pepper, and parsley, but it’s all about personal choice. You can also season your breadcrumbs, egg, and flour for the ultimate taste sensation.

Then for the kitchen gadgets that we have used in this spam air fryer recipe, it has just been our Philips Air Fryer. We have this one and its wonderful for many types of air fryer breaded recipes and doesn’t stick to the air fryer.

Or if feeding more people you can double the ingredients, use two cans of spam to make eight slices and then increase the other ingredients like this:

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How To Cook Spam In Air Fryer?

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  • Slice. Start by slicing your spam into four equal slices and seasoning with salt and pepper.
  • Toss. Load your spam into the flour, the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Make sure it gets a good coating from each bowl.
  • Load. Add to the air fryer and air fry until you have tender yet crispy spam slices.

What Can You Make With Spam?

This recipe that I am sharing with you today, is my favourite way to cook spam. But my #2 go to recipe is my instant pot spam fried rice. It is based upon using a can of spam to make a Hawaiian spam dish and its so easy to make.

Another alternative is to use spam in any of the ways that you would use corned beef, or when you would add leftover meat to a dish.

You could even use spam as an alternative in a stroganoff.

Listen To Air Fryer Spam Fritters

Want to learn more about our Podcast? Then click here and you can browse through past episodes and subscribe to the Magic With Gadgets Podcast.

More Air Fryer Breaded Favourites

  • Air Fryer Breaded Pork Chops
  • Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
  • Air Fryer KFC Chicken
Recipe This | Air Fryer Spam (8)

Recipe This | Air Fryer Spam (9)

Print Recipe

Air Fryer Spam

Air Fryer Spam. This is a cheap and easy way to cook spam in the air fryer. Coated in a homemade breading, spam slices are air fried and perfect for an alternative on the dinner table.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time8 minutes mins

Total Time13 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Air Fryer

Servings: 4

Calories: 518kcal

Author: RecipeThis.com

Ingredients

Kitchen Gadgets:

Air Fryer Spam Ingredients:

MetricImperial

Instructions

  • Place spam in the fridge for an hour (still in its can) so that it can harden up and is easier to make into fritters. Then open your can of spam onto a clean worktop and cut into medium slices.

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  • Crack eggs into a bowl and mix with a fork and then season with salt and pepper. Place flour in a 2nd bowl and season well with chicken seasoning, salt, and pepper and garlic powder. Place breadcrumbs into a 3rd bowl and mix with salt, pepper, parsley, and oregano.

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  • Load sliced spam into the flour mixture, then into the egg, and then into the breadcrumbs bowl. Make sure each slice of spam is well coated from each bowl.

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  • Place the spam fritters into the air fryer basket on a single layer.

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  • Cook for 8 minutes at 180c/360f. Then serve.

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Video

Notes

Thanks for reading our air fryer spam recipe on Recipe This. We have many more air fryer recipes for you to check out next. Though if you would like more breaded ideas, I recommend you check out our air fryer KFC chicken which is better than a bucket from KFC.

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 1273mg | Potassium: 465mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 547IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutrition InfoPlease Note: Nutrition values are our best estimate based on the software we use at Recipe This and are meant as a guide. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Recipe This | Air Fryer Spam (2024)

FAQs

How long do you put Spam in the air fryer? ›

Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Place the SPAM in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer. Cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through or until desired crispness. Remove from the basket, cool slightly, and ENJOY!

What is the trick to getting things extra crispy with an air fryer? ›

Make Sure Your Food Is Dry

Especially if you're frying a recipe with a marinade, make sure you pat your food dry before putting it in the fryer. The drier your food is when it goes in, the crispier it'll be when it comes out.

What's the best way to cook Spam? ›

As Spam is precooked in the can, you can serve as is. However, for best results, you should put it in a skillet on medium high heat for 5 minutes, flipping half way through.

What is the secret to cooking in air fryer? ›

For best results of smaller foods such as fries, onion rings and chicken nuggets, remove the fryer basket halfway through preparation time and shake to mix around the food in the basket. This will help to evenly fry the food being prepared. Add some oil to fresh potatoes for a crispy result.

What temperature is Spam cooked at? ›

While some food trends come and go, SPAM® Classic baked with cloves and glazed with a brown sugar and mustard is a timeless treat for your tastebuds! Heat oven to 375°F.

Is Spam very unhealthy? ›

Frequently indulging in high-fat foods like Spam without making adjustments to other parts of your diet could potentially increase your overall calorie intake and contribute to weight gain in the long run. Compared to other protein sources, Spam is high in fat and calories but low in protein.

What does Spam stand for? ›

Some say SPAM stands for Specially Processed American Meat, others believe it is a portmanteau for spiced ham, while others say it stands for Shoulder of Pork and Ham. As it relates to email, spam is not an acronym. What does the term spam refer to? Spam refers to unwanted, unsolicited junk emails.

What is the most popular way to eat Spam? ›

Sandwiches are the most popular vehicle used to deliver SPAM® products to your chompers.

Why are people getting rid of air fryers? ›

Summary. In conclusion, while air fryers offer certain benefits such as reduced calorie intake and faster cooking times, they are not without their limitations. Size constraints, limited cooking options, and concerns about crispiness are driving some people to look for alternatives.

What is the best first thing to cook in an air fryer? ›

Brussels sprouts are the best place to start your air-fried vegetable journey. They crisp up beautifully and take no time at all. If you're making these for a crowd, we suggest frying them up in batches as overcrowding the basket can lead to soggy results.

How to cook Spam in air fryer reddit? ›

I used the thinnest of my 2 cutting blades I have for my Mandoline, and it was easily able to slice the spam into deli meat-thin slices. I then tossed those in my basket AF at 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. They crisp up and end up looking a lot like pringles in their shape.

How long to cook frozen Spam fritters in an air fryer? ›

And then you're looking for a time. of eight minutes.

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