Air Fryer Pork Belly is seriously the best kind of pork belly! This pork belly is crispy on the outside and nice and juicy on the inside. I love this recipe because it requires minimal clean up and you do not have to worry about ingredients splattering everywhere.
We love making this recipe for all occasions! Any air fryer recipe allows you to enjoy it year round. The pork belly also allows for multiple versions by changing your seasonings to match the flavor profile you are wanting.
I have developed numerous pork recipes throughout the years. Some of my go to pork dishes are: Blackened Pork Chops, Instant Pot Pork Butt with Honey Mustard, Whole30 Pork Tenderloin With Herb Crust, Frozen Pork Chops In The Air Fryer, and Apple Ginger Pulled Pork. If you do not have an air fryer, you can also check out my Pork Belly on the Grill.
If you are looking for another good air fryer recipe, check out my Air Fryer Turkey Burgers and Gluten Free Pigs in a Blanket recipe.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This recipe reminds me so much of the pork belly that I like to put on top of my guacamole in my Whole30 Guacamole With Pork Belly!
- Pork belly is a great snack for game day. I also love including my Crockpot Gluten Free Mac and Cheese in my game day line up.
- This recipe only requires 10 minutes of hands-on time which makes it a great snack to make for those nights when you want something super delicious but you do not have much time on hand.
- You can use this crispy and juicy pork belly as an appetizer that can be topped off on just about anything or you can even eat it alone, which I love doing! I love putting a toothpick in it and eating it as an appetizer!
- This recipe is naturally gluten free, dairy free, grain free, paleo, AIP (Autoimmune protocol friendly) and can be made Whole30 friendly too when you omit the coconut sugar.
- When I am not eating this recipe on a toothpick as an appetizer I love adding my pork belly to Homemade Deviled Eggs.
- This pork belly has so much flavor, it is sweet yet salty and savory at the same time! It literally melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
- Pork belly-You can get this anywhere but I love getting mine through Butcher Box! When you order with my link you can get a monthly discount on all of the best quality meats and proteins out there.
- Coconut sugar-This adds a nice sweet touch to this savory snack. You can also use brown sugar if that is your thing, too! If you are doing the Whole30, you can skip this.
- Avocado oil-This helps get the seasonings and sugar to really soak in. While you do not have to use avocado oil, it is my favorite oil to use for high temperature baking and cooking because it has a high smoke point.
- Pepper & sea salt-For flavor. If you are doing the Autoimmune Protocol skip the pepper part as pepper is one of the things you cannot have on the autoimmune protocol.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- For additional flavor, you can add additional dry spices to create a dry rub on the pork exterior. Garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, and dry herbs would all be wonderful additions.
- You can allow the pork to marinate in a dry rub overnight to infuse more flavor from the spices into the raw meat before cooking.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step by Step Instructions for Air Fryer Pork Belly
Photo # 1: Place all ingredients except the pork belly in a large bowl and mix until well mixed throughout.
Photo # 2: Pat the pork belly with a paper towel. Chop the pork belly with a sharp knife on a cutting board into 1 inch cubes. Then, place the pork belly into a glass bowl.
Photo # 3: Mix the marinate in a glass bowl with the cubed pork belly until it is well mixed throughout.
Photo # 4: Add the marinated pork belly pieces into the air fryer basket in single layers.
Photo # 5: Cook the pork belly in the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Then toss the pork belly around with tongs and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Tip # 1: Be sure to eat your pork belly warm. This pork belly does not taste very good when eaten cold. To reheat it, pop it back in the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes.
- Tip # 2: Be sure to only cook the pork belly in a single layer, if you stack it on top of each other it won’t cook well and be crispy!
- Tip # 3: Ensure you are using a sharp knife when slicing your pork belly into one inch cubes to prevent risk of accidentally getting hurt.
Recipe FAQs
Pork belly is made from a pig and very similar to bacon. It comes from the underside of a pig right just like pork tenderloin. While the dish does not have much flavor alone, when you keep the fat cap on it and really season it, it becomes so juicy and flavorful!
I use this 11 in 1 air fryer. It is so easy to use and has more than one function which I love. It takes up only one spot on the counter vs. having multiple different things set up. Who else hates clutter on the counter like me? HA!
Pork belly should reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F which can be checked with an internal meat thermometer.
The leftover pork belly can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
It is so simple! For the best results you will simply place the desired amount of leftovers in your air fryer or oven at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes or until desired crispiness is achieved.
Other Air Fryer Recipes You Will Love
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Air Fryer Pork Belly
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork belly patted dry
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar skip for Whole30
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper skip for AIP
To top off: (optional)
- red pepper flakes
- fresh chives
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F. Dry pat the pork belly and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. In a separate bowl, mix all other ingredients then stir in the pork belly with the coconut sugar mixture.
- Lay the pork in the air fryer in a single layer (you may need to do multiple batches of the pork belly) and air fry for 10 minutes, then flip and air fry for an additional 10 more minutes. Remove from the air fryer and serve warm.
Pete says
Sooo easy and delicious
This makes me happy to hear!
Lori says
Really good – the coconut sugar gives this the perfect sweet crust!