Ninja Foodi Smart XL Pro Grill & Griddle

Your Guide to Grilling & Griddling Like a Foodi

Welcome to the Ninja® Foodi® Smart XL Pro Grill & Griddle recipe book. From here, you're just a few pages away from recipes, tips, and tricks that will help you achieve Ninja's best-in-class grilling and BBQ griddling results. Now let's get cooking.

Recipe Key

Recipes are tagged with icons to help find the right one:

• Foodi™ Smart Thermometer
• Frozen to Char-Grilled
• Kid-Friendly Food
• 10 Minutes or Less
• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Keto
• Vegetarian
• Powered Grill Grate
• Flat Top BBQ Griddle
• Crisper Basket

For more recipe inspiration, tips, and tricks, join thousands of Foodi® friends on the Official Ninja Foodi Family™ Community. Visit Facebook.com/groups/NinjaFoodiFamily or youtube.com/EPNinjaKitchen.

Pro Powered Grill Grate: Unlocking Next Level Grilling

Experience the most powerful grill grate to date. Lock in flavors with 500°F direct high heat, evenly distributed from edge to edge. Grill or BBQ griddle with the hood up or down to cook foods other grills can't.

• Steakhouse Grilling & Searing: Quick and easy meals.
• BBQ Griddling: Cook foods grills can't.
• Perfect Doneness: No guesswork with the Foodi™ Smart Thermometer.
• Frozen to Char-Grilled: No thawing required.

How to Have a Virtually Smoke-Free Experience

Always Use the Recommended Grill Settings

Chef-designed temperature settings maximize grill flavors and textures while minimizing smoke. Cooking food at a higher temperature than recommended will result in more smoke and food having a burnt, acrid flavor.

Always Use the Recommended Fat/Oil

Recommended: Canola, Refined coconut, Avocado, Vegetable, Grapeseed oils.

Not Recommended: Olive oil, Butter, Margarine.

Get to Know the Control Panel

POWER

Turns the unit on and off.

DIAL

Selects a cooking function or setting.

TEMP

Selects temperature.

TIME

Selects cook time.

MANUAL

Switches display for manual internal doneness setting.

PRESET

When thermometer is plugged in, selects food type.

DONENESS

When preset is selected, chooses desired doneness.

START/STOP

Starts or stops the selected cooking function.

FUNCTION

Clears all settings or thermometer 'Rest' state.

PREHEAT

Automatically begins preheating after function, time, and temperature are set. Skipping preheating is not recommended.

Preheat for Better Results

For best grilling results, let the Foodi fully preheat before adding food. Adding food before preheating is complete may lead to overcooking, smoke, and longer preheat time.

Cleaning Instructions

• Remove Grill Grate: Press the orange release button on the left side after it cools.
• Soaking the Grill Grate: Soak in hot, soapy water to loosen baked-on foods.
• Remove Splatter Shield: Clean after each use. Soak overnight to remove baked-on grease.
• Deep Clean Splatter Shield: Boil in a pot of water for 10 minutes.
• All parts, except the thermometer, are dishwasher safe.

Grilling, Griddling & Beyond: Let's Get Cooking

Get to know the functions of your Ninja® Foodi® Smart XL Pro Grill & Griddle to get the best out of every meal.

Cooking Functions Overview

• Grill: Harnesses direct high heat from the grate and cyclonic air for fast, char-grilled results, virtually smoke-free.
• BBQ Griddle: Flat-top BBQ Griddle creates even, edge-to-edge heat to cook foods grills can't like tacos, cheesesteaks, nachos, and more.
• Air Crisp: Achieve crispiness and crunch with little to no oil.
• Bake: Bake cakes, treats, desserts and more.
• Roast, Broil & Dehydrate: Extra versatility to roast or broil meats and make dehydrated snacks.

Cooking Steps

1. Set Up: Install the powered grill grate by hooking it into the front and pressing down until it clicks.
2. Add Accessories: Install the splatter shield by hooking the left side and snapping the right side. Place any required accessory in the unit.
3. Select Cook Function: Turn dial to select desired cooking function (e.g., grill). Adjust temperature and time as desired.
4. Preheat: Close the hood and press dial to begin preheating. Reference the Owner's Guide for approximate preheat times.
5. Add Food: Once preheated, 'ADD FOOD' appears. Open hood to add ingredients. When batch cooking meats, close hood between batches and run programmed function for 2-3 minutes before adding more food.
6. Complete Cooking: Unit beeps and 'END' appears. Remove food and accessories. Remove grill grate by pressing the orange release button.

TIP: For perfect doneness every time, use the smart cook system in any mode (except dehydrate). Refer to pages 10-13 of the Owner's Guide.

Heat Key: Top-Down Heat, Bottom-Up Heat, Top-Down & Bottom-Up Heat.

Explore more recipes and information by scanning the QR code in the original guide or visiting ninjakitchen.com/recipes.

Now You Can Cook With the Hood Up or the Hood Down

Hood Up Cooking

Harnesses the direct, edge-to-edge high heat searing from the grill grate or BBQ griddle for even cooking, boosting flavors, and best-in-class char-grilled results. Best for cooking delicate foods or lean proteins to develop char-grilled textures without overcooking.

• Examples: Grilled steak tips, Grilled veggies, Stir fry, Breakfast bar.

Hood Down Cooking

Combines the power of the high-heat grill grate or BBQ griddle with cyclonic air for all-around searing, crisping, melting toppings, and faster cooking. Best for cooking thick cuts of meat or frozen protein, no-flip BBQ griddling, melting cheese, crisping up toppings, and quickly cooking thicker foods.

• Examples: NY strip steaks & asparagus, Frozen shrimp, Philly Cheesesteaks, Nachos.

Learn more about open- and closed-hood cooking by visiting ninjakitchen.com.

TIP: For less smoke, use oils with a high smoke point—like canola, avocado, vegetable, or grapeseed oil—instead of olive oil.

Perfectly Done with the Foodi™ Smart Thermometer

How to Place the Thermometer

Once you've selected your cooking function, temperature, protein type, and desired doneness, insert the Foodi™ Smart Thermometer into the thickest part of your protein while the grill is preheating.

• Steaks, Pork chops, Lamb chops, Chicken breasts, Burgers, Tenderloins, Fish fillets: Insert horizontally into the center of the thickest part, not angled, away from bone, fat, or gristle.
• Whole Chicken: Insert horizontally into the thickest part of the breast, parallel to bone, not touching it. Ensure tip reaches the center of the thickest part and doesn't go all the way through.

NOTE: Do not use the thermometer with frozen protein or for cuts of meat thinner than 1 inch.

Ninja Beef Doneness Guide

This guide shows what to expect with each preset beef doneness level, offering a range of options for customization:

• 1-2: RARE
• 3-4: MEDIUM RARE
• 5-6: MEDIUM
• 7-8: MEDIUM WELL
• 9: WELL

Carry-Over Cooking

Meat continues cooking after removal from the grill. To prevent overcooking, the unit beeps before desired doneness, accounting for carry-over cooking. Transfer meat to a plate with the thermometer still inserted and allow protein to carry-over cook and rest for 3-5 minutes. Skipping carry-over cooking and cutting into food right away may result in a rarer level of doneness.

For complete thermometer instructions, see your Ninja® Owner's Guide. Reference usda.gov for food-safe temperature recommendations.

Cooking with the Leave-In Thermometer

The Foodi™ Smart Thermometer continuously monitors doneness throughout the cooking process, unlike traditional instant-read thermometers.

Steps for Using the Leave-In Thermometer

1. Setup: Remove thermometer from storage, unwind cord, and plug into jack until it clicks.
2. Select Cook Function: Turn dial to select function (e.g., Grill). Adjust temperature. Setting a time is not necessary with the thermometer.
3. Program Thermometer: Press PRESET, turn dial to choose protein, press DONENESS, turn dial to choose desired doneness.
4. Thermometer Placement: Press dial to begin preheating. Wait until fully preheated. Insert thermometer in protein using the guide on page 10.
5. Add Food: Once preheated, 'ADD FOOD' appears. Add food with thermometer grip fully inside, close hood over cord to begin cooking.
6. Track Progress: Progress bar on display tracks doneness. Flashing indicates progression.
7. Carry-Over Cook & Rest: Unit beeps and shows 'GET FOOD'. Transfer meat to a plate with thermometer still inserted. Allow protein to carry-over cook and rest for 3-5 minutes. 'REST' appears and timer counts up.

NOTE: Do not close hood on thermometer grip, as this will prop open the hood and create inaccurate readings.

Using the Thermometer in Different Cooking Scenarios

• Same Proteins, Same Size, Different Doneness: Set preset to highest desired doneness. Insert thermometer in protein with highest desired doneness. When lowest desired doneness is reached, remove that protein. Continue cooking remaining protein.
• Same Proteins, Different Sizes: Set preset to desired doneness for smaller protein. Insert thermometer in smaller protein. Transfer thermometer to larger protein and use arrows to choose doneness.
• 2+ Different Proteins: Insert thermometer in protein with lowest desired doneness. Use Manual feature to choose desired internal temperature (refer to Owner's Guide). Transfer thermometer to other protein and use Manual feature.

WARNING: Thermometer and grip will be hot.

Flavor-Building 101: Marinades & Spice Rubs

Build your own marinades and zesty spice rubs. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well. These recipes call for coarse kosher salt, not fine-grain iodized salt.

• When using marinated foods on the Grill function, use Medium. For thicker marinades/sauces, use Low.
• When grilling frozen meats, baste liberally and consistently with marinade.
• For best textures and flavors from frozen meat, season with favorite spice rub before grilling.

Marinades (Yield: Approx. 1 cup | Marinating Time: 2-12 hours | Store: Refrigerate for up to 4 days)

• Teriyaki Marinade: Best for poultry, beef, pork, lamb, veal, seafood, vegetables. Ingredients: soy sauce, water, dark brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, honey, minced garlic.
• Garlic & Herb Marinade: Best for poultry, pork, lamb, seafood, vegetables. Ingredients: canola oil, cider vinegar, fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, oregano, thyme, sage), minced garlic, lemon juice, ground black pepper, kosher salt.
• Simple Steak Marinade: Best for beef, pork, lamb, veal, white fish, vegetables. Ingredients: Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, ground black pepper, kosher salt.

Spice Rubs (Yield: Approx. 1 cup | Season: Generously | Marinating Time: 30 minutes at room temperature | Store: Up to 6 months in an airtight container away from light and heat)

• Easy BBQ Spice Rub: Best for poultry, beef, shrimp, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots. Ingredients: dark brown sugar, smoked paprika, ground black pepper, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder.
• Everyday Spice Rub: Best for poultry, beef, pork, lamb, veal, seafood, vegetables. Ingredients: chili powder, white sugar, kosher salt, ground cumin, ground black pepper, dried oregano.
• Dry Herb Rub: Best for poultry, pork, lamb, seafood, vegetables. Ingredients: kosher salt, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried oregano, mustard powder, ground black pepper, crushed red pepper.

Kickstarter Recipes

This section provides quick start recipes with ingredients and detailed cooking directions for various dishes. Each recipe is designed to help users get started with their Ninja Foodi Smart XL Pro Grill & Griddle.

• NY Strip Steaks with Grilled Asparagus
• BBQ Griddled Smash Burgers
• Blackened Shrimp Skewers
• Ninja Breakfast Bar
• Soy Garlic Marinated Flank Steak
• Philly-Style Cheesesteaks
• Cranberry-Stuffed Chicken Thighs
• Chili Lime Grilled Chicken Cutlets
• Herb-Rubbed Pork Tenderloins with Zucchini Spears
• Herb Rosemary Pork Chops with Charred Carrots
• Grilled Pesto Cod with Green Beans
• Cheddar Apple Fritters with Sriracha Honey
• Grilled Caesar Salad with Grilled Croutons
• Savory Spinach Artichoke Pastries
• Roasted Peach Cobbler

Cooking Charts

These charts provide recommended cooking times and temperatures for various foods using the Ninja Foodi Smart XL Pro Grill & Griddle. For less smoke, cleaning the splatter shield after every use is recommended.

Grill Chart (Closed-Hood Cooking)

Note: This chart contains more entries in the full guide.

BBQ Griddle Chart (Open-Hood Cooking)

Food loads are written for BBQ Griddling with open-hood cooking. If melted cheese or a crispier output is desired, close the hood and cook for 2-5 minutes or until desired output is reached.

Note: This chart contains more entries in the full guide.

Air Crisp Chart

Note: This chart contains more entries in the full guide.

Dehydrate Chart

Note: This chart contains more entries in the full guide.