Can I Cook That in An Air Fryer?
This is a question I get a lot, and the answer is…yes, you can! Just like any pan that you can put in your oven, you can put in your air fryer, the same rule applies to food. Any food you can cook in your oven, you can air fry. This may seem obvious, but where to start? What time, what temp? You don’t want to ruin your dinner OR waste food, so with a couple of simple tips you can successfully air fry everything! Well, just about everything.
Converting From Traditional Oven Recipes
You can use your air fryer to cook recipes that have instructions for cooking in the oven. Because the heat in the air fryer is more intense than a standard oven, reduce the suggested temperature by 25ºF to 50ºF and cut the time by roughly 20%. So, if a recipe calls for cooking in the oven at 425ºF for 60 minutes (like the Summer Ale Chicken, for instance), instead you can air-fry the food at 400ºF for about 40 minutes.
Some of the recipes on this website have instructions for multiple appliances. For those recipes that don’t, or for your favorite recipe from another author, try using the cooking charts on this page to help determine the right cooking time for foods. Always remember to turn foods over halfway through the cooking time (as you would in a skillet or on the grill) and check the foods for your desired degree of doneness as you approach the finish line.
Converting From Packaged Foods Instructions
The same rule applies to prepared foods that you might buy at the grocery store. Decrease the temperature by 25° to 50° and reduce the time by roughly 20%. For example, if a bag of frozen French fries suggests cooking in the oven at 450ºF for 18 minutes, air-fry the fries at 400ºF (50ºF lower) and start checking them at 15 minutes (a little earlier than the package directions), remembering to shake the basket once or twice during the cooking process to help the fries brown evenly.
Converting to Different Sized Air-Fryers
Larger air fryers and oven-type air-fryers can make life a little easier, especially if you’re cooking for 4 or more people. Because the baskets in these air fryers are larger, you can cook more food at one time and do not have to cook the food in batches as specified in many of these recipes. Just remember not to over-fill the air fryer basket on any type of air fryer, since that will just slow down the overall cooking time and result in foods that are not as crispy as you’d like them to be.
The time and temperature of recipes will be stay the same for all air fryers but keep in mind that some larger air fryers with more power might cook foods slightly faster than smaller, lower wattage air fryers. This will not be a significant difference, but might save you a couple of minutes on some recipes. As with all things you cook in the air fryer, it makes sense to open the air fryer drawer or door and check the foods as they cook. Set you timer on the lower end of any recipe and keep an eye your food during the cooking process. That way, you’ll avoid over-cooking anything.
I enjoyed you so much on QVC, and I’m enjoying you even more, now. Thank you for you clear, concise and complete instructions. I never wonder what I’m doing when I’m making one of your recipes. I love The Basics. And, your Thursday night classes are wonderful, as are your cookbooks! I am really making use of your new website, and am constantly referring people to it.
Thank you so much, Donna! I really appreciate your referrals too. 🙂
I appreciate the chart for air frying. You cant see in mine so this helps instead of guessing. Thank you.
I found I was only using mu air fryer for french fries. I told my daughter I would give her mine when I came to visit on vacation. The week before I didn’t want to mess my kitchen as I was busy with other things. I started using my air fryer, and she is no longer getting mine!
Jonille, you must have learned about what a fabulous appliance the Air fryer is… I love mine so much, I should have been a rep for company – would have made some commissions! Every one I know has air fryer because of me😋 Even my hubby is learning how to use it!! Air fryer, along with my pressure cooker, I rarely use regular oven.
I have the newer air fryer with racks instead of baskets. At first I really did not know how to use it but after I downloaded the chart to convert regular recipes to the air fryer I use is more often, and I rarely use a regular electric cooktop or oven. I have a convection oven that has “keep warm” settings That I use when cooking more than air fryer will hold. I also use parchment paper to line the racks with to keep cleaning to a minimum. I love this method of cooking.
my daughter got me a “instantpot vortex plus for Christmas – I haven’t used it yet but I’m looking forward to using it a lot – I printed out your cooking charts for the air fryer. Can I use the same temps and times for mine? It also has a rotisserie so I wouldn’t have to shake (french fries) thanks for any info you can give me.
Hi Donna. The times and temps should be the same for an air fryer oven as for a basket style air fryer, so it should work fine with the IP Vortex. You’re right, you won’t have to shake foods. Have fun!
ML
Hi
Do you have thoughts on cooking bacon in a air fryer?
Thanks
Yes, I love cooking bacon in the air fryer! It comes out perfect every time. The bacon drips out of the holes in the air fryer basket and away from the bacon. Air fry at 400°F for about 5 to 12 minutes. I always put a little water in the air fryer well or drip pan so the grease does not smoke when it gets hot.
I’m confused. I bought a B&D Air Fryer oven 3 days ago. I was about to cook a 1kg Lasagne in my air fry oven but every recipe I see (lasagne or something else ) includes not just a cooking time but also a temp setting. With my oven if you set the temp knob to say 350F, then you can’t set it to the “AIRFRY” setting – so you would be BAKING. To actually air fry food, and get THE CRISPY AIR FRYING RESULTS, the temp knob must be set to the “AIRFRY” setting. But then, why do ALL (alleged) “Air Frying” conversion charts list the cooking time and a COOKING TEMPERATURE? Do other air fry devices not have to be set to an AirFry setting? I wanted to ‘air fry cook’ the lasagne but how long do I cook at the 450F degree (automatic) air fry setting?
Hi Peter. I’ve never heard of an air fryer that doesn’t let you set the temperature. All the air fryers that I have used or seen do use air fryer mode, but the temperature must be set as well. If you are unable to change the temperature of air frying with your model and it is always at 450ºF, it will be challenging to do many of the air frying recipes you find on the internet without burning the tops of them. Lasagna is usually cooked covered in foil in an oven, removing the foil at the end to let the cheese melt and brown if desired. I would suggest you use the bake setting to cook your lasagna and then, remove the foil and use the air fryer mode for just 5 minutes or so to melt the cheese and crisp the edges of the noodles if that is how you like your lasagna. You could give B+D customer service a call to see if you really can’t change the temperature in air fryer mode.
I GOT A NEW LG STOVE THAT ALSO IS A AIR FRYER WILL THIS WORK WITH MY STOVE?
Hi Polly. The short answer is yes – you can use these air fryer recipes with your oven. The main difference between air fryers and ovens that have a convection or air frying mode is where the fan is placed in relation to the heating element. In air fryers, the fan is right next to the heating element so it blows super-heated air down on the food. Check your oven to see if the fan is right next to a heating element. If so, no changes needed to any of the recipes. If the fan is separate from the heating elements, then you might need to add a minute or two to your cooking time. Make sure you put your food on a rack on a sheet pan so that air can circulate all around the food.
When and when do you use Fan on air fry oven . I see some say using fan ? Learning ty vicki
Hi Vicki. Having a fan on is part of air-frying. Air frying works with convection heat – an element heating the air and a fan blowing that hot air around. Air fryers are different from convection ovens in that the fan is placed directly next to the heater so the air is super heated and blown directly at the food. Without a fan on, you’re not air-frying. So, the fan should always be on for all air-frying recipes. If you have to manually turn on the fan, then do so. Otherwise, it should automatically be on in air-frying mode.
I’m so confused with air fryers, I have one that I have used but I just bought a new oven/stove that has a no-preheat air fryer in it. Can times and temperatures work in here as in an outside, regular air fryer? When the air fryer is in your stove/oven, it is called a convection oven or is that something different. I need a place to find recipes and times/temps to do in my regular oven
Hi Jane. You’re not alone – it is confusing. Air fryers and convection ovens are very similar – they heat air with an element and then blow it around with a fan. What distinguishes an air fryer from a convection oven is the placement of the fan in relation to the heating element. Air fryers have the fan RIGHT NEXT to the element so that it is blowing super-heated air directly at the food. Convection ovens do not necessarily have the fan and element next to each other. If you are using a new oven with an air fryer feature, you should be able to use air fryer recipes as written for temp and time. Of course, all different brands of air fryers and ovens have their own qualities, power levels, capacities etc.. and might need slight adjustments here and there, but you’ll figure it out after a recipe or two. Hope that helps explain it.
ML
I tried cooking lasagna under bake in my air fryer because I have a pampered chef square one no basket except for french fries and I burnt the heck out of the top noodles and the bottom noodles never completed so what would I do to stop that from happening
Hi Karen. Whenever I’m making a lasagna, I always bake it covered with aluminum foil for the first 45-60 minutes or so (depends on how big the lasagna is). Then, when the lasagna is bubbling and starting to smell delicious, remove the aluminum foil and let it brown on top.
how do i get to read the whole article, as the blue recipe bit, covers the bottom of this interesting article.
You may just have to refresh the page or open it in another browser so you can scroll down the page.