As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links to Amazon on this page are affiliate links.
Converting an oven recipe to an air fryer
Updated
The common rule of thumb: set the air fryer 25°F lower than the oven recipe, and start checking when 80 percent of the oven time has passed. It is a starting point, not a promise. Air fryers differ, and so does how full you load the basket. For meat, poultry and fish, a thermometer decides when it is done, not the clock.
Starting points
| Oven recipe says | Set the air fryer to | Start checking |
|---|---|---|
| 350°F for 20 minutes | 325°F | Check at 16 minutes |
| 375°F for 25 minutes | 350°F | Check at 20 minutes |
| 400°F for 30 minutes | 375°F | Check at 24 minutes |
| 425°F for 40 minutes | 400°F | Check at 32 minutes |
| 450°F for 15 minutes | 425°F | Check at 12 minutes |
The math: oven temperature minus 25, and oven minutes times 0.8, rounded. If your air fryer has a maker's cooking chart, use that first. The COSORI listing says a recipe book and cooking charts come in the box.
Know your top temperature
The last row needs 425°F. Not every air fryer gets there. From the listings: the Ninja Air Fryer Pro and the Instant Vortex XL top out at 400°F. The COSORI TurboBlaze and the Ninja DualZone go to 450°F. The Chefman bullets describe a 450°F boost for the last two minutes, while its spec table lists 400°F. If a recipe converts to more than your maximum, use the maximum and expect it to take a little longer.
Preheating
- Basket models heat fast. Instant says its Vortex needs little to no preheating. COSORI makes preheat a choice and leaves it off by default.
- Oven-style models take longer. The Breville shows when preheat is done and then starts the timer. Some of its owners call the preheat slow.
- When I would preheat: for anything breaded, for thin foods with short cook times, and for baking. For frozen fries or reheating, skipping it is fine. If you skip it, add a couple of minutes.
Shaking and turning
Hot air only browns the surfaces it can reach. Piled food needs a shake partway through, and flat food needs a flip.
- Fries, nuggets and cut vegetables: shake once or twice. The Chefman TurboFry Touch listing describes an audible reminder at the halfway point. On units without one, set a phone timer.
- Chicken pieces, burgers, fish: flip once, past the halfway point.
- Do not stack one layer foods. If it does not fit flat, it is two batches. That is a sizing problem, covered on the size page.
Food safety: the thermometer decides
An air fryer browns the outside fast. That makes it easy to pull food that looks done and is not. The USDA publishes safe minimum internal temperatures. The main ones:
| Food | USDA safe minimum internal temperature |
|---|---|
| Chicken, turkey and other poultry, whole, parts or ground | 165°F |
| Ground beef, pork, veal and lamb | 160°F |
| Steaks, chops and roasts of beef, pork, veal and lamb | 145°F, then rest 3 minutes |
| Fish | 145°F |
| Leftovers and casseroles | 165°F |
Measure in the thickest part, away from bone. Check the USDA's own chart for the full list and any updates. An instant-read thermometer is the most useful air fryer accessory you can buy.
What does not convert well
- Wet batters. They drip through the crisper plate before they set. Use a dry breading.
- Big, tall roasts in a basket. The top sits close to the heater and can burn before the middle is done. An oven-style model handles these better. See basket vs oven-style.
- Recipes in a deep dish. Casseroles and bakes need a pan that fits. In a basket, that means a small pan and less food.
- Loose, light foods. Leafy greens and loose parchment can blow up into the heater. Follow your manual on liners.
This page is general cooking information, not nutrition or medical advice. Your air fryer's manual comes first. The six picks are on the shortlist.