4 Simple Rules for Adapting Your Favorite Recipes to the Air Fryer

Air fryers cook quickly and the results are often as good (or better) than slower cooking methods. If I tell you something you already know, you may be one of the millions of people who use their air fryer daily.

You may also be wondering if your favorite stovetop and oven recipes can be made in the air fryer. Often the answer is yes, although there are considerations to make when converting an existing recipe to the air fryer.

There are few precious dishes that cannot be prepared in the popular device. We tested single sides, eggs, desserts, roasted whole meats and even a classic campfire or two.

Because of its undeniable ease of use, speed, and favorable results (the microwave can’t hold a candle), your instinct may be to move every recipe, regardless of the instructions, to the speed air fryer.

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Before you do, follow the advice of Andreas Hansen, passionate cook and founder and CEO of Fritaire air fryers. Whether the recipe you’re considering for the air fryer is roasted, baked, or fried, Hansen walked me through all the potential adjustments and considerations needed to make it suitable for the air fryer.

1. Reduce temperature and time

From roasted Brussels sprouts From roast duck to air fryer brownies, your air fryer will do it all faster than your oven can. “It’s called an air fryer because it circulates heat faster, which means things brown faster,” says Hansen.

Air fryers with windows or glass bowls provide visual cues that help you gauge when something is done. However, for drawer-style air fryers, where you don’t want to constantly interrupt the cooking process to check progress, start by lowering the temperature and recipe timer.

“I would reduce the temperature by 20 to 25 degrees to keep things from drying out too quickly,” says Hansen. And even with a lower temperature setting, assume your dish will be cooked in much less time, so set a timer or adjust your expectations accordingly.

“You also need to reduce the cooking time by 20 to 30%,” says Hansen. So if your recipe calls for a 425 degree oven and 30 minutes of cooking, the equivalent in an air fryer would be 400 degrees and about 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Reduce the volume and leave some space

Consider the capacity of your air fryer and adjust the recipe volume if necessary (or prepare to cook in batches) to ensure there is enough space for it to perform as intended.

“The most important thing about an air fryer is that you want heated air to get to all surfaces,” says Hansen, “so you want to avoid overcrowding.” For something like meatballs, for example, you’ll be able to fit a lot less than you would with a baking sheet in your oven or even a large sauté pan.

With dishes such as roasted vegetables, some air fryer recipes require shaking halfway through cooking to ensure even air circulation, or turning larger items halfway through cooking. (The Fritaire model includes a cup basket to avoid the need for shaking.) Determine, however, whether the ingredients in your recipe are sturdy enough to withstand shaking without breaking down. Otherwise, it is essential to leave space so that each surface can benefit from air.

Also a good tip, regardless of cooking method: Hansen says that everything cooked at the same time in the air fryer should be cut to a uniform shape and size.

3. Manage humidity

Thanks to the rapid circulation of hot air in the air fryer, food can dry faster and easier than with conventional cooking methods. Therefore, consider this in the recipes you consider for the air fryer. “Air frying removes more moisture from the surface of what you’re cooking,” says Hansen. “So adding a marinade, brine, or a layer of light oil really helps improve the texture.”

It’s also a reason to consider using the air fryer for your favorite recipes that already include a marinade, brine, or sauce coating, like grilled chicken pieces or sturdy vegetables. Naturally moist vegetables like zucchini and eggplant can also benefit, as the drying effect of the air fryer helps improve their texture. Your grandmother’s old-fashioned eggplant parmesan recipe? Golden Air Fryer.

4. Frying Considerations: Substitute Batter for Breading

Your air fryer really shines when it comes to reheating already fried foods, but frying in a deep fryer requires some important considerations. “Air does what oil usually does,” says Hansen. “Just like something submerged oilthe heat affects everything. » Air, however, has its limits.

Wet batters, such as those used for fried fish or onion rings, can be tricky in an air fryer because the batter itself may slip or fly away before it has a chance to brown and solidify. If you’re considering trying it, make sure your paste isn’t runny and that you’ve coated your items with as little amount as possible.

Breaded fried itemsHowever, are excellent candidates for the air fryer, especially when the base ingredient has a naturally high fat content and you are looking to reduce the overall calorie load compared to conventional frying. Chicken thighs, for example, release their own fat as they cook, helping the coating turn golden and crispy.

It’s not so much about adapting your recipe as it is about maintaining good habits, whether frying or air frying. “Your items should be dry to begin with,” says Hansen, so the coating will stick easily, whether you give the chicken or cauliflower a dredge in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs or opt for a dredge that includes a dunk in buttermilk or yogurt.

And don’t skimp on oil completely to get great air frying results. A light spray of oil—not nonstick spray—on the breadcrumbs or cereal coating will ensure the kind of texture and flavor that won’t make you feel like you’re compromising on the fried vibe.