Moving from a regular oven to an air fryer is easy when you understand the main conversion rule. Reduce the temperature by 25°F and cut the cooking time by around 20 percent. For instance, for a recipe at 400°F in an oven, set the air fryer to 375°F. For the time, multiply the original value by 0.75 and you get the new time.
These rules work for almost all recipes
How to Change Oven Recipes for an Air Fryer
An air fryer is basically a convection oven in small form. Thanks to its little size, this device cooks much more quickly than a whole oven, so it does not need to work nearly as long. Foods become crisp and ready more soon than in a usual oven.
On the net there are free calculators for conversion of air fryer that do all the math. Simply enter the oven temperature and time, and it shows the right settings for air fryer. Some of them work with Fahrenheit and Celsius, which suits for world recipes.
You also find printable charts for cooking time conversions and fast reference guides.
Do not cook anything under 350°F in air fryer, because crispiness probably won’t happen. If food becomes too brown halfway, lower the heat by another 25 degrees. The most important part of this conversion is the cook time.
The same rules work for heating cold foods, like French fries, chicken nuggets or pizza. Look at the instructions for oven or deep frying on the packet and adjust from there. For instance, frozen French fries at 450°F for 18 minutes in an oven become air fried at 400°F, and check early.
Most frozen foods cook well at 400°F in air fryer. For nice golden color and crust, spray them with a bit of oil.
Choosing the right oil is important. High heats in air fryer can break oils with low smoke point, releasing chemicals that give an unpleasant burnt or bitter taste. Not all air fryers match.
The results depend on the power and basket size of the brand. Here are general tips, because models differ in power, size and form.
Check the food halfway through cooking, this is a good idea. For thick pieces of meat, measure the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking, especially since air fryers cook quickly. Leave enough space in the basket so the hot air circulates well.