Air Fryer Vs Oven Cook Time

Most dishes that can be prepared in an oven can be prepared in the air fryer as well. But the cooking time and temperature vary and you should know about this variation in order to successfully convert your recipes from oven to air fryer.

For converting time and temperature from oven to air fryer, the majority of people use Mason’s general rule of thumb. This rule simply says:

• Reduce the suggested temperature by 25°F
• And cut the cooking time by about 20%.

This means lowering the specified temperature by 25°F and then reducing the cooking time by around 20% when converting an oven-cooked dish to an air-fryer one. This rule can be applied to most recipes but still, the precise cooking time and temperature will vary.

In this post, I’ve provided an in-depth breakdown and conversion table to help you convert a recipe’s time and temperature from the oven to the air fried version. So, let’s dig deep into conversion guidelines and other tips that will help you to convert your beloved recipes. 

Here’s a comparison chart of cooking times for various recipes using an air fryer versus a traditional oven. Please note that these times can vary depending on the specific brand and model of the appliance, your food size, and your desired level of doneness.

Air Fryer Time Conversions

The air fryer cooks more quickly than the traditional oven. The exact time varies according to the recipe being cooked but generally, air fryers cook 28-35 % quicker than traditional ovens. But keep in mind that these are general guidelines and cooking times may vary depending on the specific air fryer model, recipe ingredients, and performance of that appliance. And lastly, it also depends on your desired preference and the level of doneness you want.

You can also see in the table above, that all recipes that are cooked with an air fryer are comparatively quicker than the oven. Because air fryers tend to cook food more quickly due to the rapid air circulation and the smaller cooking chamber.

Adjust Temperature: Oven is 20 times bigger than an average air fryer and the temperature takes a while to rise. However, the temperature in the air fryer increases rapidly due to its compact and smaller size. So for best conversion reduce the temperature by about 25-30°F (15-20°C). For example, if a recipe calls for 350°F (175°C) in the oven, try 320-325°F (160-163°C) in the air fryer.

Shorten Cooking Time: Air fryers cook food faster than conventional ovens due to their compact size and efficient circulation of hot air. Start by reducing the cooking time by 20-30% and then check for doneness. You can always add more time if needed.

Check for Doneness: Different persons have different preferences when it comes to how well-done want to do your recipe. The above two points are general adjustments so it’s better to keep an eye on the food as it cooks in the air fryer, especially the first time you adapt a recipe. 

Experiment and Adjust: Converting recipes from the oven to the air fryer may require some trial and error. Keep notes on temperature and cooking times for future reference, and be prepared to adjust.

Yes, air fryers cook faster than the oven. The primary reason for the faster cooking time is the rapid air circulation and convection effect that is created in air fryers. The hot air is circulated around the food at high speeds, which ensures that the heat is distributed more evenly and quickly, resulting in faster cooking.

Additionally, air fryers have smaller cooking chambers compared to traditional ovens, which allows them to heat up more quickly, reducing the overall cooking time. This is especially noticeable during the preheating process, as an air fryer can reach the desired temperature much faster than an oven.

You can also save preheating time as well. Many recipes can be cooked in an air fryer without the need to preheat them and still results are same.

On the other side, the oven requires 4-8 minutes to be preheated, increasing the overall cooking time. But, the size of the air fryer is its only disadvantage over an oven. The size restriction of an air fryer can pose a drawback if you want to prepare a lot of food at once. Also, you can cook 3–4 times as much food in an oven as you can cook in the air fryer.

This will depend on what you are cooking but as a general rule, you can follow below three basic tips:

1- First be sure what you are cooking. Then identify the recipe timing and temperature based on cooking in the air fryer.

2- Increase the temperature by 20-25 F, and the cooking time by 25-30%.

I enjoy using an air fryer to cook frozen items. And I can assure you that the air fryer does a great job with frozen meals. Most of the time there is no need to thaw the frozen food, just put it straight from the fridge in the air fryer.

You can apply the same conversion rules as I have advised above. Just keep in mind that frozen foods cook well at higher temperatures, so make sure to cook at least at 370 F or above. However, there are some exceptions such as frozen biscuits can’t be cooked at that high temperature but you can follow this tip for most frozen foods.

Deep fry to air fry conversion

For deep fry-to-air fry conversion, reduce the temperature of your air fryer by 20 F, and leave the cooking time the same as used in deep frying.

Then make sure to check the cooking process in the middle so you can make more precise adjustments in time if desired.

Preheat the air fryer: While not always necessary, preheating can help ensure even cooking.

Check food frequently: Since the air fryer cooks faster, monitor the food to prevent overcooking.

Use single layers: Arrange food in a single layer in the air fryer basket for better air circulation.

Adjust for even cooking: Flip or shake the food halfway through cooking to ensure even crisping.

Check my recipes: Every recipe has different cooking requirements. You can check my air fryer recipes for more precise instructions and guidance