How to convert any baked or fried recipe to an airfryer cook time

Converting recipes from your big oven to your little oven is actually a really easy process.

Hot chips and tarama Source: Kitti Gould

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Despite the marketing, your airfryer doesn't actually 'fry' at all, but is really just a mini convection oven. So it bakes. Just like your big oven. Here's how you can convert any baked or deep-fried recipe into an airfryer-friendly cooking time.

The world's biggest small appliance. Source: iStockphoto/Getty Images

Reasons to love your airfryer

• You do get a slightly crispier finish than your oven due to the hot air circulating at super-close range on all sides of your food

• The perforated baskets in most airfryers allow oil to drip away from the food, meaning food cooked in an airfyer will be lower in fat than when you use a solid tray in an oven

• Heating up the airfryer takes considerably less time than heating up the oven - most can heat to 200ºC in under five minutes

• It costs a lot less to heat up and cook in your airfryer for small-batch cooking (think of the two pieces of frozen fish you cooked last week to cheat when making this sandwich)

• Airfryers are a pain to clean, but not as painful as cleaning your oven, although you don't clean your oven after every use... so consider this point a draw.

With all that to recommend one, it makes sense that if you own an airfryer, you'll want to use it as often as possible. The good news is, putting your oven-reliant or deep-fry recipes onto airfryer-friendly mode is actually pretty simple.

Converting from oven to airfryer

The general rule is to reduce the temperature by 10ºC, and cook for 20 percent less time.

For example, this oven-baked tofu with sesame oil bakes in a 200ºC oven for 15-20 minutes. To make the tofu in your aifryer, set the temperature to 190ºC and bake for 12-15 minutes.

The general rule is to reduce the temperature by 10ºC, and cook for 20 percent less time.

Airfry these crispy potatoes at 210ºC for 32 minutes (conventional oven: 220ºC for 40 minutes) or if your airfryer is a rack style and big enough, this flammkuchen goes in at 180ºC for 6½ minutes. You get the idea...

Some delicious recipes to try

When you first start out using this method, it's worthwhile checking your dish regularly. Just like conventional ovens, airfryers all seem to have a slightly different idea about how hot a setting is. You'll need to experiment with your airfryer to learn what temperature works best.

Rack vs basket style

Note the reference to 'rack style' above. The rack style of airfryer essentially ditches the whole 'fried' thing and just admits outright that it's a small oven. Which is a relief all-round because if your airfryer has racks, its versatility is much greater than if it's the usual 'basket' style airfryer. While you can still cook 'flat' recipes like pizza, biscuits or cake in a basket airfryer, it's not as easy as using a rack-style version.

A rack-style airfryer is more versatile than a basket, but both are useful for cooking most recipes in. Source: iStockphoto/Getty Images

That said, basket airfryers are easier to clean than rack airfryers as you just lift out the basket and put it into the dishwasher.

It's easier to 'turn' your food in a basket version too - shake, shake, shake sure beats individually turning each chip with a pair of tongs. 

Psychologically, airfryers with baskets also seem to produce food that 'feels' more 'crispy fried' due to the basket mimicking that of a traditional deep fryer appliance.

Converting from deep-fryer to airfryer

Speaking of deep frying, it's easy to convert deep-fried recipes to be airfry friendly. Keep the temperature the same - so if a recipe asks for oil to be heated to 200ºC for frying, set your airfryer at 200ºC.

Keep the temperature the same - so if a recipe asks for oil to be heated to 200ºC for frying, set your airfryer at 200ºC.

Then, you'll need to adjust your cooking time as the airfryer generally takes longer than deep frying would. So, first cook to the recipe's required time, then continue to check your food and add more time as you go.

Some excellent recipes to try

Airfryer magic

To top off the airfryer lover, there are a few things that an airfryer can do better than either your oven or your deep-fryer.

Toasty nuts

Toasting nuts in the oven is not for the faint-hearted. They can go from golden to black in the blink of an eye and how many of us have an oven door clear enough to know the difference? Your airfryer is a much gentler method of toasting and it's far easier to watch for the perfect golden hue.

Crispy toasties

A rack-style airfryer will deliver the perfect crisp to your toasties. Just lightly butter your bread, add your fillings to the unbuttered side, top with another slice of outside-buttered bread and put it on your airfryer rack at 180ºC for about 5 minutes.

Try making your kimchi toastie in your airfryer. Source: Adam Liaw

Recipe here.

'Boiled' eggs

Basket-style airfryers make cooking your eggs a simple process. Add eggs to the fryer basket, set your airfryer to 120ºC then cook for:

Soft: 8 minutes

Semi: 10 minutes

Medium: 12 minutes

Hard: 14 minutes

Instant croutons

Cube your favourite bread, toss in a little olive oil, salt and any herbs and spices you want to add (rosemary is nice, garlic powder is also good).  Add to the air fryer and cook at 200ºC for 4 minutes, toss and cook another 3 minutes.