Can You Put Oven Safe Dishes In An Air Fryer? (read this first)

Since they were first introduced in 2010, air fryers have become a favourite appliance with many cooks. For good reason, air fryers cook food using far less oil and cook food in a far shorter time than a conventional oven or hob.

As they are a relatively new innovation, it’s no wonder so many people have questions on what is and what is not safe to cook in the air fryer.

As part of our series on what can and can’t be used in an air fryer, this article looks at whether you can put oven safe dishes in an air fryer.

Can You Put Oven Safe Dishes In An Air Fryer?

The short answer is yes, you can put oven safe dishes in an air fryer. However, you will need to check first because some oven safe dishes cannot withstand the intense heat of an air fryer.

Before we start, let’s look at some of the factors to consider before using a dish in the air fryer. 

Firstly, whichever type of oven safe dish you decide to use in your air fryer, you must never block the air flow. Remember oven safe dishes don’t have any holes in them. Which is great when cooking in a conventional oven, but not so good when using an air fryer.

Air fryers rely on a steady constant flow of hot air passing around the food to get it cooked. If the airflow is blocked, the food might take longer to cook.

Or it might not cook at all! Some parts might be overdone while the rest is not done at all.

For this reason you need to use dishes that do not cover all of the holes in the basket or shelf of your air fryer.

Secondly, you need to know the interior dimensions of your air fryer shelf or basket because dishes come in different shapes and sizes and a square 4 pint dish will not necessarily fit in a round 4 pint basket and so on.

It’s the interior size of the basket or shelf that you need to know and not the overall capacity.

Thirdly, keep away from dishes with large handles because 9 times out of 10 they will be too big to fit in the air fryer.

The best dishes for using in the air fryer should be made from materials that are;

• Oven Safe
• Non-Toxic
• Durable
• Easy To Clean
• Heat-Resistant

So let’s look at some of the oven safe dishes available and see whether they can be used in an air fryer or not.

Ceramic Oven Dishes

 

Ceramic ovenware like casserole dishes, ramekins and ceramic bowls fit many of the criteria needed for use in the air fryer. 

They are generally heat resistant, not liable to crack under the heat, easy to clean and as an added bonus they have good heat conductivity which means they will allow the food inside to cook evenly.

However it’s always best to check with the manufacturer to be sure that their ceramic dish will be OK in an air fryer.

Borosilicate Glass Oven Dish

 

Best known under the brand name Pyrex, borosilicate glass is strong enough to withstand the intense heat of an air fryer.

These glass dishes are available in a range of sizes to fit almost every air fryer basket. As they are see-through, these glass dishes allow you to monitor the food as it cooks.

Be sure the glass dish you intend to use is made from borosilicate glass and not standard glass. Because standard glass will shatter in an air fryer at high temperatures.

Metal Dishes

 

Any metal dish that can be used in a conventional oven can be used in an air fryer.

The advantages of using a metal oven dish or tray is that they are comparatively light weight, durable and easy to handle. But you’ll need to keep in mind that as metal is such a good conductor of heat, you might need to adjust your cooking times.

Many are non-stick which will help make washing up easier however, you will need to be careful to not remove that non-stick coating during the cleaning process.

Stainless Steel Dishes

 

Stainless steel oven dishes or trays come in a wide range of sizes to fit any air fryer. Stainless steel is a great heat conductor which helps to cook food evenly. 

Be careful when removing any metal dish from an air fryer or oven as they can become extremely hot. This also means you should allow a metal dish more space in the air fryer.

Stainless steel is also likely to discolour in an air fryer if it is overheated. Even though your food is being cooked in an oven tray, there’s no need to add extra oil as the hot air circulating around your food will cook it quickly without the need for extra oil.

Air Fryer Accessory Set

 

These sets are available online and as long as you know the dimensions of your air fryer they are a great addition to your air frying arrangement.

They usually consist of a cake bucket, a pizza pan, a metal rack, a metal stand and other useful gizmos.

They’re usually dishwasher safe, durable, heat resistant and designed exclusively for air fryers.

 Aluminium Foil Trays

 

These can be used in air fryer baskets or in toaster oven type air fryers. They allow you to cook otherwise messy foods without leaving any of the mess in the air fryer.

However, there is scientific evidence linking aluminium with Alzheimer’s and acidic foods can cause the aluminium in the foil to leach into the food.

So if you do use aluminium foil or foil trays make sure none of the ingredients are acidic. That means foods like;

• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Lemons/lemon juice
• Any Citrus
• Vinegar
• Wine

Or any sauce or marinade made from any acidic ingredients.

Silicone Oven Dish

 

These reusable silicone oven dishes will fit in most air fryer baskets and offer a great way to cook food whilst keeping the air fryer clean.

Made from high quality waterproof, oil proof and non-stick silicone, they are non-toxic and they’re even dishwasher safe.

As these silicone dishes are pliable they can easily be removed from the air fryer basket once the food is cooked.

Disposable Liners

 

These reinforced parchment paper liners fit inside the basket of your air fryer and are available in various sizes to fit different basket sizes. 

They are suitable for use in air fryers, microwave ovens and steamers and can withstand temperatures up to 220 C (428 F).  They are waterproof, grease proof and non-stick.

Having used these personally, we have found them to be one of the best ideas in a long time. Easy to use, easy to take out of the air fryer after cooking and the best bit, no washing up.

Plus many local councils take disposable liners for recycling (check with your local authority).

So Remember…

Any oven safe dish can be used in an air fryer as long as it can withstand the high temperatures achieved when air frying. Always check if you’re not sure and if in doubt, use something else.

There are many safe alternatives that can be used in the air fryer. Some that will even prevent the basket from becoming greasy or need to be washed up as regularly as you do currently.

Always ensure that your oven safe dish is small enough that it doesn’t block all of the holes in the air fryer’s basket (or shelf). You need to allow a free flow of hot air to cook your food.

If you decide to use a glass dish, be sure it is made from borosilicate glass which is often sold under the brand name Pyrex.

SEE ALSO:

• Can You Put Aluminum Foil In An Air Fryer? (silver kitchen foil, tin foil trays & more)
• Air Fryer Vs Deep Fryer – Read this first!
• Do Air Fryer Disposable Paper Liners Work? (and are they worth it)
• Can You Put Frozen Chicken In An Air Fryer? (breast, wings, mini fillets etc)

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