Are you looking for a handy reference to help determine air fryer cooking times for your favorite foods?
I’ve created a free printable air fryer cooking times chart that provides suggested cooking times for the most common foods.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Air Fryer vs Oven
- Air Fryer vs Deep Fryer
- Best Tips for Using the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Cooking Time Chart ( Vegetables, meats, snacks, desserts)
- Free Printable Air Fryer Cooking Chart (Fahrenheit)
- Free Air Fryer Cooking Chart (Celsius)
- Faq’s
Air fryers have become popular kitchen appliances because they can make crispy fried foods with little to no oil, but figuring out the correct cooking times can be tricky, especially when it is your first time using one.
These free printable charts provide a helpful starting point and easy reference.
But remember, you may still need to make adjustments based on the exact recipe, the size of the food pieces, and your air fryer size.
Every air fryer is a little different!
Use it as a reference to figure out how to air fry meat, seafood, vegetables, frozen foods, and dessert!
How Does an Air Fryer Work?
Air is heated to a high temperature and circulated by a high-speed fan.
The top of the air fryer contains a heating element and a fan; the air flows downward until it “hugs” the food in the basket.
The rapid movement of the air allows the food to cook, browning on the outside and leaving it soft on the inside.
Air Fryer vs Oven
We refer to the convection oven when discussing the differences between an air fryer and an oven.
The convection oven is an oven that circulates hot air around the food using a fan, which is very similar to the air fryer.
Given that they use the same cooking process, it is fair to ask what the differences are from an oven.
- Faster preheating: Whereas with an oven, you have to wait between 10 and 15 minutes before it reaches the set temperature, with the air fryer, on the other hand, you can start right away or, at most, it will only take 2 minutes to preheat it.
- Faster cooking: The cooking time in the air fryer is much shorter.
They cook food in less time because the hot air focuses directly on the food, whereas an oven has to heat the air within its much larger space.
- Energy efficiency: Air fryers are more energy efficient than ovens because they use less electricity.
- Healthier cooking: Air fryers can be more beneficial because they use less oil than an oven.
- Easy Cleaning: The air fryer is pretty easy to clean.
The air fryer basket can be washed after use, and some models also provide for washing their components in a dishwasher.
How to Convert Oven Recipes to Air Fryer
I convert oven recipes by lowering the temperature, reducing the cooking time, or both.
A general rule of thumb is to lower the oven temperature settings by 25-50 degrees and the oven time by 25-30%.
Air Fryer vs. Deep Fryer
The result is very similar between the two cooking methods, perfect for crispy foods, but the process is different.
Air frying uses hot air as the source of heat to cook food, as opposed to normal frying, which uses oil to cook the food.
This makes the air fryer process healthier.
Can you put battered food in an air fryer?
It is possible to put battered foods in an air fryer, but there are a few tricks to take.
Prepare a batter that is a little thicker than your usual when frying in oil.
Another step I follow when I cook air fryer tempura is to pass the food back into the flour after passing it through the batter and then spray the oil and cook it.
One important thing when cooking battered food in the air fryer is to preheat the fryer.
This will help the food cook evenly and prevent the batter from slipping.
What Can You Air Fry?
Generally, food from appetizers, side dishes, main dishes, desserts, bread and even air fryer dog treats can be cooked with an air fryer.
For me, the air fryer is perfect for cooking frozen foods, and not only that, but it also works well with fresh vegetables and meat.
Since it works like a small oven, you can also bake bread.
And even cakes! From muffins to shortbread.
Lastly, it’s a great quick way to reheat leftover food, especially if it needs to return crispy!
Air Fryer Cooking Tips For Better Results
- Preheat the air fryer: This is a crucial step to ensure even cooking, so don’t skip it. Preheating your air fryer is essential for the best results, just like a regular oven.
Preheating helps to ensure that your food cooks evenly and comes out crispy.
- Use oil spray: I find that using an oil spray is perfect for the air fryer.
The spray helps you cover the food well with oil while using less of it.
- Do not overcrowd the basket of the air fryer: Always cook in a single layer for even cooking of food and to ensure crispness.
Cook food in smaller batches for best results.
- Shake the air fryer basket or Turn the food: Shaking the food while cooking helps the heat get all over the food. So take the basket out at least a couple of times, shake it, and put it back in.
Don’t worry! When you take the basket out, the machine will automatically stop and start cooking once it is re-inserted.
- Clean the air fryer regularly: I clean it every time.
It helps to keep your air fryer working correctly and to prevent any unpleasant odors or flavors from building up.
Parchment paper or air fryer liners can minimize sticking and make cleanup easier.
Air Fryer Cooking Time Chart
The temperature is Fahrenheit; you can find Celsius temperatures to print below.
Air Fryer Vegetables
| Asparagus | 375°F | 4-6 minutes |
| Baby carrots | 380°F | 12-15 minutes |
| Beet | 380°F | 17-20 minutes |
| Broccoli | 400°F | 6-8 minutes |
| Brussel Sprouts | 375°F | 12-15 minutes |
| Butternut Squash | 375°F | 15-20 minutes |
| Cauliflower (Breaded) | 400°F | 10 minutes |
| Corn On the cob | 400°F | 10-15 minutes |
| Eggplant (cube) | 400°F | 15-18 minutes |
| Fresh fries | 400°F | 15-18 minutes |
| Frozen french fries | 400°F | 10 minutes |
| Frozen Sweet potatos fries | 375°F | 16 minutes |
| Frozen tater tots | 380°F | 15-17 Minutes |
| Frozen Onion rings | 380°F | 8-10 Minutes |
| Frozen broccoli | 400°F | 10-12 minutes |
| Green beans | 380°F | 8-10 minutes |
| Mushrooms(Breaded) | 375°F | 10 minutes |
| Onions (slices) | 375°F | 8 minutes |
| Onion rings (homemade) | 370°F | 10 minutes |
| Peppers | 375°F | 8-10 minutes |
| Diced potatoes | 360°F | 12-18 minutes |
| Potato Puff | 400°F | 13 minutes |
| Potatoes Sliced | 375°F | 15 minutes |
| Potato Wedges | 380°F | 20 minutes |
| Sweet Potatos Fries | 375°F | 20 minutes |
| Tomatoes (cherry) | 350°F | 4-6 minutes |
| Zucchini (slices) | 400°F | 12-15 minutes |
Air Fryer Snacks
| Bagel Pizza | 350°F | 5 minutes |
| Burrito | 375°F | 5 minutes |
| Bread croutons | 350°F | 5 minutes |
| Eggplant rollatini | 350°F | 10 minutes |
| Frozen Potstickers | 365°F | 8-10 minutes |
| Frozen Mozzarella Sticks | 400°F | 6-8 minutes |
| Frozen Tater Tots | 400°F | 12-15 minutes |
| Frozen Pizza rolls | 380°F | 7-9 Minutes |
| Frozen corn dog | 400°F | 6-8 minutes. |
| Frozen meat pie | 360°F | 23-25 minutes |
| Frozen mini pizzas | 350°F | 8-11 minutes |
| Spring rolls | 400°F | 8 minutes |
| Kale chips | 380°F | 3-5 mins |
Air Fryer Meat
Use a digital meat thermometer to ensure meats are cooked to a safe internal temperature, and adjust the cooking time or temperature if necessary.
Meat Safe temperature
- All Poultry 165 °F (73.9°C)
- Beef, Pork, Veal & Lamb 145 °F (62.8°C)
- Ground Meats 160 °F (71.1°C)
- Fish & Shellfish 145 °F (62.8°C)
Chicken
| Chicken breast | 375°F | 12-15 Minutes |
| Chicken drumsticks | 370° F | 18-20 minutes |
| Chicken nuggets | 400°F | 10 minutes |
| Chicken tenders | 350°F | 8-10 minutes |
| Chicken Wings | 375°F | 10-12 minutes |
| Frozen chicken nuggets | 390°F | 10-12 minutes |
| Frozen chicken wings | 390°F | 15-20 minutes |
| Frozen chicken patties | 375ºF | 7-12 minutes |
| Whole chicken | 360°F | 50-60 minutes |
Pork
| Bacon | 400°F | 5-10 minutes |
| Pork chops | 375°F | 12-15 minutes |
| Pork tenderloin | 400°F | 20-25 minutes |
| Ribs | 380°F | 20 minutes |
| Sausage | 350°F | 10-15 minutes |
Beef
| Burgers | 350°F | 8-12 minutes |
| Filet mignon ( medium rare) | 400°F | 10 minutes |
| Frozen meatballs | 380°F | 8-12 minutes |
| Meatballs | 400°F | 7-10 minutes |
| Meat Loaf | 325°F | 35-45 minutes |
| Ribeye (medium) | 400°F | 16 minutes |
| Steak | 400°F | 7-14 minutes |
Fish
| Calamari | 380°F | 5 minutes |
| Cod | 370°F | 8-10 minutes |
| Crab | 350°F | 12 minutes |
| Fish fillets | 400°F | 10-12 minutes |
| Frozen fish sticks | 400°F | 9-10 minutes |
| Lobster tail | 380°F | 5-7 minutes |
| Salmon | 400°F | 5-7 minutes |
| Scallops | 400 °F | 5-6 minutes |
| Shrimp | 375°F | 8 minutes |
| Tilapia | 400°F | 6-8 minutes |
| Tuna | 400°F | 7-10 minutes |
Air fryer Desserts
| Cookie Dough | 320°F | 10-15 minutes |
| Brownies | 340°F | 10-15 minutes |
| Grilled Peaches | 350°F | 5 minutes |
| French Toast Roll Ups | 375°F | 4 minutes |
| Fried bananas . | 400°F | 4-5 minutes. |
| Muffins | 320°F | 15 minutes |
| S’more 380 | 380°F | 4-5 minutes |
Free Printable Air Fryer Cheat Sheet
- Print it!
- Keep it near your air fryer in the kitchen so you can refer to it when needed.
- Cook the perfect food!
FREE PRINTABLE BUTTON BELOW
AIR FRYER COOKING TIME – printable cheat sheet
Faq’s
What oil is best for an air fryer?
When using an air fryer, choosing an oil with a high smoke point is essential, as air fryers typically operate at high temperatures.
Some of the best oils are avocado oil, refined coconut, light olive oil, peanut, or grapeseed.
Remember that you don’t need a lot of oil when air frying, as the purpose of an air fryer, is to use hot air circulation to cook food, mimicking the results of deep frying with minimal oil.
Spray or lightly coat the food with your chosen oil before placing it in the air fryer.
Does the air fryer cook quicker than the oven?
Yes, cooking time is generally shorter in an air fryer than in an air fryer because air fryers use hot air to circulate the food, which helps cook it quickly and evenly.
Can you reheat leftovers in the air fryer?
Yes! Air fryers are not only great for cooking fresh meals, but they can also give new life to your leftovers.
One of the great benefits of using an air fryer to reheat leftovers is that it can give them a crispy texture that would be difficult to achieve in a microwave or conventional oven.
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Geoff Lowe
Saturday 3rd of June 2023
Could we have the chart in centigrade?
Angie
Sunday 4th of June 2023
I updated with the Celsius printable :)
Christine
Saturday 3rd of June 2023
Not much good to us in Australia we use Celsius. Maybe you could put up that up for us as well
Angie
Sunday 4th of June 2023
I updated with the Celsius printable :)