Oven to Air Fryer: Mastering Reheating & Cooking Frozen Foods

Ovens are a classic cooking tool you can find in almost any home. We love them for their versatility and reliability. Whether you’re baking an indulgent dessert or roasting a turkey for the holidays, a good oven can do it all. But times are changing, and there’s a new player in the kitchen who’s knocking the oven off its throne. 

The air fryer takes the best parts of an oven and packs them into a sleek appliance that cooks faster and takes up less space.

You might be wondering what’s the difference between an air fryer and a convection oven? While they use similar cooking methods, there are significant differences that make the air fryer stand above the oven. 

One of the biggest differences is the size. Everyone knows that ovens are the heavyweights of the cooking appliance family. They take up a lot of valuable real estate in the kitchen. On the other hand, air fryers feature much of the same cooking capabilities in a much smaller frame that’s designed to fit on your countertop. 

Another important difference is how easy it is to clean. The smaller air fryer means there’s simply less surface area to clean compared to an oven. To make things even easier for you, air fryers generally use dishwasher-safe baskets and accessories, so cleanup is never a problem. 

What makes an air fryer truly special compared to an oven is its ability to cook golden fried food with little to no oil. Air fryers use a fan to rapidly circulate hot air that cooks your food efficiently and evenly. The hot air also browns the outside of your food to give it a crispy, fried texture. Air frying also generally takes less time than an oven, so you can spend less time waiting for your meal. 

Air fryers have become the go-to option for cooking frozen food, making them perfect for when you’re tight on time. Whenever you’re air frying frozen food, it’s important to take advantage of preheating. This makes the air fryer hot and ready and can help keep your food from coming out soggy or mushy because the higher starting temperature can help evaporate the excess water. 

COSORI air fryers make it easy and simple by featuring a frozen food cooking function, so you don’t have to worry about finding the right cook time and temperature.

Cooking with an air fryer helps take the stress out of mealtimes with its helpful features and fast cooking times, but there are some common pitfalls you’ll want to avoid. 

One rookie air-frying mistake is overfilling the basket. Since air fryers are more compact, it’s tempting to try and fit as much food as you can in the basket. When the basket is overcrowded, your food may come out unevenly cooked and soggy in some spots. You can prevent this dinner disaster by putting in the correct amount of food and shaking or flipping it. If you’re cooking a batch of fries, shake the basket halfway through cooking to help each fry cook evenly. 

It’s also important to remember that cooking instructions for an oven don’t translate perfectly to an air fryer. You don’t want your food to come out burnt or overcooked. A good place to start is by lowering the temperature 15–25 degrees and cutting the cooking time in half. Don’t forget to keep an eye on your food while it’s cooking to make sure it doesn’t need more time. 

It's time to leave the oven behind and experience all the culinary possibilities the mighty air fryer has to offer.