Best Air Fryer Safe Dishes- The Ultimate Guide

The air fryer is the ultimate kitchen assistant, delivering perfectly cooked food with minimal oil, while slashing cooking times. But have you ever wondered which dishes are safe to put in your air fryer? Let's explore the ins and outs of air fryer-safe dishes to ensure your culinary creations are crispy, crunchy, and free from kitchen mishaps.

Air fryers have become a must-have kitchen appliance for many people, including myself. Not only do they make your food healthier, they're also convenient to use, make a wide variety of dishes, and heat up food in a flash!

Whether you're craving chicken wings, corn on the cob, or cookies, the air fryer is an invaluable tool for crafting delicious and healthful dishes! Check out my post on Why You Need An Air Fryer In Your Life.

And, since air fryers use hot air rather than oil to cook your food, you can enjoy your favorite dishes without feeling guilty.

Many air fryers come with handy add-ons like an air fryer basket and a removable pan. Some fancy ones even bring skewers and grilling racks to the party.

However, once you get the hang of cooking in an air fryer, you'll need more than the basic equipment. 

So, what are the air fryer-safe dishes that you can use in your appliance? 

Knowing the answer to this question will help you avoid kitchen mishaps and keep your appliance safe from damage. Plus, with the right dishes, your food will always turn out perfectly crispy and crunchy. 

Let’s dive in and find out what dishes you can safely put in your air fryer!

Jump to:

• Tips on Picking the Right Dish for Your Air Fryer
• Cooking in an Air Fryer with Ovenproof Dishes 
• List of Air-Fryer Safe Dishes 
• 1. Ceramic Dishes
• 2. Glass Cookware
• 3. Metal Dishes
• 4. Silicone Molds
• 5. Other Air Fryer Safe Items 
• Items You Can't Use in an Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Recipes & Resources
• FAQs
• Want To Shop My Favorite Air Fryer Products?
• Reviews

Tips on Picking the Right Dish for Your Air Fryer

You don't want your delicious food to go to waste because of a wrong dish, right? Here are some tips to keep in mind when picking the right dish for your air fryer:

• Always read the manufacturer's instructions before using any new dish or material. In general, if something is safe for regular oven use, it'll be just fine in an air fryer.

• Get a dish that's the right size. A dish that's too large will block the flow of hot air and result in unevenly cooked food. Fortunately, most oven-safe dishes come in various sizes. 

• If you're cooking food that'll expand, like muffins or cupcakes, fill the cup ¾th of the way so that it doesn't overflow. This is similar to what you do when using an oven.

Cooking in an Air Fryer with Ovenproof Dishes 

Since an air fryer works similarly to an oven (it is also called a small convection oven), anything oven-safe can be used in it. You can use glass plates and dishes, stick to your trusty Dutch oven, or go for a ceramic baking dish.

But before you do, keep in mind that the cooking time will likely be different. The air fryer cooks food faster than a traditional oven because of its compact size and powerful fan. So, make sure to check on your food regularly and adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Learn how to adapt any recipe to cook in your air fryer! Read my Easy Oven to Air Fryer Conversion Guide and get my helpful conversion chart!

List of Air-Fryer Safe Dishes 

1. Ceramic Dishes

Ceramics can be divided into two categories:

• Ceramic cookware
• Ceramic crockery

Both these options are safe for air frying, and the good news is that they can also double as serving dishes. So, you can cook your food in them and serve it straight from the air fryer to your dining table, saving time on doing dishes.

They are also pretty presentable with all those colorful patterns. Have leftovers? You can just pop the ceramic containers in the fridge! How convenient.

Now, let's find out more about each of the two in a bit more detail. 

Ceramic Cookware

Ceramic cookware basically refers to casserole dishes and baking pans. These are made of metal and coated with heat and corrosion-resistant clay. You can easily make stews, casseroles, and even desserts like fruit crisps, in your air fryer using these dishes. 

Ceramic cookware can withstand high temperatures because of the extra coating. Plus, they let the heat penetrate evenly, ensuring that your food gets cooked properly. You also don't have to worry about scrubbing them clean - they have a non-stick coating.

You can buy different shaped baking dishes to fit into your air fryer basket, including rectangular, square, round, or oval dishes.

Ceramic Crockery

Ceramic bowls and plates fall under the crockery section. These items do not contain any metal. So, they are comparatively easier to break. But because ceramic can bear high heat, they'll do just fine in an air fryer. 

The best part? They take up little space. You can easily use a ceramic bowl to make pasta, chili, and soups. Ramekins are perfect for baking small dishes like baked oatmeal or other desserts. And don't worry about the cleanup - it's quick and easy!

2. Glass Cookware

You might not see glass hanging out with direct flames; it's more of a bake-ware superstar. But when it comes to air fryers, you can totally bring glass to the party. 

Chef's Tip: Remember, we are only talking about the types of glass dishes that are tempered and oven-safe, not ordinary glass bowls.

These oven-safe glass dishes can handle oven-level heat. Plus, you can always see what's up with your food, thanks to their transparent nature. You can cook a wide variety of food in glass dishes including vegetables, poultry or seafood.

The only downside here is that glass doesn't respond well to temperature shock. So, if you don't let the dish cool down a bit, you might risk it cracking or breaking. Similarly, never put a cold glass dish directly from the fridge into the air fryer.

Don't worry, though, I have a solution: Pyrex dishes.

Pyrex dishes are made of borosilicate glass, which is thermal shock resistant. That means they can withstand sudden and extreme changes in temperature without breaking or shattering.

These dishes also don't hold onto the flavor of the previous dish, so you can easily make different recipes in the same Pyrex dish without worrying about any flavor contamination from strongly-flavored foods like salmon. Oh, and they are dishwasher-safe, too.

3. Metal Dishes

Metal is a good conductor of heat. That's why it's a popular choice for pots and pans. But can you put metal bowls in an air fryer? 

The answer is yes (to some extent)!

You can use metal plates and bowls in your air fryer, but you have to be extra careful while doing so. Don't toss anything with plastic lids or handles into your appliance. These elements will melt and release harmful fumes. 

So, what can you use? Here's your answer.

Cast Iron Skillets

Chefs love cast iron skillets and pans for their high versatility (use them on the stovetop, in the oven, or the grill), even heating, and long lives. 

However, don't expect non-stick properties from these dishes. You'll need some oil or butter to prevent food from sticking to the surface. Plus, cast iron takes a long time to heat up and cool down, so plan accordingly. 

Nonetheless, they make one of the best air fryer-safe dishes. You can even buy mini cast iron skillets that will fit into smaller air fryers.

Not sure what types of oils to use in your air fryer? Read my post on The Best Oils and Oil Sprays for the Air Fryer.

Stainless Steel Bowls

We all have at least one stainless steel bowl or pan at home. These pans are highly durable, resistant to corrosion, and retain their shiny look for years. So, they can easily be used in air fryers. Use them for frying your favorite snacks, making rice, or even stews.

However, similar to cast iron, make sure there's no plastic on these utensils. Also, since there isn't much space in an air fryer, pick a stainless steel dish without loops.

Copper Dishes

Copper dishes are thermally efficient, meaning they heat up fast and cool down quickly. You can easily use them to make grilled sandwiches, toast nuts or spices, and even melt cheese in your air fryer. 

Just make sure the copper dish is not coated with anything else because that might be toxic once it starts flaking off.

Pizza Pans, Cake Pans, and Baking Dishes

Metal dishes also come in the form of pizza pans, cake pans, and baking dishes. They are round or rectangular and have low walls to let the food cook evenly. You can use them in your air fryer for baking cakes, pizzas, and other goodies.

You can even purchase air fryer accessory sets with dishes made specifically for the air fryer. Just make sure you measure the size of your air fryer basket before picking up a pan so that it fits perfectly!

4. Silicone Molds

Silicone molds, the pliable and bendy plastic materials, are a lifesaver when it comes to baking muffins, cupcakes and brownies. It's a breeze to take food out of them without any mess.

So, if you're wondering if you can put silicone molds in an air fryer, the good news is, you can! In fact, air-frying with silicone molds has some added benefits.

Silicone molds are lightweight and heat-resistant. So, they will be easier to handle than glass or metal dishes when you need to take them out of the air fryer. Plus, since they are anti-stick, there's no room for your food getting stuck.

They're also make clean up a lot easier when cooking messy dishes like saucy recipes or recipes with melted cheese.

All you have to make sure is that your silicone molds are food-grade and made of oven-safe materials. You can buy silicone basket liners for your air fryer or silicone baking cups.

5. Other Air Fryer Safe Items 

Air fryer cooking involves more than just oven-safe dishes and ingredients. You also need a few other tools to help you out when preparing a hearty meal. So, what are these things? Let's find out.

Aluminum Foil

Aluminum foil is a kitchen staple. You can use it for cooking, baking, and even storing food. 

So, can you wrap some chicken in aluminum foil and put it in the air fryer? Absolutely!

You can also place your food on disposable aluminum foil pans that fit in your air fryer basket.

There are a few other precautions you should take when putting aluminum foil in the air fryer:

• Never let it come in touch with the heating element for safety purposes.
• Always weigh your foil down so it doesn't blow in the basket because of air circulation.
• Avoid direct contact between aluminum foil and acidic foods (like citrus fruits and tomatoes) to prevent any unwanted reactions. Their high acid content breaks down the aluminum, which can cause it to leach into the food. 

Parchment Paper

Can I use parchment paper in an air fryer?

To give you a short answer: yes!

Although parchment paper looks highly flammable, it can handle extreme heat of around 428°F inside an air fryer. Parchment paper can help prevent food from sticking to the air fryer basket and can make clean up a whole lot easier. 

It's especially handy for saucy recipes like my air fryer teriyaki salmon, or delicate recipes like my 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies.

However, similar to aluminum foil, you have to follow a few safety tips with parchment paper. Read my post all about how to safely use parchment paper in your air fryer.

I like to use perforated parchment sheets because the holes help the hot air of the air fryer circulate around your food more efficiently. You can buy perforated parchment liners or even make your own perforated sheets with a hole puncher.

Toothpicks

There are some air fryer recipes that'll require you to hold food together, like bacon-wrapped shrimp, sausages, or quesadillas. That's when toothpicks come in use!

They'll hold your ingredients together while they cook and prevent them from falling apart. Just make sure to remove the toothpicks before serving.

Items You Can't Use in an Air Fryer

Not everything is air fryer-friendly. It's important to know the details before experimenting.

You should avoid putting these items in your appliance:

• Plastic containers, plastic plates, plastic bowls - basically anything plastic. These items will melt and release toxic fumes.
• Glass dishes that are not ovenproof. They might shatter due to the sudden temperature change.
• Utensils with wooden handles - the handles might catch fire.
• Wet batter - it'll drip and potentially cause a mess inside your air fryer.
• Paper towels and paper plates - they might fly around because of the fan.

I hope this guide has given you useful insights on air fryer-safe dishes and other items. Now, it's time to put your knowledge to the test and whip up some delicious air-fryer recipes! Happy cooking!

Air Fryer Recipes & Resources

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