Can you put a Casserole Dish in an Air Fryer?
A common question about air fryers, is can you put a casserole dish in an air fryer? We are going to explore the answer to this question, as well as how an air fryer works, and much more! If you are an air fryer owner, then you will want to check out the details below.
The Short Answer: Can you put a Casserole Dish in an Air Fryer?
The short answer is yes, most casserole dishes can go inside an air fryer. Essentially an air fryer is a small convection oven, meaning that if the casserole dish says it is safe to go in the oven, then it’s likely also safe to go inside the air fryer.
However, there are a few other things you want to keep in mind when putting dishes of any type inside of an air fryer. To understand what dishes are safe to go inside of an air fryer, let’s first look at what an air fryer is.
What is an Air Fryer?
An air fryer oven is essentially a miniature convection oven. This is a type of oven that circulates hot air throughout the cooking time, to complete the cooking process. There are all different types of air fryers, some are oven style air fryers, and others are toaster oven style. Air fryers come in all different shapes and sizes, but all function as a small conventional oven.
Some traditional ovens do have a convection oven function inside the traditional oven. Essentially, and traditional oven with a convection oven function will do the same thing as an air fryer does if you want to have one less kitchen gadget.
Air frying is nice because it allows you to cook food without having to heat up your entire oven if you don’t want to, or don’t need to. The idea of air frying becoming so popular is because you don’t need to use as much oil as deep frying, but you can still enjoy delicious food made in the tiny oven.
Is it safe to put a casserole dish in the air fryer?
Yes, because air fryers are small convection ovens, if the casserole dish, or any dish states that it is oven safe, or has the oven safe logo on the bottom of the dish, it is okay to use in the air fryer.
Essentially, any oven-safe dish, such as a casserole dish, ceramic dish, glass dish, metal baking pan, or oven-safe silicone container, that is oven safe, should also be safe to use in an air fryer.
However, when putting dishes inside the air fryer, you will want to be careful to follow a few helpful tips and tricks.
How to put a Casserole Dish in the Air Fryer
Although all oven-safe dishes can go in an air fryer, doesn’t mean that they all should go in an air fryer. When determining what oven-safe dishes should go in your air fryer, it’s important to make sure that the size is appropriate to fit inside your air fryer.
This is important because air fryers are typically small on the inside, they may not fit all oven-safe dishes inside of them. When you fit a dish inside of an air fryer, it will typically rest in the air fryer basket, and you want to be careful that you can close the air fryer with the dish in it.
Be careful that the dish does not touch the heating element inside of the air fryer. If the dishes are too large to fit or are too close to the heating element, then you will want to use a different oven-safe dish inside the air fryer.
The best way to use a casserole dish inside the air fryer is to select a small oven-safe dish, they can fit nicely inside of your air fryer without touching the heating element.
You also want to consider if your food expands while it bakes or not, because if it expands out of the dish, it may still touch the heating element. For best results, test the dish inside of the air fryer, before you begin making food.
Types of Safe Dishes
When selecting oven-safe dishes to use inside the air fryer, it’s important to make sure that your dishes can withstand high temperatures. Not all oven-safe dishes can handle high heat, so make sure the air dish can handle the high temperature of your air fryer, before baking it in your air fryer.
Here are some examples of dishes that may be safe dishes to use in your air fryer. Make sure to double-check the dishes before using them in your air fryer.
Casserole Dish
Most types of casserole dishes will be considered ovenproof dish. Casserole dishes come in all different shapes and sizes, some are small, while others are very large. Make sure that your casserole dish is the right size to safely fit inside your air fryer.
You can also double-check the bottom of your casserole dish, to make sure that it can withstand high temperatures, and has the oven-safe symbol on the bottom of the dish.
Oven-Safe Glass
Glass cookware comes in many different shapes and varieties. You can find glass cookware in an ordinary glass bowl, or in glass dishes such as a Pyrex dish. Ordinary glass bowls are not typically a kind of oven-safe bowl. Meaning that this type should not be used in an air fryer.
However, oven-safe glass cookware, such as a Pyrex dish is usually a kind of oven-safe dish that is safe to use in the air fryer.
You will want to double-check that the Pyrex dish can fit inside your air fryer appropriately, it can withstand high temperatures, and check for the oven-safe symbol on the bottom of your glass bowl to be sure it is a kind of oven-safe glass.
Baking Pans
Other types of pans that are safe to use in your air fryer, are usually baking tins, a baking dish, or a cake pan. The problem with these types of baking dishes is that they are usually larger and may not fit inside your air fryer appropriately. Before using baking pans, you want to double-check that they can safely fit inside your air fryer without interfering with the heating coils.
Steel Bowl
Some types of steel walls are oven safe and may be used in an air fryer. You will want to double-check that your specific steel bowl is oven safe and that the size is appropriate to fit safely inside your air fryer before using it to cook food in the air fryer.
Ceramic Bowls or Ceramic Plates
Some types of ceramic bowls or plates are also oven safe. However, not every ceramic bowl is oven safe, so you want to be sure to look for the symbol on the bottom of the bowl before using the inside of your air fryer.
You also want to double-check that the size is appropriate to fit inside your air fryer without causing any problems.
Silicone Molds
Most of the silicone molds available today are safe to use in the oven. These types of silicone molds can also be used inside of your air fryer if desired.
Simply double-check that the silicone molds are oven safe and can withstand high temperatures. Some silicone molds have a limit as to how high of heat they can withstand.
Air Fryer Tips and Tricks
Avoid Thermal Shock. Thermal shock can occur when ceramic, or glass dishes are moved from cold temperatures to very high heat in a short amount of time. This can result in the dish breaking or shattering into pieces.
You also want to be careful that you do not expose the dishes to hotter temperatures than they can withstand. Even though a bowl says that it’s oven safe, does not necessarily mean it can withstand very high temperatures. Make sure to double-check this before exposing it to high heat.
For the best results, your casserole dish should be at room temperature before it is cooked in the air fryer. This will avoid any catastrophes that might occur.
Borosilicate Glass. This is a type of glass that can withstand high temperatures, without cracking.
Although this type of glass is sold under different name brands, one of the most common names that you are probably familiar with, is a Pyrex dish. These types of glass dishes are ideal for cooking in an air fryer, or oven.
Why you might Want a Dish
You might be wondering why you even need to use a casserole dish in an air fryer. After all air fryers have an air fryer basket, that is usually used to cook food inside. Using a dish inside of an air fryer is especially important for food items that are liquid, granny, or have a wet batter.
For example, cooking baked oatmeal in an air fryer is one instance in which you will want to use a dish, otherwise, the food will simply run all over.
There are other cases in which you will need a dish to use inside the air fryer as well, to prevent the food from running everywhere.
Other Foods can go Right into the Basket
There are lots of other foods that you can use to cook right inside the air fryer basket, and they do not need a dish.
Some of these foods that can cook right on the metal wire racks of your air fryer are fresh green beans, chicken thighs, or other red meat. Believe it or not, these don’t need to be cooked in a dish, instead they can use the air fryer basket.
Can you put a Casserole Dish in an Air Fryer?
The answer is yes, you can put most types of casserole dishes in the air fryer. You will want to double-check that the casserole dish is oven-safe and can withstand high temperatures for the best results.
Other Items that are safe in an Air Fryer
If you do not have a dish and then it is safe to use in the air fryer, and you need an alternative option, here is a list of the few other items that are safe to use in an air fryer.
- parchment paper
- aluminum foil or tin foil
If you need to use either parchment paper or aluminum foil in your air fryer, we recommend that you poke holes in either one, so the air can still circulate appropriately inside the air fryer.
What should never go in your air fryer?
As I mentioned above, an air fryer is similar to an oven, not a microwave. Because of this, there are a few items that should never go inside your air fryer.
- paper towels
- plastic containers
If you were to put paper towels, or plastic containers inside the air fryer, the results could be disastrous. The paper towels are likely to catch on fire, and the plastic containers will melt causing a big mess to clean up.
The Best Air Fryers
It is really difficult to recommend the best type of air fryers. There are so many different kinds, shapes, and sizes available to buy.
Our best word of advice is to do your research, see what air fryers have the best reviews, and what type of air fryer will best fit your kitchen.
Some types of air fryers have better functionality than others do, so it really depends on what you are hoping to cook in your air fryer.
Is it safe to put a Casserole Dish in an Air Fryer?
In summary, yes, it is safe to put most types of casserole dishes in an air fryer. You will want to make sure that it can safely fit in the air fryer, and not touch the heating coil.
You will also want to make sure that the casserole dish is oven safe and can withstand high temperatures. If these things all check out, then it is safe to use in your air fryer.
We hope that this has been helpful to you and that you can now safely determine what types of casserole dishes to use in your air fryer.
For more posts like this one, follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
More Air Fryer Recipes
PIN for Later!
