Air Fryers are one of the best modern appliances to use in the kitchen. They’re so easy to use and the food tastes incredible. But Can I Use A Glass Bowl in an Air Fryer? Let’s find out!
So you just got a new kitchen appliance…an Air Fryer! Luck you, they are so fun to cook with and make some of the most delicious foods. But what if your main oven is out of order and you need to heat up some food? Can you just shove it in a pyrex bowl and pop it in an air fryer? The simple answer is yes, but it’s a little complicated.
What is an air fryer? Such a good and common question, another name for an air fryer is a convection oven. It is essentially a mini-oven that heats food items up by circulating hot air around them. My first “air fryer” was actually a classic convection oven. It’s a giant appliance. I would pop whole leftover dinners in there on a small baking tray to heat them up. I viewed it as a healthy microwave.
Anyway, what I’m getting at is that you can treat your air fryer just like an oven. If it’s an ovenproof dish, it’s fine to use in an air fryer. Yes, it’s ideal not to cover up the holes in the basket so the air can circulate properly, but if you need to heat up some food in a bowl, an air fryer will do the job in a pinch. The heating element in an air fryer is usually located at the top with a fan, so it’s not like blocking the basket holes will prevent the heat from reaching your food. It’s right there!
🫙 Can glass go into an air fryer?
Yes, some types of glass containers are perfectly fine in an air fryer. However, some are not.
An ordinary glass bowl can go into what’s referred to as thermal stress when it reaches high temperatures. When you place a normal glass bowl into a hot air fryer, it may go into thermal shock which will cause it to shatter into glass fragments. The primary cause of glass going into thermal shock is the dish going too quickly from a cool temperature to high heat. Such a rapid change causes the glass to expand and break. Glass shards are difficult to clean and…frankly it’s not much fun, plus you’re now one bowl down. Bummer.
The best way to make sure your glassware containers are safe to go into an air fryer is to check if they are oven-safe. The air fryer temperature generally doesn’t go above an oven temperature so oven safe bowls will work really well for both.
🤷♀️ How do I know my glassware is oven safe?
- Check the labels: Sometimes the manufacturer will state whether or not the dish is oven-safe right on the glass. If you happen to still have the box, it will likely be on there, and definitely in the instruction manual that came with your glassware.
- Check the website: The manufacturer almost certainly will mention whether or not their glassware is oven-proof on their website, and if it’s not on there, you can contact them through their contact page.
™️ Which brands make oven-safe glassware?
🍜 What kinds of bowls can go into an air fryer?
- Really, any oven-safe bowl will be perfect for use in an air fryer.
- Ceramic Bowls: Ceramic cookware is made from clay, earth, powders, and water, and a ceramic bowl is generally oven and air fryer safe. In fact, they’re usually baked in an oven to set the ceramic glaze on them.
- Oven-safe glass bowl: Often made with borosilicate glass, this type of bowl, or any other oven-safe glass cookware is perfect for an air fryer.
- Metal bowls: Metal cookware such as stainless steel bowls are a great option. This type of cookware is in and out of ovens all the time (think baking trays) and if it fits your air fryer, a metal bowl is great for the job! I’ve even used a springform cake pan in my air fryer.
- Silicone bowl: Prefect for cooking in extreme heat, a silicone bowl is another great air fryer bowl option.
⛔ What bowls cannot go in an air fryer?
Treat your air fryer just like a traditional oven when it comes to bowls and dishes to put the food in. Here are some to avoid:
- Paper: Paper plates, paper towels, or a paper bowl should not go in an air fryer because they will burn. Parchment paper is fine to use in an air fryer as it is intended to be used in extreme temperatures.
- Plastic: All plastic materials such as plastic containers or a plastic bowl should not go into an air fryer as they will melt.
🤔 What can I use instead of a bowl in an air fryer?
- Metal wire racks: Convection ovens usually come with metal wire racks, and they’re fine in an air fryer too. You can layer food this way as well. Place some food in the air fryer basket, followed by a metal rack, and then some food on top of the rack. You may want to add some parchment paper to the rack before adding the food to prevent dripping.
- Aluminum foil: This one is a good one! People often use aluminum foil in air fryers to make clean-up easier. You can easily mold it into a bowl shape if needed.
- Ceramic plates: Ceramic plates are generally fine to use in a conventional oven or air fryer. It’s best to avoid plates with adhesive designs on them, and also note that some glazes are not oven safe. Usually, oven-proof ceramic plates will indicate their heat resistance on the bottom of the plate. If in doubt, use something else!
- Parchment paper: Like aluminum, parchment paper is used often in air fryers for easier clean-up. You can even fold it into a kind of square bowl if needed, although it won’t be very sturdy and may prove difficult to remove from the air fryer when the food has finished cooking.
- Silicone molds: Silicone molds are a great option for cooking things like cakes in an air fryer. Unlike regular plastic, toxic chemicals will not leak into your food when it’s heated up. You want to make sure the mold is food-grade silicone though.
❓ What can I cook inside a glass bowl in an air fryer?
I use it to heat up leftovers. Here are a few that I’ve tried out:
- Mashed Potatoes
- Meatballs and gravy
- Sauces like Cranberry Sauce
- Desserts like Apple Crisp
- Ground meats like taco meat
You can also make mug cakes in the air fryer! It’s much better than turning on the whole oven for a tiny mug cake, and a great idea if, like me, you don’t have a microwave or toaster oven.
🪄 Tips for cooking with glassware in an air fryer
- Caution: HOT! Just like cooking in an oven, your dish is going to be super hot, in fact, too hot to handle. It’s a good idea to wear oven gloves to protect your hands!
- Air fryer size: The size of your appliance will determine the size of the bowl you’ll be able to use. Check the bowl size before turning your air fryer on! I find that smaller dishes work best because I can reach my oven-gloved hand in to get it out easier.
- Time: Cooking time should be similar to an oven, but it may take a little longer. Keep that in mind!
- Stir: You’ll want to stir your food a couple of times while it cooks to make sure it is heated all the way evenly.
❔ More answers to cooking questions you’ll enjoy
- How to Boil Water in an Instant Pot
- How to Cook Sausage Links in an Oven
- Is Sugar-Free Jello Keto?
- How Long does Chicken Salad Last?
- How Long Does Ranch Last?
Have you used a glass bowl in an air fryer? How did it go? We’d love to know <3 Tag us (@makehealthyrecipes) on Facebook and Instagram, Pin it on Pinterest, and please leave a star rating review below! Don’t forget to subscribe to the email list (top right of this page) for sparkly new recipes in your inbox.