Kitchen Calculators

Pressure Cooker to Air Fryer Converter

Convert your Instant Pot or pressure cooker recipes to get perfectly crispy results in your air fryer. Because air fryers use dry heat instead of wet steam, cooking times and temperatures need to be adjusted accordingly.

Table of Contents

Ready to Convert

Enter your pressure cooker time on the left, then click convert to see your new air fryer settings.

How to Convert Recipes

Follow these 3 simple steps to adapt any pressure cooker meal for your air fryer.

1

Reduce Liquid

Pressure cookers need at least 1 cup of liquid to build steam. Air fryers need zero. Drain marinades and completely omit water or broth from the recipe.

2

Add Cooking Oil

Because you removed the liquid, you must replace it with a light coating of oil (avocado or olive) to ensure your food roasts instead of dehydrates.

3

Increase Time

Steam transfers heat 100x faster than dry air! Expect your air fryer to take roughly 1.5x longer than the active pressure cooking time.

Rapid Conversions Chart

Quick references for the most commonly converted kitchen staples.

Food Item Pressure Cooker Time Air Fryer Time Air Fryer Temp
Chicken Breast 10-15 mins 15-20 mins 375°F (190°C)
Pork Chops 15 mins 12-15 mins 400°F (200°C)
Potatoes (Cubed) 5-8 mins 15 mins 400°F (200°C)
Broccoli 0-1 min 10 mins 350°F (175°C)

Pro Tips for Converting

The crucial differences between steam and dry air.

Add Spray Oil

Pressure cookers hydrate food. Air fryers dry it out. A quick spritz of avocado oil is mandatory so food doesn't dehydrate and turn to leather.

Cook Times Are Longer

Pressure cookers force heat into food artificially quickly. You will almost always need 1.5x cooking time when switching over to an air fryer!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook soup or stew in an air fryer?

No. Air fryers have baskets with holes in them, and the high-speed fan will blow liquids all over the heating element, potentially ruining the machine. Soups, stews, and heavy sauces must be kept in the pressure cooker or on the stove.

Does the Air Fryer cook faster than the Instant Pot?

Usually no. The active pressure cooking time is incredibly fast (e.g., 10 minutes for chicken). An air fryer might take 15-20 minutes for the same chicken. However, you don't have to wait for an air fryer to "come to pressure" or "naturally release," so the total elapsed time in your kitchen can actually be very similar.

Should I boil food before air frying it?

For most foods, no. However, for extremely dense vegetables (like large quartered potatoes) or thick cuts of tough meat (like ribs), doing a "hybrid cook"—pressure cooking first to tenderize the inside, then transferring to the air fryer to crisp the outside—yields the absolute best results.