5 Healthy Recipes to Try in Your Convection Oven

July 21, 2023

Convection ovens are ideal for cooking food quickly and evenly, but finding the right recipes can be tricky. If you have a convection oven, here are 5 healthy recipes we suggest trying. Each of these recipes is specifically created for convection oven cooking.

Our Favorite, Healthy Convection Oven Recipes

Chicken Breasts

Convection ovens are perfect for baking and roasting meat. This chicken breast recipe is simple and easy to adjust to your preferences. Get the full recipe online here.

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This oven-roasted Brussels sprout recipe puts a unique spin on Brussels sprouts with a vinaigrette that adds an unmatched flavor. See the full recipe online at Food Service Director.

Veggie Pizza

Convection ovens work especially well for pizzas since they can quickly crisp the crust to perfection while evenly warming the toppings. This Veggie Pizza Recipe is one of our favorite, healthy pizza options and is easy to adjust.

Crispy Oven Baked Fries

This crispy, oven-baked French fry recipe from The Nessy Kitchen makes the perfect side to any meal. This simple recipe only calls for potatoes, olive oil, and salt. Make this recipe unique with added chives, garlic, or bacon bits!

Broiled Wild Cod Fish Tacos

This unique recipe from Convection Kitchen puts a fun spin on meal time. This recipe features a sauce and coleslaw topping that pairs perfectly with convection broiled fish.

The Best Foods to Cook in a Convection Oven

Some foods and recipes work especially well in convection ovens. We suggest considering investing in a convection oven if you regularly cook any of the following.

• Bread and Pastries. Convection ovens are great for baking bread and pastries because they provide even heat distribution, resulting in a crispy crust and a tender interior.
• Roasted Meats and Vegetables. Convection ovens are also ideal for roasting meat and vegetables. The hot air circulation helps to cook the food evenly and rapidly, giving it a nice browned exterior while retaining moisture.
• Cookies. Convection ovens are perfect for baking cookies because they help to create an even browning. The hot air circulation ensures that cookies are baked evenly on all sides.
• Pizzas. Convection ovens are excellent for baking pizzas because they provide a consistent and even heat distribution. This helps to achieve a crispy crust while keeping the toppings cooked to perfection.
• Casseroles and Baked Dishes. Convection ovens are great for baking casseroles and other baked dishes. The even heat distribution ensures that the dish cooks evenly and thoroughly.

Commonly Asked Questions About Convection Ovens

What is a Convection Oven?

A convection oven is much like a conventional oven, but it also uses a fan to circulate the heat around evenly around the oven’s cavity. This circulating air helps to cook the food more evenly and quickly compared to traditional ovens.

Circulating air helps to distribute the heat more efficiently. This feature allows for faster cooking times and can be especially beneficial when it comes to baking.

Benefits of Cooking with a Convection Oven

Cooking with a convection oven offers several benefits including:

• Faster cooking time. The fan in a convection oven circulates hot air evenly, resulting in faster cooking times compared to traditional ovens. This can be especially helpful when you are short on time or need to cook multiple dishes at once.
• Evenly cooked food.The circulating hot air in a convection oven ensures that the food is cooked evenly on all sides. This can help prevent uneven cooking, such as burnt edges or undercooked centers.
• Energy efficiency. Convection ovens typically operate at a lower temperature setting than traditional ovens (usually around 20-25 degrees lower). This means that you can achieve the same cooking results while using less energy.
• Enhanced flavor. Cooking with a convection oven can also enhance the flavors and textures of your dishes. The even heat distribution and faster cooking time can result in crispy exteriors, moist interiors, and more flavorful meals.

Can I make Crème Brûlée in a convection oven?

Yes, you can make Crème Brûlée in a convection oven. A convection oven is great for baking because it distributes heat evenly, ensuring that your Crème Brûlée cooks evenly.

When using a convection oven to make Crème Brûlée, it is important to set the oven temperature correctly and use the right cookware. You can follow your regular recipe but reduce the cooking time slightly.

Can meat or fish be baked in a convection oven?

Yes, meat and fish can be baked in a convection oven. In fact, a convection oven is great for cooking meat and fish because the circulating hot air in the oven helps to seal in the juices and create a crispy exterior.

When baking meat or fish in a convection oven, it is important to adjust the cooking time and temperature as convection ovens tend to cook faster than conventional ovens. It is also recommended to use a roasting pan or baking dish with low sides to allow the air to circulate around the meat or fish.

What exactly can you cook in a convection oven?

A convection oven can be used to cook a wide variety of dishes. In addition to baking meat and fish, you can use a convection oven to cook vegetables, casseroles, bread, pastries, and even desserts like cookies and cakes.

Remember to adjust the cooking time and temperature as convection ovens tend to cook faster than conventional ovens.

How do I bake cookies in a convection oven?

To bake a classic cookie recipe in a convection oven, follow these steps:

1. Preheat the convection oven to the desired temperature. We recommend reducing the temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit compared to a traditional recipe. For example, if the recipe calls for baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, set the convection oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare the cookie dough as usual.
3. Use a parchment paper or silicone baking mat on the baking sheet. This will prevent the cookies from sticking to the pan.
4. Put the baking sheet with the cookies into the preheated convection oven.
5. Adjust the cooking time. Convection ovens tend to cook faster than conventional ovens, so keep an eye on the cookies and reduce the baking time accordingly. Start checking for doneness a few minutes earlier than the recipe suggests.

Remember to experiment and adjust the time and temperature based on your specific convection oven and recipe.

Purchase Your Kitchen Appliances at Howard’s Appliance

Whether you’re ready to purchase a new convection oven or you are looking for other kitchen appliances, Howard’s Appliance has you covered. Shop our selection of appliances including refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, cooktops, and more at one of our conveniently located appliance stores near you.

We have appliance store locations in Huntington Beach, La Habra, Long Beach, Laguna Hills, Victorville, and several other areas in Sothern California. Schedule an in-store visit or phone or video call today or browse our website today.