Air Fryer French Fries: Crispy, Golden, And Delicious

Air fryer French fries are a healthier alternative to deep-fried potatoes. They are also a quick and easy way to make a delicious snack or side dish. To make air fryer French fries, you will need potatoes, oil, and your choice of seasoning. Russet potatoes are a popular choice, but you can also use Yukon Gold or sweet potatoes. The potatoes should be cut into thin, even slices or matchsticks, and then soaked in water to remove excess starch. After drying the potatoes, toss them in oil and seasoning. You can use olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil, and season with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, or pepper. Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook at 380°F for 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. For the crispiest fries, work in batches and ensure that the potatoes are not overcrowded. You can also reheat French fries in the air fryer to restore their crispness.

Potato preparation: wash, peel, and cut into 1/4-inch slices

Preparing the potatoes is the first step in making air fryer French fries. Here's a detailed guide:

Wash:

Start by washing the potatoes under running water to remove any dirt or residue. You can use a vegetable brush to gently scrub the potatoes and ensure they are thoroughly cleaned.

Peel (Optional):

Whether or not to peel the potatoes is a matter of preference. Leaving the skin on can add texture, flavour, and extra nutrients to your fries. However, if you prefer a smoother texture, you can use a vegetable peeler or a small knife to carefully peel away the skin.

Cut into 1/4-inch slices:

For the best results, cut the potatoes into uniform slices, aiming for a thickness of about 1/4 inch. This ensures that all the fries cook at the same rate and gives them a consistent texture. You can use a sharp knife or a mandoline to achieve the desired thickness. If you don't have a mandoline, don't worry too much about making every fry the exact same size—a little variation is fine!

Once you've washed, peeled, and cut the potatoes, you're ready to move on to the next steps of the recipe, which include soaking, seasoning, and air frying. Enjoy your homemade French fries!

Soak the potatoes in water for 15 minutes to remove excess starch

Soaking the potatoes in water before air frying is a crucial step in achieving the perfect level of crispiness for your French fries. By allowing the potatoes to soak in water for around 15 minutes, you are effectively removing any excess starch from the potato slices. This step is essential because it ensures that your fries will not stick to each other during the air frying process, promoting even cooking.

Additionally, the soaking process helps to wash away some of the starch, which, if left on the potatoes, could hinder the crisping process. While it is important to remove the excess starch, you do not want to get rid of all of it. A small amount of starch is beneficial, as it helps the potatoes maintain their shape and texture during cooking. Therefore, after soaking, be sure to sprinkle a tiny bit of starch back onto the potatoes.

Moreover, soaking the potatoes in water also helps to remove excess moisture. Moisture is the enemy of crispiness when it comes to French fries. Thus, by soaking and then thoroughly drying the potatoes, you are reducing the moisture content, which will ultimately lead to a crispier fry.

In summary, by soaking your potatoes in water for 15 minutes, you are taking several important steps towards achieving the perfect air-fried French fry. You are removing excess starch to prevent sticking and promote even cooking, getting rid of some starch to aid in crisping, and lessening the moisture content to ensure your fries turn out crispy and golden brown.

Seasoning: toss the potatoes in olive oil, salt, and spices

To make air fryer French fries, you'll need to start by cutting your potatoes into fries. The exact dimensions are up to you, but it's important that the fries are all roughly the same size so that they cook evenly. For example, you could cut them into 1/4-inch thick sticks or slices. You can peel the potatoes if you prefer, but leaving the skin on can add flavour and texture, as well as saving time.

Once you've cut your potatoes, you should rinse them in cold water and pat them dry with a towel. Then, it's time for seasoning. Place the fries into a large bowl and drizzle them with olive oil. Sprinkle on your chosen seasonings and toss the fries until they're evenly coated. You can keep things simple with just salt, or try a combination of salt, garlic powder and onion powder. If you're feeling adventurous, you could experiment with other spices and seasonings such as paprika, rosemary, truffle & parmesan seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or corn starch.

After seasoning, your fries are ready to be cooked in the air fryer. Place them into the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure that the fries aren't touching. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the fries in batches. Air fry at 380°F for 10-15 minutes, tossing halfway through, until they're golden brown and crispy.

Once all your fries are cooked, you can toss them all back into the air fryer together for 1-2 minutes to warm them up and ensure they're all crispy. Then, serve immediately with your choice of dips and enjoy!

Air frying: arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 380°F for 10-15 minutes

Air frying is the final step in making French fries in an air fryer. Before air frying, you should wash, peel, and cut your potatoes into fries of roughly equal size. You can then season them with oil and spices. Some recipes also recommend soaking the potatoes in water for 20 minutes to an hour to improve crispiness.

When you are ready to air fry, arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring that they are not touching. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the potatoes in multiple batches. Air fry at 380°F for 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. If you are cooking multiple batches, you can re-crisp all of the fries together for 1-2 minutes at the end.

Re-crisping: combine all the batches of fries in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes to ensure they are all hot and crispy

Once you've cooked all your batches of fries, it's time to re-crisp them. Place all the fries back into the air fryer basket. This time, you don't need to worry about arranging them in a single layer. Turn the air fryer on for 1-2 minutes to warm up and re-crisp the earlier batches. This will ensure that all your fries are hot and crispy when you serve them.

It's important to note that the timing may vary based on your particular air fryer. If your fries still don't seem crispy, continue cooking them in small increments until they reach the desired level of crispness.

You can also get creative with the seasonings you add to your fries. Try adding fresh herbs, chilli powder, garlic powder, onion powder, or even truffle and parmesan seasoning.

Frequently asked questions