Air Fryer Frozen Wedges: How Long To Cook?

Frozen potato wedges are a quick and easy snack or side dish to make in an air fryer. They can be cooked straight from frozen, with no need to defrost, and they're ready in around 10 to 20 minutes. Preheat your air fryer to between 180°C and 200°C (or 360°F and 400°F) and then cook the wedges for 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket a couple of times during cooking to ensure they cook evenly. For extra crispy wedges, you can add a light coating of oil before cooking.

Preheat the air fryer

Preheating your air fryer is a crucial step in ensuring your frozen wedges turn out crispy and golden brown. While some air fryer manuals may state that preheating is unnecessary, doing so can significantly improve your results, especially when cooking food that requires a short cook time.

To preheat your air fryer effectively, follow these steps:

• Set the Temperature: Adjust your air fryer's temperature dial or digital controls to the desired cooking temperature. For frozen wedges, a temperature between 360°F and 400°F is typically recommended.
• Place the Basket: Ensure the air fryer basket is inside the unit during preheating. This allows the basket to get nice and hot, which is essential for achieving a good sear on your wedges.
• Initiate Preheating: Press the "Start" or "Preheat" button on your air fryer. If your model lacks a dedicated preheat function, you can set the timer for 2-5 minutes, depending on the size of your air fryer. Most air fryers will reach 400°F in about 3-5 minutes.
• Wait for the Preheat Signal: Some air fryers will beep or display an indicator light when they are preheated. If your model lacks this feature, simply wait for the duration you set in the previous step.

By preheating your air fryer, you ensure that your frozen wedges start cooking in a hot environment, promoting even cooking and a desirable crispy texture. This is especially important when cooking frozen foods, as they tend to have a higher moisture content, which can lead to steaming instead of crisping.

Additionally, preheating can help reduce the overall cooking time, making it a valuable step when you're short on time or preparing multiple batches.

Add oil to the wedges

Adding oil to your wedges is an optional step, but it can help to make them extra crispy. If you want to add oil, place your frozen wedges in a bowl and drizzle with oil, or spray them with an oil spray. Toss the wedges until they are evenly coated. You can also use a pastry brush to spread the oil evenly over the wedges.

If you want to add some extra flavour, you can try adding some spices to the wedges before tossing them in oil. For example, paprika, garlic powder, chilli powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, or cayenne pepper.

Once your wedges are coated in oil, you can place them in the air fryer basket. Make sure they are in a single layer and not overlapping, so they cook evenly.

Cook for 10-20 minutes

Cooking frozen wedges in an air fryer is a quick and convenient way to get a tasty, crispy side dish on the table in under 20 minutes. Here's a step-by-step guide to achieving perfectly cooked wedges every time.

Preheat Your Air Fryer

Firstly, preheating your air fryer is an important step as it ensures better results when the cooking time is short. Preheat your air fryer to between 360°F / 180°C and 400°F/200°C for around 2-5 minutes.

Prepare Your Wedges

You can use any brand of frozen potato wedges, but avoid thawing them before cooking. Place your desired amount of wedges in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are in a single layer or with minimal overlap. Overloading the basket will prevent even cooking and crispiness. You can spray the wedges with a light coating of oil for extra crispness, but this is optional as they already contain oil.

Cook Your Wedges

Air fry your wedges for 10-20 minutes, shaking the basket or flipping the wedges a few times during cooking to ensure even cooking and browning. The exact cooking time will depend on your air fryer model and the desired crispness of your wedges, so keep an eye on them to prevent burning.

Serve Your Wedges

Your wedges are ready when they are golden brown and crispy. Serve them immediately to maintain their crispiness, and enjoy!

Tips for Extra Crispy Wedges

• Preheat your air fryer for the best results.
• Don't overcrowd the basket—cook in batches if needed.
• Shake or flip the wedges during cooking for even browning.
• Spray the wedges with oil before cooking (optional).
• Adjust the cooking time and temperature to achieve your desired level of crispness.

Storing and Reheating

You can store leftover wedges in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for at least a month. To reheat, simply pop them back in the air fryer at 375°F/190°C for a few minutes until warmed through and crispy again.

Shake the basket during cooking

Shaking the basket during cooking is an important step in ensuring your wedges cook evenly. By redistributing the wedges, you prevent them from getting stuck together and promote even browning. This is especially important if your air fryer is on the smaller side, as you may need to cook the wedges in batches to avoid overcrowding the basket.

Depending on the model of your air fryer, you may need to shake the basket more than once during the cooking process. For example, if you're cooking the wedges for 10-15 minutes, it's recommended to shake the basket every 5 minutes. If your total cooking time is 20 minutes, shake the basket every 5 minutes for the first 15 minutes, then check on the wedges every minute or so until they're done to your liking.

It's also a good idea to flip the wedges with tongs if you see that one side is cooking faster than the other. This will help ensure even cooking and browning on all sides.

By shaking the basket and keeping a close eye on your wedges, you'll end up with a perfectly cooked and evenly browned batch of crispy wedges!

Serve with a dip

Air-fried frozen potato wedges are a quick, easy, and delicious snack or side dish. They're also incredibly versatile when it comes to dips and condiments.

A popular choice for dipping sauce is ketchup, but you can also try chipotle mayo, sour cream, BBQ sauce, or sweet chilli. For something a little different, why not try a garlic sour cream sauce or a sweet chilli dip?

If you're serving wedges as a side, they go well with burgers, sandwiches, and breaded fish. They're also great with roast dinners, such as roast chicken, beef, or pork.

For a heartier meal, you can turn your wedges into a fully-loaded dish by topping them with chilli, grated cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

Frequently asked questions