Air Fryer Frozen Fries: How Long Do They Take?

Air fryers have become a popular alternative to deep frying, offering a healthier way to cook food that still tastes delicious. One popular food to cook in an air fryer is French fries. Air-fried French fries are a convenient, quick, and easy way to make crispy golden French fries or chips in 20 minutes from frozen. The air fryer also reduces the need for oil, making it a healthier option.

Preheat the air fryer

Preheating your air fryer is an important step in the process of making frozen fries. It ensures that your fries cook evenly and helps to achieve that sought-after crispy exterior and soft interior.

To preheat your air fryer, start by setting the temperature to 200°C (400°F). This temperature setting is crucial as it will give your fries that golden, crispy exterior. Allow your air fryer to preheat for 3-5 minutes. This duration is important as it gives the appliance time to reach the desired temperature, ensuring consistent cooking.

While the air fryer is preheating, you can grab your bag of frozen French fries and prepare them for cooking. It is important to note that you should not preheat for too long, as this can waste energy and may cause the appliance to become too hot, affecting the cooking time and results.

Once the preheating is complete, you can proceed to the next step of spreading your frozen fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket. This step is crucial for even cooking and to prevent sogginess, so be sure not to overcrowd the basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook your fries in batches.

By preheating your air fryer effectively, you are setting the foundation for delicious, crispy frozen fries. This step may seem simple, but it plays a vital role in achieving the perfect results you desire.

Arrange fries in a single layer

When cooking frozen fries in an air fryer, it's important to arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. This ensures that the hot air can circulate around each fry, cooking them evenly and making them crispy. If you overcrowd the basket by adding too many fries, they may cook unevenly and become soggy. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook your fries in batches.

When arranging the fries in the air fryer basket, try to leave a little space between each one. This will allow the hot air to come into contact with all sides of the fries, making them golden brown and crispy. If your fries are overlapping or touching, they may not cook evenly.

It's also important to shake the air fryer basket a few times during cooking to ensure even crispiness and prevent the fries from sticking together. If you're cooking a large batch of fries, you may need to shake the basket more than once to ensure that all the fries are cooked evenly.

By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your frozen fries come out perfectly crispy and golden every time.

Shake the basket during cooking

Shaking the basket during cooking is an important step in ensuring your frozen fries cook evenly and become crispy on all sides. Here are some detailed instructions and tips for shaking the basket while cooking frozen fries in your air fryer:

When to Shake the Basket

It is recommended to shake the basket every 5 minutes or halfway through the cooking process. This will ensure that the fries don't stick together and that all sides cook evenly. Shaking the basket helps to prevent the fries from sticking to the basket and promotes even browning.

How to Shake the Basket

To shake the basket, simply remove it from the air fryer, give it a good shake to toss the fries gently, and then return it to the air fryer to continue cooking. Be careful when handling the basket as it will be hot. You can use oven mitts or heat-resistant gloves to protect your hands.

Other Tips for Crispy Fries

In addition to shaking the basket, there are a few other things to keep in mind to ensure crispy fries:

• Spread the frozen fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Avoid overcrowding the basket as this can cause uneven cooking and sogginess.
• Preheat your air fryer before adding the fries. This helps to ensure even cooking and crispiness.
• Experiment with cooking times and temperatures based on your specific air fryer model and your preferred level of crispiness.
• If desired, use cooking spray or a light drizzle of olive oil to help the fries crisp up. However, this is not necessary as frozen fries are typically already coated in oil.
• Season the fries after cooking. Adding salt or other seasonings after the fries are cooked and crispy will enhance their flavour.

Avoid overcrowding the basket

Air fryers are extremely popular, and for good reason. They're small, efficient, and can produce crispy fried foods without the need for a pot of hot oil. However, one of the most common mistakes people make when using an air fryer is overcrowding the basket.

The basket on most air fryers is small. There is enough room to comfortably cook two servings of meat or fish, or four servings of a vegetable side. It can be tempting to stack or squish food together to cook more at once, but this will likely lead to disappointing results. By overcrowding the basket, you restrict the airflow that is so crucial to air frying. The hot air won't be able to circulate properly, and your food won't cook evenly. You'll be left with soggy, unevenly cooked food.

To avoid this, it's best to cook in batches. Air fryer cooking is generally faster than roasting or frying, so don't worry about cooking everything at once. Cooking in smaller batches will allow for better airflow and faster, more efficient cooking. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook your food in multiple batches. For example, if you're cooking frozen French fries, spread them out in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Avoid stacking them, as this can cause them to cook unevenly and become soggy. If you have a lot of fries, cook them in batches to achieve the best results.

Additionally, make sure to give the basket a good shake a few times during cooking to ensure even cooking and prevent food from sticking together. This is especially important if you're cooking something like French fries, which you'll want to be crispy and evenly browned.

Serve with your favourite sauce

Now that your fries are ready, it's time to serve them with your favourite sauce. The great thing about fries is that they go with almost anything. You can dip them in your favourite sauces, such as ketchup, mayonnaise, chilli sauce, fry sauce, BBQ sauce, or cheese sauce. You can also get creative and make your own sauce by mixing your favourite spices with some mayo and ketchup. Add chipotle chilli powder, garlic powder, and onion powder for a spicy western sauce.

If you're looking for something a little more indulgent, why not try loading up your fries with cheese sauce, crumbled bacon, sour cream, and green onion? Or, for something extra fancy, try truffle oil and freshly shaved parmesan.

If you're serving your fries as a side dish, they go well with a sandwich, wrap, salad, or burger. For the main course, try pairing them with chicken, such as Romano-crusted chicken cutlets or BBQ chicken burgers.

So, whether you're dipping, loading, or pairing your fries, there are endless possibilities to enjoy them with your favourite sauce.

Frequently asked questions