Air-Fried French Fries: Crispy, Golden, And Delicious!

Air fryers are a great alternative to deep frying, allowing you to make healthier, crispier, and faster French fries. To make French fries in an air fryer, you'll need potatoes, oil, and seasoning. The type of potatoes, oil, and seasoning you use can vary based on your preferences. However, it is recommended to cut the potatoes into even-sized pieces, typically around 1/4-inch thick, to ensure they cook evenly. Additionally, pre-soaking the potatoes in cold water can help achieve crispiness, though it is not necessary. When cooking, spread the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and leave some space between each fry. The exact cooking time and temperature will depend on your air fryer, but on average, it takes around 10-15 minutes at 375-400°F. For the best results, toss the potatoes halfway through cooking and season them just before air frying.

Potato preparation

The first step to making French fried potatoes in an air fryer is to prepare the potatoes. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Scrub and Clean the Potatoes

Give the potatoes a good scrub under running water to remove any dirt or residue. You can use a vegetable brush or a clean sponge to gently scrub the surface of the potatoes. Make sure to dry them thoroughly with a kitchen towel or paper towels. This step is important as it ensures that the potatoes are clean and removes any excess moisture before cooking.

Peel or Keep the Skin On

You can choose to peel the potatoes or leave the skin on. Peeling the potatoes will give them a smoother texture, while keeping the skin on adds flavour, texture, and extra nutrients to your fries. It's a matter of personal preference, but leaving the skin on can also save time in the preparation process.

Cut the Potatoes into Fries

Cut the potatoes into even-sized sticks or wedges, typically about 1/4-inch thick. You can use a sharp knife or a mandoline for this step. Try to make the fries as uniform in size as possible to ensure even cooking. Rinse the cut potatoes under cold water to remove any excess starch, and then pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

Soak the Potatoes (Optional)

Soaking the potatoes in cold or hot water for 30 minutes to 24 hours is optional but can help achieve crispier fries. Soaking removes excess starch from the potatoes, allowing them to crisp up even more in the air fryer. However, if you're short on time, you can skip this step as it's not necessary. Just make sure to pat the potatoes dry before proceeding to the next step.

Season the Potatoes

Place the cut and dried potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle them with olive oil or another type of cooking oil, such as vegetable oil or canola oil. Toss the potatoes to ensure they are evenly coated with oil. Then, add your desired seasonings and toss again to coat the potatoes. You can use salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, or any other spices you like. Just be mindful that adding salt too early can draw moisture out of the potatoes and affect their crispness.

Oil and seasoning

The amount of oil you'll need for your French fries will depend on how many potatoes you're using. A good rule of thumb is to use just enough oil to lightly coat the potatoes. For example, if you're using two large or three medium russet potatoes, you'll need about half a teaspoon of seasoning and a drizzle or two of olive oil.

You can use extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. If you're using olive oil, be aware that your potatoes will brown more quickly and might not be cooked all the way through.

As for seasoning, salt and pepper are the most common choices, but you can also experiment with paprika, garlic powder, rosemary, chili powder, Italian seasoning, dried dill, and more. If you're feeling creative, you can even try a themed seasoning blend, such as Ranch, Cajun, Taco, or Parmesan Truffle.

Just remember not to add the salt too early, as this will draw moisture out of the potatoes and make them less crispy. It's best to season the potatoes just before air frying them.

Air fryer settings

The air fryer is a small countertop appliance that cooks food by circulating hot air around it in a small, concentrated space. This makes food cook more quickly than it would in a traditional oven and helps to create a crispy exterior without the need for deep frying in oil.

Preheating

Some air fryer models require preheating, while others do not. If your model does require preheating, set the temperature to 375°F-390°F and preheat for 10-15 minutes.

Temperature and Timing

Set the air fryer temperature to 375-400°F. The exact temperature and timing will depend on your model, the thickness of your fries, and how many layers of potatoes you cook at once. A single layer of potatoes will yield the crispiest results, but cooking in two layers will reduce the total cooking time.

For a single layer of potatoes, cook for 4 minutes, then use tongs to flip them over. Continue cooking for 4-8 minutes, until the fries are as crispy as you would like.

For a double layer of potatoes, cook for 5 minutes, then use tongs to toss the potatoes. Return to the air fryer and cook for 3-7 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.

The total cooking time for a single layer of potatoes will be 8-12 minutes, while a double layer will take 8-15 minutes.

Basket Style vs. Toaster Oven Style

There are two main styles of air fryer: the basket style and the toaster oven style. The toaster oven style cooks faster and has a slightly larger capacity, making it better for big-batch cooking. The basket style is easier to toss and shake the potatoes during cooking.

Cooking time

The cooking time for your French fries will depend on the type of potato you use, how you prepare them, and the model of your air fryer.

If you are using a Ninja air fryer, the cooking time is around 8 minutes. For other models, the cooking time can range from 8 to 16 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. You should turn the fries once or twice during the cooking process.

The cooking time will also depend on the thickness of your fries. If you cut your potatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices, the cooking time will be around 12 to 15 minutes at 380 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are using a 5.8 qt capacity air fryer, the cooking time will be 10 minutes, followed by an additional 6-10 minutes at the same temperature.

If you are cooking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, the cooking time will be around 18-20 minutes.

It is important to note that the cooking time may vary depending on the model of your air fryer and the thickness of your fries, so you should adjust the timing accordingly.

Serving suggestions

These air fryer French fries are a versatile dish that can be served as a snack, appetiser, or side. They are delicious on their own, but you can also serve them with a variety of dips and seasonings.

Dips and Sauces

For a classic pairing, serve your French fries with ketchup or mustard. If you want to get creative, try chipotle sauce, chimichurri, or vegan cheese. Other dips that go well with French fries include buttermilk ranch, onion ring dipping sauce, and fry sauce (which also works great as a burger sauce).

Seasonings

French fries are typically seasoned with salt and pepper, but you can also experiment with fresh herbs, chilli powder, garlic powder, or onion powder. For a bolder flavour, try a Cajun seasoning blend, or a combination of chilli powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano. If you're looking for an Italian spin, season your fries with Italian seasoning or truffle salt, and top them with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Mains

Air fryer French fries make a great side dish for a variety of mains, including veggie burgers, portobello mushroom burgers, crispy cauliflower po' boy sandwiches, and BBQ jackfruit sandwiches. They also go well with meat dishes such as pan-seared steak, creamy Tuscan chicken, or juicy pork tenderloin.

Frequently asked questions