Air Fryer Russet Potato Fries: A Quick, Crispy Treat

If you're craving some crispy, crunchy French fries but don't want the mess and grease of deep frying, then an air fryer is your best bet. With just a few simple steps and basic ingredients, you can make delicious French fries using russet potatoes. Here's a quick intro to get you started on making your own air fryer French fries.

First, select some nice russet potatoes, also known as Idaho potatoes. These potatoes are ideal for French fries due to their thick skins and starchy, fluffy flesh. Simply wash and scrub them, leaving the skin on for added texture and flavour. Cut the potatoes into even slices, about 1/4-inch thick, to ensure uniform cooking. You can use a mandoline or a sharp knife for this step.

Next, soak the potato slices in cold water for at least an hour, or even overnight, to remove excess starch and achieve that coveted French fry crispiness. After soaking, thoroughly dry the potatoes with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.

Now it's time to season your fries. Drizzle them with olive oil, vegetable oil, or any oil of your choice, and toss to coat evenly. You can also add your favourite seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, or rosemary.

Preheat your air fryer to around 375-400°F. Place the seasoned potatoes in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are in a single layer with some space between them. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook in batches. Air fry for about 12-15 minutes, flipping the fries halfway through, until they are golden brown and crispy.

Once they're done, remove the fries from the air fryer and sprinkle with additional salt or your favourite seasonings. Serve them hot with your choice of dipping sauces, such as ketchup, ranch, or spicy sauces.

That's the basic overview of how to make French fries with russet potatoes in an air fryer. It's a quick, easy, and healthier alternative to deep frying, and you can customise the seasonings to your taste. Enjoy your homemade French fries!

Cut the potatoes into evenly sized pieces

Cutting the potatoes into evenly sized pieces is crucial for achieving the desired level of crispiness and ensuring uniform cooking. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to cut the potatoes into evenly sized pieces for your air fryer French fries:

Start by washing the potatoes, especially if you plan to keep the skins on, as recommended by some sources. You can use a vegetable brush to scrub them gently under running water to remove any dirt.

Next, dry the potatoes with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. This step is important to remove any excess moisture before cutting.

Now, grab a sharp knife or a mandoline slicer. Mandoline slicers are excellent for achieving uniform cuts, but if you don't have one, a sharp knife will do the job.

Cut the potatoes lengthwise into halves. Place each half cut-side down, then cut them into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. You can also cut them into wedges if you prefer thicker-cut fries. The key is to ensure that the slices are of similar thickness to promote even cooking.

Once you have your slices, stack them and cut them lengthwise again into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick fries. Repeat this process with the remaining potato halves.

If you want extra-crispy fries, you can cut the potatoes into slightly thinner sticks, around 1/4-inch thick. This will increase the surface area exposed to the hot air in the air fryer, resulting in crispier fries.

After cutting, it's a good idea to rinse the potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch. This step is not mandatory but can help improve the texture of your fries. Some sources even recommend soaking the cut potatoes in cold water for an hour or overnight in the refrigerator to enhance crispiness further.

Finally, dry the potatoes thoroughly with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel after rinsing or soaking. This step is crucial, as any remaining moisture can affect the crispiness of your fries.

Now you have evenly sized potato pieces that are ready to be tossed in oil and your favourite seasonings before air frying!

Rinse and dry the potatoes

Rinsing the potatoes is an important step in the process of making french fries with russet potatoes in an air fryer. This is because it helps to remove excess starch from the potatoes, which will ultimately lead to crispier fries. After rinsing, it is crucial to dry the potatoes thoroughly. Use paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to pat them dry. Make sure to remove as much moisture as possible, as this will help the potatoes crisp up in the air fryer.

The process of rinsing and drying the potatoes is simple but essential to ensuring your french fries turn out perfectly. By taking the time to prepare the potatoes properly, you will be rewarded with delicious, crispy fries that your family and friends will love.

• Cut the potatoes into the desired shape and size before rinsing. This will ensure that the excess starch is removed from all surfaces of the potatoes.
• Use cold water for rinsing, as this will help keep the potatoes firm.
• If you have time, you can soak the potatoes in cold water for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator for extra crispy fries.
• After rinsing, spread the potatoes out on a towel and blot them dry. You may need to use more than one towel to ensure they are completely dry.
• Ensure your potatoes are completely dry before adding any oil or seasoning. This will help the oil adhere to the potatoes and promote even cooking in the air fryer.

Toss the potatoes in a bowl with oil and seasonings

To make French fries with russet potatoes in an air fryer, you'll need to toss the cut potatoes in a bowl with oil and seasonings. This is an important step as it ensures your fries will be crispy and flavourful.

First, slice your potatoes into fries. Aim for them to be a similar size, about 1/4-inch thick. This will ensure they cook at the same rate. You can peel the potatoes, but leaving the skin on helps them crisp up nicely and adds flavour and nutrients.

Once you've cut your potatoes, give them a quick rinse in cold water to remove excess starch. For extra-crunchy fries, you can soak the cut potatoes in cold water in the fridge overnight. Then, drain and pat the potatoes dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Make sure to remove as much moisture as possible.

Now it's time to toss your potatoes in oil and seasonings. You don't need a lot of oil—just enough to lightly coat the potatoes. You can use olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. For seasonings, you can keep it simple with just salt and pepper, or get creative with spices like garlic powder, paprika, rosemary, or chili powder. Toss the potatoes in the bowl until they are evenly coated.

After your potatoes are seasoned, it's time to cook them in the air fryer. Spread them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, working in batches if needed, and air fry until crispy and golden brown. Enjoy your delicious, crispy French fries!

Air fry in batches

Air frying in batches is essential to achieving the perfect French fry texture. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Prepare the Potatoes

Before air frying, ensure your potatoes are prepared correctly. First, decide whether to peel the potatoes or leave the skin on. Leaving the skin on adds texture, flavour, fibre, and nutrients, and saves time. However, if you prefer a smoother texture, go ahead and peel them.

Next, cut the potatoes into even-sized sticks, about 1/4-inch thick. This ensures that all the potato pieces cook at the same rate. If you want thicker-cut fries, adjust the cooking time accordingly. Rinse the cut potatoes under cold water to remove excess starch, which can be done quickly or by soaking them in cold water for an hour or even overnight. Finally, pat the potatoes dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. The drying step is crucial, as any remaining moisture can prevent the potatoes from crisping up.

Step 2: Season the Potatoes

Place the cut and dried potatoes in a bowl and drizzle them with olive oil or your preferred cooking oil. Toss the potatoes to ensure they are evenly coated. Then, add your desired seasonings and toss again. You can keep it simple with just salt and pepper, or get creative with seasonings like garlic powder, paprika, rosemary, or chili powder.

Step 3: Air Fry in Batches

Now it's time to cook the potatoes in your air fryer. Spread the seasoned potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they aren't crowded. Leave a little space between each potato piece to allow hot air to circulate and make them golden brown and crisp.

Cook the potatoes in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. For example, if you're using two russet potatoes, you'll likely need to cook three batches of fries. Set your air fryer to 375-400°F (190-200°C) and cook the fries for about 12-15 minutes, flipping them halfway through. The exact cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer, so keep an eye on them and adjust as needed.

Step 4: Reheat and Serve

Once all the batches are cooked, toss them all back into the air fryer together. This time, you don't need to worry about arranging them in a single layer. Reheat and crisp them up for 1-2 minutes. Then, serve your homemade French fries with your favourite dipping sauce and enjoy!

Reheat in the air fryer

If you've made a large batch of fries and want to reheat the first round before serving, simply add all the cooked fries to the air fryer basket. It's fine if they're crowded this time. Reheat for 1 to 2 minutes to warm them up and make them crispy again.

If you have leftovers, you can reheat them in the air fryer at 375°F (190-200°C) or in a preheated oven at 400°F. Spread the leftover fries in a single layer on a hot pan or in the air fryer basket and re-crisp.

Frequently asked questions