Air Fryer Homemade Fries: Quick, Crispy, And Delicious!

Making homemade fries in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to satisfy your cravings for a salty, crunchy snack. With just a few basic ingredients and simple steps, you can have delicious, crispy and crunchy fries without the mess and grease of classic deep-fried ones. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make perfect homemade fries in your air fryer.

Ingredients:

- Potatoes (russet or Yukon gold potatoes are recommended)

- Oil (olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil)

- Seasonings (salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, or any spices of your choice)

Instructions:

1. Prep: Wash the potatoes and decide whether to keep the skins on or peel them. Cut the potatoes into even-sized fries, about 1/4-inch thick.

2. Soak: Place the cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes or up to overnight in the fridge. This helps remove excess starch and will result in crispier fries.

3. Dry: After soaking, thoroughly pat the potatoes dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Remove as much moisture as possible.

4. Season: In a bowl, toss the potatoes with oil and your desired seasonings. Make sure all surfaces are evenly coated.

5. Air Fry: Preheat your air fryer to 375-400°F (190-200°C). Place the fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they don't overlap. Cook for 12-20 minutes, tossing or flipping them halfway through, until they are golden brown and crispy.

6. Enjoy: Serve your homemade air-fried fries with your favorite dipping sauces, such as ketchup, fry sauce, garlic aioli, or chili powder.

Choosing the right potato

The type of potato you use is crucial to achieving the perfect homemade fries in an air fryer. The best potatoes for fries are high-starch potatoes, such as Idaho or russet potatoes. These potatoes are dense and have less moisture, resulting in fries that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Russet potatoes are the most common type of potato used for fries and can often be found labelled as "Idaho" potatoes. They have a rich, buttery taste and their starch works to puff and crisp the fries perfectly in the air fryer.

Alternatively, you can use Yukon gold potatoes, which will give your fries a creamier centre. Yukon gold potatoes are sometimes labelled as "gold" or "yellow" potatoes. They are an all-purpose potato that can be used for frying and will result in a slightly different texture compared to russet potatoes.

It is recommended to avoid waxy potatoes such as red-skinned, new, or fingerling potatoes. Their high moisture and sugar content can lead to soggy and limp fries that darken too quickly.

Potato Skins

Leaving the potato skins on for fries has several benefits. It adds more flavour, a great crispy texture, and additional fibre and nutrients. Keeping the skins on also saves time during the preparation process. However, it is a matter of personal preference, and you can choose to peel the potatoes if you prefer a smoother texture.

Potato Preparation

Before cutting your potatoes, it is important to soak them in cold water to remove excess starch, which will help the fries crisp up better during cooking. You can also add lemon juice to the water to help the potatoes maintain their colour. After soaking, rinse the potatoes under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel. Ensure that the potatoes are very dry before adding any oil or seasoning, as wet potatoes will result in soggy fries.

When cutting your potatoes, aim for fries that are around 1/4-inch thick. This will ensure that they cook evenly and achieve the desired crispiness. You can use a mandoline or a sharp knife to cut the potatoes into fries.

Preparing the potato

Ingredients

You will need 2-3 large russet potatoes, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. You can also add other seasonings such as garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, or chili powder.

Potato Selection

It is recommended to use russet potatoes for their rich, buttery taste and how the starch works to puff and crisp in the air fryer. However, you can also use Yukon gold potatoes, which will give a creamier centre.

Potato Preparation

Start by washing the potatoes. You can peel the potatoes or leave the peel on for added texture and flavour, but be sure to wash it well and scrub off any excess dirt.

Next, cut the potatoes into fries. Aim for them to be around 1/4-inch thick and of similar sizes so that they cook evenly. You can use a mandoline or a sharp knife to cut the potatoes.

Once cut, place the potatoes in a bowl of cold water for a minimum of one hour or up to overnight. Soaking the potatoes helps to remove excess starch, which will result in crispier fries. The longer you soak them, the crispier they will be.

After soaking, rinse the potatoes twice with cold water and pat them completely dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel. This step is crucial, as any residual moisture will result in soggy fries.

Adding flavour

There are endless ways to season your homemade fries, from spice blends to dips and sauces. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Spices and Seasonings

• Salt and pepper
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Herbs de Provence salt
• Cajun seasoning
• Parsley, garlic, and Parmesan cheese
• Everything bagel seasoning
• Black pepper and sea salt
• Malt vinegar and salt
• Minced garlic
• Rosemary garlic seasoning
• Tarragon
• Cayenne pepper
• Basil
• Old Bay seasoning
• Cinnamon and raw sugar
• Italian seasoning
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Dips and Sauces

• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Mayo
• Chipotle sauce
• Chimichurri
• Vegan cheese
• Ranch dressing
• BBQ sauce
• French fry sauce
• Spicy whipped feta
• Zhoug (Skhug) sauce
• Awesome sauce (a mix of ketchup, mustard, mayo, pickles, onion, and pickle juice or vinegar)
• Buffalo blue cheese sauce
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Curried ketchup
• Truffle oil

Cooking the fries

Prep

Using a mandoline, slice the potatoes into fries. You don't need to worry too much about the size of the fry—some can be bigger, and some can be smaller.

Soak

Place the cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water for at least an hour. This helps to remove excess starch and will make the fries crisp up more in the air fryer. Change the water after 20-30 minutes for even better results.

Preheat

Preheat the air fryer to between 375-400°F.

Season

Drain the water from the potatoes and pat them dry with a paper towel. Then, toss the fries with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. You can also add other seasonings like paprika, garlic powder, or Italian seasoning.

Air fry

Place the fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not stacked on top of each other. Cook for 12-20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until crispy and golden brown.

Reheat

If you are cooking the fries in batches, add all the cooked fries back into the air fryer for 1-2 minutes to reheat and crisp up.

Serving suggestions

These homemade air fryer fries are a great snack or side dish. They can be served simply with salt and pepper, or dressed up with fresh herbs, spices, or your favourite dipping sauce.

Herbs and Spices

If you want to add some extra flavour to your fries, try sprinkling them with fresh herbs, such as parsley, or spices like chilli powder, garlic powder, or onion powder.

Dipping Sauces

Fries are also delicious when served with a variety of dips. Here are some ideas:

• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Mayo
• Chipotle sauce
• Chimichurri
• Vegan cheese
• French Fry Sauce
• Spicy Whipped Feta
• Easy Homemade Blue Cheese Dip
• Ranch dressing
• BBQ sauce
• Cheese sauce
• Aioli

Frequently asked questions