Air Fryer French Fries
These air fryer French fries are just as crispy and crunchy as regular fries but use far less oil. With just three ingredients, they’re easy and delicious to make. The air fryer is the fastest way to satisfy a craving. We love it for making Air Fryer Chicken Wings, crispy Air Fryer Chicken Legs , and, of course, fries.
If you’re looking for an easy side to pair with your veggie burgers this weekend, these air fryer French fries are perfect! While I usually favor salads or corn on the cob for grilling sides, sometimes a craving for a salty, crunchy snack hits, and no summer salad can satisfy that. That’s where these air fryer French fries come in.
In many ways, they’re just like regular fries. They’re crispy on the outside, creamy in the middle, and dusted with an irresistible coating of salt. But there is one key difference between deep frying and air frying: you only need a light drizzle of oil to make crispy French fries in the air fryer. As a result, these fries are far healthier than traditional ones.
This is great news for Jack and me because we’ve been making (and eating) these air fryer fries on repeat lately. They only require three basic ingredients and cook up quickly. Fresh out of the fryer, they’re hot, crunchy, and completely addictive. Try them once, and you’ll be hooked.
How to Make Air Fryer French Fries
When you’re ready to cook, here’s what you need to do:
First, chop your potatoes. Aim for them all to be a similar size, about 1/4-inch thick, so they’ll cook at the same rate. I don’t recommend peeling your potatoes – the skin helps them crisp up nicely as they cook. Once you’ve chopped the potatoes into fries, toss them with olive oil and salt.
Next, cook the first batch. Spread the cut potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket with a little space between each one. Don’t cram them in! The space allows the hot air to contact all sides of the fries, making them golden brown and crisp. Air fry them at 380°F for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway. Take them out when they’re crisp and brown around the edges. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cooking as many batches as necessary to give the fries adequate space in the basket.
Finally, toss them all in together! When you finish cooking the last batch, add all the fries back into the air fryer basket (no need to worry about a single layer this time) and cook them for 1 to 2 minutes to warm and crisp up the earlier batches. When all the air fryer French fries are crispy, take them out, and dig in!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Fries
The ingredients needed for homemade fries are simple, and you likely already have them in your kitchen:
- Potatoes – For this recipe, we use russet potatoes (Idaho potatoes). You can also use Yukon Gold potatoes, which give a creamier center.
- Oil – This recipe calls for olive oil, but you can use vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Seasoning – We season the fries with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder, but you can use any of your go-to spices for variety.
The Crispiest Air Fryer French Fries
The air fryer method for making homemade French fries is the easiest for cooking fries. Not only is it easy to make, but they are also much healthier than deep frying in oil.
Both the prep and cooking for this recipe are simple. Thinly sliced potatoes lightly tossed in oil and seasoning, then cooked until crispy and crunchy. All you need is a juicy burger or classic BLT sandwich to go with these.
Best Air Fryer Fries Tips
Work in batches. It’s essential to spread the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and leave space between each one. If they’re too crowded, the potatoes will steam inside the air fryer and won’t get crispy. To give them adequate space, you’ll likely need to work in batches. When I use two russet potatoes, I cook three batches of fries.
Not crispy yet? Keep cooking! The exact timing will vary based on your particular air fryer. I recommend checking your first batch at the 12-minute mark and adjusting your timing based on how they look at that stage. If they’re still not crispy, continue cooking until they crisp up.
When it comes to doneness, taste is more important than appearance. I’ve found that my air fryer French fries start to look done before they actually are done. Taste a fry from each batch to ensure it’s tender on the inside and crisp on the outside before you move on to a new batch.
Toss them all in together at the end. Because you’ll be working in batches, some of the fries will have to sit around for a bit before you finish cooking. No one likes cold, soggy fries, so toss all the fries into the air fryer together (no need to worry about space this time) for 1 to 2 minutes before you eat. This quick step will reheat the fries from the earlier batches and make them nice and crispy. Yum!
Air Fryer French Fries Serving Suggestions
On their own, these air fryer French fries make a super fun snack or appetizer. Serve them simply with salt and pepper, or dress them up with fresh herbs, chili powder, garlic powder, or onion powder. They’re also fantastic with dipping sauces! I love them with ketchup and mustard, but they’re tasty with out-of-the-box choices like chipotle sauce, chimichurri, or vegan cheese too.
Of course, these air fryer fries are also a great side dish. Pair them with any of these recipes for a fun, delicious meal:
- Best Veggie Burger
- Portobello Mushroom Burger
- Black Bean Burger
- Crispy Cauliflower Po’ Boy Sandwich
- BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
Common Questions
That’s totally fine! You can bake fries in the oven like we did in our oven-baked potato wedges recipe.
Add the fries back into the air fryer and cook until reheated and re-crisped.
You do not have to preheat the air fryer for this fries recipe.
Yes, just clean and cut the fries and keep them completely submerged in cold water in the refrigerator until ready to make. Drain and pat dry before cooking the fries.
We used our basket-style air fryer because it’s easier to shake and toss the fries, but this will also work in a toaster oven-style air fryer.
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Air Fryer French Fries
Ingredients
- 1 lb russet potatoes 2 large or 3 medium potatoes
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper or to taste
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp paprika
Instructions
- Scrub and clean the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into even ¼-inch thick strips.
- Rinse the fries in cold water and thoroughly pat dry.
- Add the fries to a large bowl and drizzle with oil and toss. Sprinkle seasonings over the fries and toss again.
- Transfer the fries into the air fryer basket* and cook at 380°F for 10 minutes. Toss the French fries and cook for an additional 6-10 minutes until the fries are golden and crispy. Garnish with parsley if desired. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
