Air Fryer French Fries
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It’s easy to make delicious fries at home with this recipe for Air Fryer French Fries! Use my tips and tricks to make the best homemade french fries. They’re crispy, tasty and lighter than traditional deep fried french fries.
Table of contents
Say goodbye to deep fried french fries and soggy fries forever! And say hello to crispy air fryer french fries! With this easy recipe, you can make restaurant-style crispy french fries at home anytime.
After an optional water-soak, season the fries with salt or my favorite french fry seasoning, then pop them in the air fryer for 16 minutes. Just three simple steps and you’ll be digging into deliciously crispy fries that pair perfectly with burgers, sandwiches and so much more!
Ingredients
- Russet potatoes – these are the best potatoes for making french fries. You can peel the potatoes or leave the skin on, totally your call. I like to leave the skin on because it reminds me of the taste and texture of restaurant-style fries. When selecting the potatoes, I recommend trying to find medium-size potatoes that are all approximately the same length. This will help when cutting the potatoes into fries, so that the fries are all about the same size and will cook at the same time.
- Olive oil – or another vegetable oil will work to coat the potatoes before seasoning them and cooking them in the air fryer.
- Fry seasoning (or salt) – I love a good batch of seasoned fries, which is why I perfected my fry seasoning at home. You can click the link above to make this fry seasoning in your own kitchen, or you can simply use salt to season the fries.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Slice the potatoes into french fries. I recommend starting by slicing each potato in half lengthwise. Depending on the thickness of the potatoes, you can then slice each half lengthwise again through the middle, or slice each half into 3 sections. Then proceed to slice each section into 1/4″ fries. Repeat until all of the potatoes have been sliced into fries.
- Soak the fries (optional). If you’re in a hurry, you can skip this step. But if you plan ahead a little bit, this step will help you achieve the crispiest fries. Simply submerge the sliced fries in a large bowl, or casserole dish, filled with water. Let them soak for 1 hour. After the soaking time, remove the sliced potatoes from the water and pat them completely dry with paper towels before seasoning and cooking the fries.
- Oil the fries. Toss the fries with olive oil, or spray them with cooking spray until they’re covered.
- Season the fries. Sprinkle fry seasoning or salt over the fries and toss until they’re fully coated.
- Air fry the french fries. Place the fries in a single layer in an air fryer basket, with enough space around each french fry for the air to move around it. Cook for 8 minutes at 380°F. Flip and continue cooking for an additional 8 minutes. Remove the fries from the air fryer and eat immediately. If you’re cooking multiple batches of fries, remove the first batch of cooked fries and place them on a plate or cutting board. When you’re done with the last batch of fries, add all of the fries back to the air fryer (it’s okay if they’re overlapping at this point) and air fry for 1-2 minutes to heat them up.
Recipe tips
- For extra crispy french fries, always soak them before cooking them. This will help remove some of the excess starch from the potatoes and will help the fries crisp up in the air fryer.
- You can cut the potatoes into fries ahead of time and leave them soaking in water until you’re ready to season and cook them in the air fryer. Always be sure to drain the cut potatoes and pat them dry completely before seasoning them and adding them to an air fryer.
- Leave the potato skins on the potatoes to save time and help the fries achieve an even crispier texture.
- Do not season the potatoes with the salt, or fry seasoning, until you’re ready to cook them in the air fryer. Seasoning the potatoes with salt, then letting them sit for more than a couple of minutes, means the salt will pull water from the potatoes and the fries are more likely to come out of the air fryer soggy.
- Always make sure there’s room around each french fry in the air fryer. This allows the air in the air fryer to flow around each of the french fries, so they’re crispy on all sides.
- When cooking the fries in batches, you can toss all of them back in the air fryer at the end for 1-2 minutes to heat them up. This way they’ll all be hot and crispy when served.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, you can make this recipe in the oven. I recommend placing the seasoned fries in an even layer on a wire rack, on top of a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F (on convection, if you have it) for 16-20 minutes. You don’t need to flip the fries if you cook them on a wire rack. If cooking them directly on a baking sheet, you will need to flip the fries halfway through the cooking time.
Storage and reheating
Leftover french fries can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Reheat them in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 400°F.
Variations
- Make steak frites by using herbs de provence to season the fries for a French spin on the recipe! Pair the fries with this marinated grilled steak recipe.
- Make Cajun fries like Five Guys, by seasoning the fries with Cajun seasoning. Click the link for my homemade seasoning recipe!
- Make garlic parmesan fries by melting 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl. Combine it with 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon minced garlic, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder. When the fries come out of the air fryer, toss them in the garlic parmesan butter and serve immediately.
- Make buffalo-style fries by tossing them with this chicken wing seasoning. Serve them with buffalo sauce and ranch dressing for dipping.
- Make animal-style fries like In N Out. Follow the recipe linked to the left after preparing these air fryer french fries.
- Make chili cheese fries, using the recipe linked to the left after preparing the air fryer french fries.
- Make Greek-seasoned fries to pair with gyros by tossing the fries with this Greek Seasoning.
What to serve them with
French fries are a great snack served with ketchup, bbq sauce, fry sauce or ranch dressing for dipping. They’re also a great side dish to pair with burgers, sandwiches, and tons of other recipes. Try pairing this french fry recipe with any of these delicious main dishes.
More air fryer recipes
Fire up your air fryer and try all of these delicious recipes!
Air Fryer French Fries
It's easy to make delicious fries at home with this recipe for Air Fryer French Fries! Use my tips and tricks to make the best homemade french fries. They're crispy, tasty and lighter than traditional deep fried french fries.
Ingredients
- 1 pound russet potatoes, see notes below
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fry seasoning, or 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Slice the potatoes into ¼ inch french fries.
- Optional: soak the cut potatoes in a large bowl of cold water for 1 hour, for extra crispy fries. Remove the potatoes from the water and completely pat dry.
- Toss the potatoes in olive oil, then toss with salt or fry seasoning.
- Place in a single layer, with the fries not touching, in an air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 380°F for 16 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Remove the fries from the air fryer and eat immediately.
- If you’re cooking multiple batches of fries, remove the first batch of cooked fries and place them on a plate or cutting board.
- When you’re done with the last batch of fries, add all of the fries back to the air fryer (it’s okay if they’re overlapping at this point) and air fry for 1-2 minutes to heat them up.
Notes
- Russet potatoes – these are the best potatoes for making french fries. You can peel the potatoes or leave the skin on, totally your call. I like to leave the skin on because it reminds me of the taste and texture of restaurant-style fries. When selecting the potatoes, I recommend trying to find medium-size potatoes that are all approximately the same length. This will help when cutting the potatoes into fries, so that the fries are all about the same size and will cook at the same time.
- For extra crispy french fries, always soak them before cooking them. This will help remove some of the excess starch from the potatoes and will help the fries crisp up in the air fryer.
- You can cut the potatoes into fries ahead of time and leave them soaking in water until you’re ready to season and cook them in the air fryer. Always be sure to drain the cut potatoes and pat them dry completely before seasoning them and adding them to an air fryer.
- Leave the potato skins on the potatoes to save time and help the fries achieve an even crispier texture.
- Do not season the potatoes with the salt, or fry seasoning, until you’re ready to cook them in the air fryer. Seasoning the potatoes with salt, then letting them sit for more than a couple of minutes, means the salt will pull water from the potatoes and the fries are more likely to come out of the air fryer soggy.
- Always make sure there’s room around each french fry in the air fryer. This allows the air in the air fryer to flow around each of the french fries, so they’re crispy on all sides.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, you can make this recipe in the oven. I recommend placing the seasoned fries in an even layer on a wire rack, on top of a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F (on convection, if you have it) for 16-20 minutes. You don’t need to flip the fries if you cook them on a wire rack. If cooking them directly on a baking sheet, you will need to flip the fries halfway through the cooking time.
- Leftover french fries can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Reheat them in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 400°F.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 121kcal (6%)Carbohydrates 20g (7%)Protein 2g (4%)Fat 4g (6%)Saturated Fat 1g (5%)Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat 3gSodium 1750mg (73%)Potassium 473mg (14%)Fiber 1g (4%)Sugar 1g (1%)Vitamin A 1mgVitamin C 6mg (7%)Calcium 16mg (2%)Iron 1mg (6%)
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