These air fryer french fries are amazing---seriously! Perfectly crispy, and so much more flavorful than store bought, they are a great healthier alternative to deep fried fries.
The air fryer is such an amazing way to get crispy food with a fraction of the oil. From crispy air fryer chicken thighs to crispy chickpeas and cauliflower as well, there are so many fun things you can cook in it!
These air fryer french fries are so much better than store bought, and are so incredibly crispy! I've had troubles getting crispy french fries in the oven, but the air fryer makes easy work of it.
Reasons to ♡ air fryer french fries
- they are crispy and perfectly seasoned
- they are way more flavorful than store bought
- you can jazz them up with herbs and spices
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped my fries. You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
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Best potatoes for french fries
For french fries, you'll want to avoid smaller potatoes (save them for air fryer roasted potatoes!). Look for larger varieties with a high starch content- russet potatoes work great!
The high starch content of russets makes them great for french fries as it means there is less water in the potato (which would cause the fries to be more wet and maybe even soggy) (1).
Potatoes you'll want to avoid: waxy potatoes such as those with red skin, new potatoes, or fingerling potatoes (2).
Notes for crispy fries
Cut in uniform pieces
When prepping your fries, choose straight potatoes if possible. Leave the skins on, and slice a thin strip off one side of the potato, then roll the potato onto the cut side. Work through the potato, cutting long fries that are ⅓ of an inch wide.
It's important that the pieces are as uniform in size as possible so that they cook through evenly.
Soak your fries
While we love that there's less a high starch concentration in the russet potatoes, we don't want to have that starch on the surface of the potatoes. Starch on the surface of your fries can cause them to clump together, and can cause them to brown too quickly.
To avoid this issue, we soak our fries in a large bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes (all the way up to overnight!).
Drying them
It's essential to have really good coverage of your fries with oil to get them nice and crispy. Oil and water do not mix, and if you want the oil to stick to your soaked fries, the next important step is to dry them off. Spread out on a clean kitchen towel, and gently blot with a second towel.
Do not overcrowd
It's crucial that you do not overcrowd your french fries in the air fryer, as this would block air circulation to portions of the fries. For the crispiest fries, ensure that there is space between each and that they are not touching.
Step by step directions
Scroll to the recipe card for ingredient quantities.
- Cut potatoes into even-sized pieces (⅓ inch wide).
- Soak potatoes in a bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes.
- Dry the potatoes off: arrange on a clean kitchen towel and blot with a second clean towel.
- Toss the fries in oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in the air fryer.
- Bake for 13-20 minutes (see notes on air fryer models below), turning half way. If you use an oven-style air fryer, rotate the trays and flip the fries as needed.
Basket vs oven air fryers
This recipe was tested in both a basket-style Phillips air fryer (similar to this one
- basket air fryer- 13 minutes, flipped half way
- air fryer oven- 20 minutes, rotating trays half way
If you use a basket-style air fryer, you are going to need to cook multiple batches of fries; keep them warm on a wire rack in the oven at 200°F while cooking other batches. I found this quite tedious and strongly recommend using an oven-style air fryer (as pictured) to make air fryer french fries.
Variations and serving suggestions
Seasoning ideas
- add ½ teaspoon onion or garlic powder
- add ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika for color and smoky flavor
- sprinkle with parmesan cheese to serve
Serve them with
- Healthy Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Super Speedy Tzatziki
- Healthier Caesar Dressing
- Sweet Chili Sauce
More easy air fryer recipes
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli
- Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Bacon
- Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs
- Seriously Crispy Air Fryer Gnocchi
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Air Fryer French Fries
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes roughly 1 lb; scrubbed clean
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cut a thin strip off the side of the potato, then sit it cut side down. Work your way along the potato making ¼ inch wide fries.
- Add fries to a large bowl of cold water. Let sit for at least 30 minutes all the way up to 12 hours.
- Drain and rinse the potatoes, then arrange on a clean dish towel. Pat dry with a second kitchen towel until the surface of the fries is dried.
- Add to a bowl the fries, olive oil, and salt. Toss until thoroughly coated.
- Heat air fryer to 390°F/200°C. Arrange fries in the air fryer in a single layer so that they are not touching.
- Basket style air fryer- cook for a total of 13 minutes or until golden and crispy, flipping half way through. Work in batches to cook all fries; you can keep cooked fries warm by placing on a wire rack over a baking sheet and storing in the oven at 200°F.
- Oven style air fryer- cook for a total time of 20 minutes or until golden and crispy, rotating the trays halfway through. All air fryers cook differently so keep an eye on them!
- Add additional salt to taste, and serve immediately.
Tips:
- add ½ teaspoon onion or garlic powder
- add ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika for color and smoky flavor
- sprinkle with parmesan cheese to serve
Video
Nutrition Information
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