Skip the takeout counter and make your own Fries at home in the Air Fryer! They’re crispy and delicious, go good with almost anything, and are so much easier to make than you might think!
These air fryer French fries are restaurant quality French fries easily enjoyed in the comfort of your own home! McDonald’s, who?! Soft and pillowy insides, crispy and golden outsides with the perfect crunch and texture all the way around.
These homemade French fries are seriously delicious and are great all on their own or alongside so many delicious mains. The air fryer works its magic and they come out perfectly tender every single time. They’re best served up with all your favourite dipping sauces for an extra tasty treat!
French fries. Who doesn’t love ’em? But have you had fries in the air fryer before? They’re on a whole other level. Trussst me. When I say restaurant quality at home, I mean these might just be better than any other french fry that has ever graced your pie hole in ANY restaurant or pub you’ve ever stepped foot in. Yeah, THAT good.
Ok, let’s get one thing straight right off the bat. I love my Air Fryer. But I mean, that’s really no secret. If you have yet to hop on the air frying bandwagon, might I suggest you’re missing out on a whole new world of deliciousness. I mean, just look at these air fryer chickpea patties who’s deliciousness surely speak for themselves.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good oven roasted potato and these crispy baked potato wedges still have a special place in my heart. But, DANG, air fryer. YOU CAME TO PLAY.
Now that I think of it, fries in the air fryer was the first thing I ever made in it. And believe-you-me, there’s been-a mannnny batches since. I just love the easy clean up, the health factor and how you can really achieve the crispiest french fries right in the comfort of your own PJs! Now, that’s what I’m talkin’ about!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THESE PERFECT AIR FRYER FRIES (BESIDES YOUR PJs)
These 3 simple ingredients will have you well on your way to making crispy air fryer fries from scratch right at home. Other than an air fryer, DUH, you will need:
- Potatoes: The best potatoes for homemade french fries IMHO is anything high-starch such as Russet. They’re denser than other potatoes, hold less moisture and have a thicker skin. I’m always in favour of leaving the skin on because that’s the part that crisps up in the oven and makes them exxxxtra delicious. However, you can peel them if you prefer. Try to choose potatoes that are long and wide and similar in size to one another so your cuts/fries will turn out even and therefore take the same amount of time to cook.
- Cooking Spray: The beauty of air frying really comes down to how much less oil is used in comparison to deep frying something, for example. A little goes a long way! Spray the cut fries with oil just before seasoning with salt and air frying. This will help them get a nice crispy outer layer/edges. Will also help in preventing any sticking.
- Salt: Yeah, I went ahead and kept things pretty simple here and used only salt to season. A fry ain’t no fry without salt…am I right?! Liberally season the fries with salt before AND after they come out of the air fryer for maximum flavour. But, if you wanna go ahead and get crazy or fancy, no one’s going to be judging you from here. There are endless possibilities and ways to season these air fryer fries and customize them to your liking!
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER FRIES (KEY TIPS)
You can find full instructions for how to make crispy fries in the air fryer in the recipe card down below, but here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
- Choose the right potatoes! The last thing you want to do is go through all this effort making homemade french fries at home and then ending up with soggy or mushy fries. You want high-starch, less moisture potatoes. For these reasons, russet (or Idaho) potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes work best here.
- Cut the potatoes into even slices and make sure all your homemade French fries are relatively similar in size. This will ensure they all cook at the same time.
- Soak the sliced potatoes (uncooked French fries) in cold water for at least 30 minutes before air frying. This helps remove excess starch from the potatoes which ultimately inhibits even cooking. Excess starch could also leave a gummy outer layer/film or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes which we obviously do not want. If you have longer than 30 minutes, go for it. I once heard that soaking homemade French fries in water for longer makes them crispier.
But, to be honest, I can’t attest to that as I’ve never actually tried to do it for longer than about an hour or so. If you have and you absolutely SWEAR they are indeed crispier, let me know in the comments down below! Maybe one day I’ll take it as my food blogging duty to find this out myself 😉 PRO TIP: If you are going to soak your potatoes for longer than just 30 minutes, change the water to fresh cold water every several hours or so.
- Pat the french fries dry with paper towel after draining them from the water to remove any excess moisture. You want them as dry as possible before spraying them with oil and seasoning them. Drier = crispier!
- Place them on a single layer, no touching on the air frying tray or basket. This is key to not ending up with mushy potatoes! Air has to circulate around each french fry so ensuring there is enough room for them to breathe is crucial in achieving crispy, perfectly cooked fries!
- Season the potatoes well before and after they are air fried for maximum flavour and best results. EXTRA TIP: Season the fries while they’re still hot out of the air fryer so the salt has no problem sticking to the potatoes.
- Serve them up with your favourite dipping sauces or herb/spice combos (try different ones every time!) to change it up time and time again! The flavour options and spice combos are ENDLESS! Try serving these fries air fryer with the very best dipping sauce for fries (aka Utah’s famous fry sauce), this homemade tartar sauce, this delicious tzatziki sauce, homemade big mac sauce, or this 5 minute garlic aioli for dipping if, like me, you agree that sauce just makes anything better. Talk about complete game changer!
- If making a big batch of fries, preheat oven to 200°F (or the lowest possible setting). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and stick a wire rack over top. Place any cooked fries on top and pop in the oven while the rest of the batch cooks. This not only keeps the fries warm but also keeps them crispy and prevents them from turning soggy.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Use a high-starch potato such as russet (Idaho) or Yukon gold. They’re denser than other potatoes, hold less moisture and have thicker skins making them beautiful for crisping up. Avoid any low-starch, high moisture, waxy potatoes which include new potatoes or most potatoes with red or white skin. These potatoes hold a lot of water which actually evaporates while cooking creating an unideal, mushy situation for homemade fries.
Soaking the potatoes in water removes excess starch which, for homemade french fries, is ideal to achieve that ultimate crisp. Make sure the water is cold as hot water will react with the starch and activate it making it harder to remove from the potatoes. Soak them from anywhere between 30 minutes up to overnight (for apparently crispier fries!) PRO TIP: Do not salt the water as it will pull out the moisture from inside the potato which results in mushy french fries!
The good news is that I find that everything takes just a little less time in the air fryer! The bad news is that everyone’s air fryer is different. The one I use actually has a ‘French fry’ function (which I imagine most of them do, too) that automatically sets it to 450°F for 25 minutes. However, I always keep an eye on my fries as sometimes they require more time if I’m doing a double batch or something. Or sometimes, if I decide to cut them thinner for example, they’ll take less time.
Any leftover air fryer fries should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge. When ready to reheat, simply lay them in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and pop them in a 350°F oven for up to 10 minutes or until heated through. Keep an eye on them in the last few minutes to ensure they don’t burn. I don’t think you need me to tell you that a leftover fry has nothing against a fry fresh out of the oven or air fryer. But hey, the air fryer actually does some reheating magic and leftovers can sometimes come out just as good as they were the first time around.
PRO TIP: If using your air fryer to reheat the french fries, spray them with just a touch more oil before pressing start. This will help them retain their crunch and crisp up a bit more as they air fry.
Surprisingly, you can! And you can either freeze them before OR after cooking, to boot. Either way, arrange the cut fries (cooked or uncooked) in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Flash freeze them for an hour so they become stiff then transfer them to large ziploc freezer bags where they’ll keep for up to 3 months. French fries can be cooked directly from frozen but you may need to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
LOVE FRIES?! Try my restaurant-style parmesan fries or my keto-friendly jicama fries next!
MORE FAVOURITE POTATO RECIPES
VEGAN SCALLOPED SWEET POTATOES
CRISPY OVEN BAKED DINER STYLE HOME FRIES
CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES WITH SOUR CREAM
LOVE THIS RECIPE? PIN IT FOR LATER!
FRIES (AIR FRYER)
Ingredients
- 4 large Russet Potatoes*
- Salt to taste
- Cooking Spray
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes and peel, if desired (I leave the peels on as they crisp up beautifully in the air fryer). Using a sharp knife, slice, lengthwise, into even "discs" (you should get about 5 long slices per potato).
- Carefully slice each disc into 1/4-1/2 inch wide sticks.
- Add them to a bowl and top with cold water, just enough to cover them. Soak for at least 30 minutes but up to overnight, if time allows.
- Drain and pat dry with paper towel.
- Arrange the potato sticks on the air fryer tray or basket in a SINGLE LAYER, not touching. Spray with cooking oil and season liberally with salt. Alternatively, you can add the fries to a bowl then spray and salt, using your hands or tongs to turn them and evenly coat.
- Air Fry on 450°F for 20-25 minutes or until the fries are crispy and golden. Keep in mind that all air fryers are different and therefore, the actual cooking time will vary. Keep an eye in the last few minutes of cooking to ensure they don't burn. The beauty of the air fryer (mine at least) is that there is absolutely no flipping required! They'll evenly cook all the way around so long as they're in a single layer and have room to breathe!
- Top with more salt, fresh herbs (if desired), and serve with your favourite dipping sauces.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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