Crispy and delicious, these air fryer French fries are quick and easy to make! With just a few simple ingredients, you can make a healthier version that tastes better than restaurant French fries in your own kitchen in less than 30 minutes!
Making French fries in the air fryer is hands down "better than French fries at a restaurant". Those are my son's words, not mine. But he's not wrong. I was honestly shocked at how good these turned out. While I love a good potato recipe, like these crock pot garlic potatoes, these buttery homemade mashed potatoes, and these oven roasted potatoes, it's really hard to beat these air fryer French fries.
When you make French fries in the air fryer, it takes the texture and flavor to a whole new level. They have a crispy texture on the outside with a soft and velvety taste on the inside. And they are so simple to make! Try pairing them with my sweet potato and kale veggie burger or this grilled Juicy Lucy burger. We also like to turn these into chili cheese fries by topping them with this southwest chili. Personally, I like dipping these fries in my homemade garlic aioli!!
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Why This Recipe Works
1. These French fries are loaded with incredible savory flavors.
2. Made with hardly any oil, this is a healthier recipe. It requires minimal effort or mess, and they contain less fat than the fast food and restaurant version.
3. You can freeze these French fries and then cook them in the air fryer when you are ready to eat them!
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- Potatoes: Idaho or Russet both work best. They are rich in flavor and do a great job expanding just enough on the inside while leaving the outside of the fries perfectly crisp.
- Avocado Oil: has a high smoke point and is a heart healthy fat with several nutritional benefits.
- Garlic Powder: adds a subtle hint of garlic flavor to the French fry seasoning.
- Ground Pepper: a flavor enhancer that adds a little bit of a kick.
- Paprika: adds a little bit of color and adds a depth of flavor to the French fry seasoning.
- Seasoning Salt: adds more flavor than using regular salt and adds layer of flavors to every bite!
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!
Variations
- Potatoes - Yukon Gold potatoes can be substituted and work really well. New potatoes and fingerlings don't work as well in this recipe because their internal texture is too moist and velvety.
- Soaking Potatoes - Some people like to soak the cut potatoes in water before air frying. I've tested both methods of just rinsing the potatoes and soaking them for 30 minutes and I can't tell a big difference either way. If you're in a hurry, rinse them for 1-2 minutes under running water. If you want to soak them, do it. Excess starch is being removed regardless of the method you use.
- Types of Oil - Olive oil and grape seed oil are great substitutes and are also healthy oils. While vegetable oil and canola oil can also be used, they aren't as healthy. If you have a flavor infused olive oil, use it! Both rosemary and garlic infused oils taste amazing.
- Different Sizes of French Fries- For average size fries, cut them ¼ inch thick. For steak fries, cut them ½ inch thick. Just keep in mind that the the thicker the potatoes are, the longer they will take to cook. If you have a mandoline, use it. It helps cut the potatoes pretty accurately at the desired size.
🔪 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Peel the potatoes and then cut them lengthwise. From there, cut them into ¼-inch thick slices. Rinse the cut potatoes under running water and then dry them with paper towels. Set aside.
Step 2: In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, ground pepper, seasoning salt, and paprika. Stir until well combined.
Expert Tip
Some people prefer to remove all the peelings from the potato while others like a small amount of peeling left on. They turn out great regardless of how you peel them or don't peel them. Keep in mind... they will turn out a bit more crispy if the peeling is left on.
Step 3: Next, put the cut potatoes, avocado oil, and seasoning mixture in a gallon size plastic bag or large bowl. Seal and shake the bag until the cut potatoes are well coated and evenly combined.
Step 4: Put the seasoned cut potatoes into the basket ensuring they are spread evenly and not overlapping. Work in batches if needed. If they are too close together, air can't circulate and they won't get crispy. Put the air fryer basket back in and close.
Step 5: Set the temperature to 400°F. Then, set the timer to 18 minutes and press the power button. When the timer goes off, remove the basket. Wait 5 minutes before serving and then top with fresh chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese.
Expert Tip
Open the air fryer a couple of times during the cooking process to stir the fries around with a pair of tongs or spatula. This helps ensure the fries crisp up evenly on both sides. It's also good to check them often near the end of the cooking cycle to see how brown they’re getting.
You'll know they're done when they are light golden brown in color. The texture should be crispy on the outside and the center should be soft and velvety.
When you make French fries in the air fryer, they turn out perfectly crispy and crunchy just like you would get at your favorite restaurant. But, they won't be dripping in oil with a ton of unnecessary additives, and preservatives! Absolutely irresistible, you'll find yourself making these over and over again!
🙋 Recipe FAQs
While the instructions advise to air fry for 18 minutes, make sure you adjust the cooking time, as needed. Not all machines are the same. Some prefer them done at the 14 minute mark. I like them done at 18 minutes. My husband likes them done at the 20 minute mark so they become extra crispy. Don't be afraid to adjust the cooking time to get the texture you want.
You can cut and season potatoes ahead of time and freeze them until you're ready to make them! Set the temperature to 400°F and air fry for 20-25 minutes. Halfway through the cooking process, shake the basket and gently turn the fries. Cook until desired crispiness is reached.
Set the temperature to 350°F. Place the leftover fries in the basket. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until they reach the desired crispiness.
Expert Tips
- There is no need to preheat the air fryer when making this recipe.
- After they are done cooking, keep the French fries warm until ready to serve. You can the oven to 200°F to keep them warm and crisp on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- The most simple way to top these fries is with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. My daughter likes to melt mozzarella cheese on top with diced green peppers. The variations are endless!
- If you want to soak them to remove as much starch as possible, these can be made ahead of time. Cut the potatoes, soak them, and then put them in a big bowl of water and put it in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. When you're ready make them, drain the water, rinse, and dry them well with paper towels. From there, continue with the recipe as written.
- You can also freeze the uncooked seasoned fries for up to 3 months. When ready to make, put the frozen french fries in the basket and cook at 400°F for 18-20 minutes.
🍽️ More Easy Air Fryer Recipes You'll Love
If you tried making these French fries in the air fryer or have made any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!
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How To Make French Fries In The Air Fryer
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4 potatoes, Russet or Idaho
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and then cut them lengthwise into ¼-inch thick slices.
- Rinse the cut potatoes under running water in a colander for 1-2 minutes. Dry with paper towels. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, ground pepper, seasoning salt, and paprika. Stir until well combined.
- Next, put the cut potatoes, avocado oil, and seasoning mixture in a gallon size plastic bag or large bowl. Seal and shake the bag until the cut potatoes are well coated and evenly combined.
- Place the seasoned cut potatoes into the air fryer basket ensuring they are spread evenly and not overlapping. Work in batches if needed. Put the basket back in the air fryer and close.
- Manually set the temperature to 400°F. Then, set the cook time to 18 minutes and press the power button.
- Open the basket a couple of times during the cooking process to stir the fries around with a pair of tongs. This helps ensure the fries crispy evenly on both sides.
- When the timer goes off, remove the pan. Wait 5 minutes before serving and then top with fresh chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- There is no need to preheat the air fryer when making this recipe.
- For average size fries, cut them ¼ inch thick. For steak fries, cut them ½ inch thick. The thicker the cut, the longer it will take to cook.
- Keep the seasoned fries warm until ready to serve. Set the oven to 200°F to keep them warm and crisp on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Tammy
I'm obsessed with my air fryer and making fresh fries without the guilt! These look delicious 😀
Amanda Mason
Yep - guiltless and restaurant quality! These are so amazing!!
Kayla DiMaggio
These air fryer french fries are perfect! So delicious!
Marie
These fries come out so perfectly golden and crispy, they really hit the spot! Loved that sprinkle of parmesan on top.
Amanda Mason
Glad you love them! They do come out amazing every time!!