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In this post: These fresh air fryer french fries are thick and delicious. They are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Learn how to make them here!
Once you start making these air fryer french fries, you’ll never go back to the old oven method! Not only do these french fries cook faster in the air fryer, but they also get crispier. Learn to make them for yourself with step-by-step instructions below!
What is an Air Fryer?
An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that fries food by circulating hot air through its sealed chamber. This fries your food with much less oil than the traditional method!
What is the Best Air Fryer?
My favorite air fryer is this 6.5-quart NINJA Foodi! It’s a 9-in-1 air fryer, pressure cooker, slow cooker, and more!
Why Make Air Fryer French Fries?
These air fryer french fries are perfect for your homemade fry craving! Plus, they cook faster than oven-baked fries do and they turn out crispier. What’s not to love? 🙂
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This air fryer french fries recipe:
- is quick and easy to make
- doesn’t include complicated instructions or hard-to-find ingredients
- is free of the most common food allergens
Air Fryer French Fry Ingredients
- Potatoes: you can use whatever kind of potato you want, but I find russet potatoes work best.
- Olive oil: this can be substituted for another vegetable oil like avocado oil or canola oil.
- Garlic: adds a nice tangy spice to the fries.
- Sea salt: this is a great basic spice you can add. Check out some more seasoning ideas below!
- Spinach (optional): lay your french fries on a bed of spinach for an extra serving of veggies.
Variations
- Type of potato: I favor russet potatoes for french fries, but you can experiment with different kinds! You could even try sweet potato fries, just keep in mind the cooking time might need to be a little different.
- Seasonings: try adding cayenne pepper, dill, chili powder, black pepper, chives, or seasoning mixes like Greek Seasoning, Fajita Seasoning, or Italian Seasoning depending on what main you’re serving these fries with.
- Dips: serve the fries with ketchup, BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, ranch, or my favorite dipping sauce, Chili Lime Mayo!
How to Make The Best Air Fryer French Fries
- Peel the potatoes and slice them into the shape of french fries.
- Transfer the potatoes into the air fryer. Pour olive oil over them.
- Chop the garlic into fine pieces and add it to the potatoes.
- Add salt and toss the fries until they are well coated.
- Air fry at 350F for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
What to Serve With French Fries
These air fryer french fries go great with dishes like:
Best Air Fryer Fries Tips
- Sometimes it’s hard to tell if the fries are done. When in doubt, taste test!
- You should peel your potatoes before cooking them – potato peels can get pretty solid in the air fryer.
- If you overcrowd your air fryer, the fries may steam instead of fry. So, if your air fryer is too small to cook this recipe all at once, you can cook it in a couple of batches.
The Best Potato for French Fries
- Russet potatoes: these will give you the fluffy interior and crispy exterior that most people look for in french fries.
- Baby potatoes: these will yield small but delightfully crispy french fries.
- Yukon gold potatoes: these taste great but turn out a little mushy in the air fryer.
FAQs
Should I soak my fries or not?
It’s sort of common cooking knowledge that soaking french fries in cold water before frying them makes them crispier because it gets rid of the starch that makes them stick together. Your fries will turn out a little crispier if you soak them, but if you don’t want to put in the work, the fries will still be nice and crispy without soaking!
What kind of oil to use?
I like to use olive oil or canola oil, but you can use any kind of vegetable oil you like!
Can I make these oil free?
Yes, you can omit the oil in this recipe! The texture of the fries might be different and the seasonings will have trouble sticking, but the fries will still taste great.
Do I have to cook them in batches?
It’s definitely not necessary! Lots of people say the only way to make crispy air fryer fries is to cook them in a single layer. But, let’s be honest, most of us don’t have the time – or patience – to cook multiple batches. I agree that if the french fries are super crowded, they don’t get quite as crispy because the air can’t get in between the fries to cook them. But, unless you’re seriously overcrowding your air fryer, you can get away with cooking your fries in one batch with multiple layers!
How long should you air-fry french fries?
In this recipe, I air-fry my fries at 350F for about 20 minutes! The cooking time may have to be adjusted for the size of your fries, the type of potato you use, and which air fryer you use. Check on your fries every couple of minutes after the 15-minute mark until they’re cooked to your liking!
Do air fryers make good french fries?
It all depends on your personal preferences, but I’m a big fan of air-fried french fries! The fries are easy to season and cook to a delightful crisp.
Are air fryers healthy?
Unlike the traditional method of frying french fries, air fryers use little to no oil. This makes fries made in the air fryer healthier – especially if you like to eat french fries often!
Do you put oil in the air fryer for fries?
I like to add a little oil directly to my french fries so the seasonings stick to the fries. And if you wanted, you could spray the oil directly into the air fryer basket so the fries don’t stick to it.
Why are my fries not getting crispy in the air fryer?
It’s likely that there are too many fries in your air fryer. Remember, the air fryer cooks food by circulating hot air around its sealed chamber. So, the hot air needs to be able to get in between the fries to cook them well.
Storage and Reheating
- In the refrigerator: let the leftovers cool completely and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350F for 4-6 minutes. Check on them often to make sure they aren’t burning.
- In the freezer: let the fries cool completely, wrap them in parchment paper, and store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the freezer for 2-3 months. Thaw them in the fridge before reheating them at 350F in the air fryer for 4-6 minutes. Check on the fries often to make sure they aren’t burning.
More Air Fryer Recipes
More Side Dishes
Air Fryer French Fries From Scratch
Thick, delicious, and crispy.
Ingredients
- 5-6 medium size potatoes (peeled)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp salt
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and slice them into french fry shape.
- Transfer the potatoes to the air fryer. Pour olive oil over them.
- Chop the garlic into fine pieces and place them on the sliced potatoes.
- Add salt and toss the fries until they are well coated.
- Air fry at 350F for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 728Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3541mgCarbohydrates: 111gFiber: 12gSugar: 6gProtein: 13g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily via Nutrifox.
