Making french fries from scratch has never been easier! These Air Fryer French Fries only require 3 simple ingredients and are perfectly crispy every time!
Why I Love These Air Fryer French Fries
- Easy cleanup option! One of my favorite things about using the air fryer is you get the taste of a classic homemade fry but without all the mess of deep frying! Such a game changer!
- The perfect side! These air fryer french fries make a great side dish for just about any meal. Perfect for busy weeknights!
- Only basic 3 ingredients! You only need potatoes, a little oil, and salt for this french fry recipe.
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes: I used russet potatoes for a classic fry taste but you can also use Yukon gold potatoes if you like a softer center.
- Olive Oil: You can also use avocado oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil if you prefer.
- Seasonings: I kept things simple with salt and pepper. But you can use any spices or seasonings you prefer!
How to Make French Fries In The Air Fryer
Step 1: Clean and cut the potatoes
Use a small kitchen brush or washcloth to scrub your potatoes. Once clean, cut your potatoes into even, ¼-inch thick slices. I prefer to leave the skin on as this helps the potatoes crisp up in the air fryer.
Tip: Aim to cut potatoes into similar-sized fries so that they will cook at the same rate. I like using this fry cutter to get the ideal-sized french fry. Plus, it's a huge time saver!
Step 2: Soak potatoes in an ice bath
Place potato slices in a large bowl of ice water for 30 minutes. Soaking potatoes in an ice bath helps draw out excess starch to give us the crispy result we are looking for!
Step 3: Dry and cook potatoes
- After 30 minutes, remove potatoes from ice bath and dry with paper towels. Make sure to get rid of any excess water on the potatoes so that your oil and seasonings will stick.
- Transfer potatoes to a dry bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Place potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook at 375°F for 16-22 minutes, shaking them halfway through. Cook until french fries reach your desired level of crispiness. Cooking time will depend on the size of your air fryer and thickness of your fries.
Tip: Be sure to not overcrowd the potatoes in the air fryer or they will have a hard time getting crispy! For best results, you want to make sure the potatoes have a little space in between them so the hot air can circulate and ensure even cooking. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do this in several batches to avoid soggy fries.
Step 4: Season and enjoy!
- Remove homemade fries from air fryer and season with additional salt, pepper, ranch seasoning, your favorite simple seasoning blend, etc.
- Then dip in your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!
Tips & Variations
- Crinkle cut fries: Cut your potatoes with a crinkle cut potato cutter if you love crinkle cut fries!
- Different flavors: Feel free to add your own personal touch to these air fryer french fries. Try adding a mix of your favorite spices like garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, etc. Or use your favorite seasonings like lemon pepper or cajun. These fries are also delicious with a little parmesan or cheddar cheese sprinkled on top!
- Flip fries halfway through: If you have a basket-style air fryer, I recommend shaking the basket halfway through the cooking process to make sure all sides of the fries get crispy. If you have a toaster-oven style air fryer, use thongs or a fork to flip the fries halfway through (just be careful because as the fries will be hot).
- The dryer the potatoes, the crispier the fries: To get crispy french fries without using a deep fryer, we want to make sure the potatoes are as dry as possible. The dryer the fries = the crispier they will get in the air fryer.
Storage & Freezing
- Storage: These air fryer fries are best served fresh! However, you can store any leftover fries in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat for 3-5 minutes in the air fryer when ready to enjoy!
- Freezing: I don't recommend freezing these.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Cooking time will depend on the size of your air fryer and thickness of your potato sticks. I recommend cooking your french fries for 16-22 minutes or until the fries are golden brown. You may need more or less time, depending on how you like your french fries.
I think russet potatoes are the best potatoes for this recipe - you can also use Yukon gold potatoes which give your fries a creamier center. I have not tested this recipe with Yukons, but just note you may need to adjust the cook time a bit. If you give this recipe a try with a different kind of potato, be sure to report back!
I love crispy french fries so I like to soak my potatoes in an ice bath before cooking to remove the excess starch. Technically, this step is optional but I highly recommend if you like crispy fries!
You do not need to preheat the air fryer for this homemade french fry recipe.
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Air Fryer French Fries
Ingredients
⭐️ Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor afterwards and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- Use a small kitchen brush or wash cloth to scrub your potatoes. Once clean, cut your potatoes into even, ¼-inch thick slices. I prefer to leave the skin on as this helps the potatoes crisp up in the air fryer.Tip: Aim to cut potatoes into similar-sized fries so that they will cook at the same rate. I like using this fry cutter to get the ideal-sized french fry. Plus, it's a huge time saver!
- Place potato slices in a large bowl of ice water for 30 minutes. Soaking potatoes in an ice bath helps draw out excess starch to give us the crispy result we are looking for!
- After 30 minutes, remove potatoes from ice bath and dry with paper towels. Make sure to get rid of any excess water on the potatoes so that your oil and seasonings will stick.
- Transfer potatoes to a dry bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Place potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook at 375°F for 16-22 minutes, shaking halfway through. Cook until french fries reach your desired level of crispiness. Cooking time will depend on the size of your air fryer and thickness of your fries.Tip: Be sure to not overcrowd the potatoes in the air fryer or they will have a hard time getting crispy! For best results, you want to make sure the potatoes have a little space in between them so the hot air can circulate and ensure even cooking. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do this in several batches to avoid soggy fries.
- Remove homemade fries from air fryer and season with additional salt, pepper, ranch seasoning, your favorite simple seasoning blend, etc.
- Then dip in your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!
Notes from Melissa
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