I made these air fryer french fries about 30 times before perfecting this recipe to get that nice crispy texture on every single fry.
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Perfected Homemade French Fries in the Air Fryer
Air fryer french fries was the first recipe I ever tried cooking in my air fryer. In fact, I bought an air fryer just to make homemade fries.
I had my sister over for dinner one night and made two large potatoes worth of french fries in my tiny 2 quart air fryer and guess what? They were half burnt and half raw.
Turns out I had too many potatoes in the basket and they couldn’t cook evenly. That is just one mistake I’ve made while air frying… and I’ve made plenty that I even wrote a post about them.
I was determined to make cooking french fries in the air fryer work, so I kept testing them over and over again until I came up with this fail-proof recipe. I also upgraded my air fryer so I had enough room to cook fries for all 4 of us at home.
And because these came out so well, I went ahead and perfected a few other ways to make them like potato wedges, frozen fries, and even sliced potatoes.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Fries
- Potatoes — Russet work best, but you could use Idaho or Yukon Gold potatoes
- Oil — EVOO, olive oil, and vegetable oil all work great
- Salt — kosher or a little less sea salt
How To Cook Air Fryer French Fries
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Wash and peel the potatoes (optional) and cut them into ¼-inch slices. I like to use a Y-peeler to peel the skin off since it’s easier to hold in my hand.
STEP TWO: Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl full of water and toss them around. Drain the water then repeat 5-6 times until the water starts to run clear.
STEP THREE: Dry the potatoes and bowl with paper towel, then add the potatoes back to the dry bowl. Drizzle the fries with extra virgin olive oil and add the salt. Mix to combine.
STEP FOUR: Cook the fries in an air fryer at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, flip them, then return them to your air fryer to cook at 400 degrees F for an additional 15-18 minutes, flipping once again halfway through. Remove them from the basket and serve with your favorite dipping sauces!
What to Serve with Air Fryer French Fries
French fries work as the perfect side dish to so many easy dinners. My favorites are air fryer hamburgers, air fryer hot dogs, air fryer chicken tenders, and some air fryer mac and cheese.
In the summer, we also pair them with some coleslaw and watermelon salad for a full dinner.
Tips For Crispy French Fries in the Air Fryer
- Soak your potatoes before air frying to help remove any starch for about 30 minutes. If you are short on time, use the method in my recipe to help remove some starch to help crisp them up.
- Place the fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket so they cook evenly. Cook them in batches if you need to cook more fries than your air fryer can hold.
- Cook the fries at a low heat to start and then turn the air fryer temperature up to give them that crispy texture.
- Dry your potatoes completely before adding oil. This allows the oil to stick to the potato whereas if it’s still wet, it will repel it and they could turn soggy.
- Use oil on the potatoes! You still need a little oil when air frying most foods. This will help them crisp up while being cooked and it’s still much less oil and healthier than deep frying (and faster than the oven)!
- Use the right potatoes. Russet potatoes work best for crisping up because they have less moisture than other potatoes. You can also use Yukon Gold or Idaho potatoes.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 3 days.
Sauce and Seasoning Ideas
- Add some french fry seasoning to add some extra flavor. I am obsessed with Lawry’s French Fry seasoning!
- Try a homemade blend of spices by adding in paprika, garlic powder, and sea salt like in my air fryer sweet potato fries recipe. You can also use some cayenne pepper for an added spiciness.
- Serve them with a good dipping sauce. My favorites are ketchup, nacho cheese sauce, ranch, sriracha mayo, and garlic aioli.
How to Reheat French Fries in An Air Fryer
Reheat any leftovers in a preheated air fryer at 350 degrees for 2 to 3 minutes until the fries are hot and crispy again.
These directions work for all sorts of leftover fries too. You can reheat everything from Wendy’s to McDonald’s and even frozen fries!
More Air Fryer French Fries Recipes
- Frozen Crinkle Fries In The Air Fryer
- Curly Fries In The Air Fryer
- Steak Fries In The Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Waffle Fries
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges
Crispy Air Fryer French Fries
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Wash and peel your potatoes (optional) and cut them into 1/4 inch slices.
- Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl full of water and toss them around. Drain the water then repeat 5-6 times until the water starts to run clear.
- Dry off potatoes and bowl with a paper towel* then add them back to the dry bowl.
- Toss the fries with extra virgin olive oil and salt.
- Cook french fries at 350 °F degrees for 10 minutes.
- Flip the fries then continue to cook them at an increased temperature of 400 °F degrees for another 15-18 minutes, flipping the fries halfway through.
- Remove the fries and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce!
Hi Samantha, I just purchased my first air fryer and I’m loving your recipes! I classify myself as a great cook but have never used a air fryer or fryer at all. My air fryer is a Beville and looks more like a toaster oven (which it also does) my question to you is should I be lining the bottom of the basket with say aluminum foil for recipes that are made with marinades? I appreciate any feedback and thank you for all your great recipes!
Hi Karen, congrats on your first air fryer! Did your air fryer come with a drip tray? Most air fryer ovens come with a drip tray to place at the bottom of your air fryer to catch any of the marinade that falls off. But no, you don’t need aluminum foil for those. Here is a good read on using tin foil in the air fryer: https://www.everydayfamilycooking.com/can-you-put-foil-in-an-air-fryer/
I’ve had my air fryer for about a month and it is still in the box. Mainly because my son was getting married and I had no time or energy left to read the directions. Now I am ready!
I read through your French fries recipe and being a “challenged” novice, I have a question. Do I leave the cut up potatoes in the bowl and put the bowl in the machine or do I transfer the potatoes into a basket in the machine?
Hi Pam, great question! Only oven-safe material is safe in an air fryer. You will want to dry off the potatoes and then transfer them from the bowl to the air fryer. Enjoy!