I’ve found the best way to reheat fries in the air fryer. so they finally get crispy again. They’re so good my kids eat them by the handful!
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The Crispy Way to Reheat Fries in the Air Fryer
We don’t get eat out or get takeout often, but when we do, we bring home leftovers. In those leftovers are usually fries from one of our kid’s meals. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve heated them up and then no one ate them, so we had to toss them.
And that’s when I decided to reheat fries in the air fryer. It makes food crispy, so why not try it with leftover soggy fries?
Well, it worked like a charm and now every single french fry that comes home with us is eaten — literally by the handful by my son! I honestly think he keeps the fries just for the leftovers now. He evens asks to bring home McDonald’s just so he can eat the fries once they’re air fried.
And, if you love fries, try out my ways to make them in the air fryer with french fries, sweet potato fries, waffle fries, steak fries, frozen fries, and potato wedges!
What is the Best Way to Reheat French Fries?
I’ve tried all of the below methods and reheating fries in the air fryer gets the fries crispy in the fastest amount of time, but here are other ways to reheat them.
- Air Fryer — the fastest way to get crispy fries without drying them out!
- Oven — cook leftover fries at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. My fries got a little too dried out using this method and it took about 20 minutes including oven preheating time.
- Deep Fryer — this made my fries crispy again, but added a ton of new oil to them and made them a little greasy.
- Skillet — this method worked well to reheat the fries, but it was hard to get the outsides crispy while keeping the insides not chewy.
- Microwave — the saddest way to reheat them! They turned out just soggy.
How to Reheat Fries in The Air Fryer
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F.
STEP TWO: Arrange the french fries in a single layer in the basket or tray to allow for air circulation. I recommend cooking in batches if you need to overlap them or they won’t cris up right.
STEP THREE: Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Remove, serve with your favorite sauces, and enjoy!
Tips For The Best Reheated French Fries in the Air Fryer
- Preheat your air fryer by just letting it run on empty for about 3 minutes. This lets the fries cook in high heat for less time letting them get crispier without drying out.
- Air fry them in a single layer. This allows room for circulating the hot air in the air fryer so your fries will all reheat evenly and get nice and crispy again!
- Cook skinnier fries for a shorter time. Thicker fries will take a minute or two longer to heat up and get crispy because of their size.
- Turn the heat up. All air fryers work differently and if you notice the fries not getting crispy after 3 minutes, turn your heat up to 380 degrees F and let them cook more. I notice this more in my air fryer ovens that can cook a little slower.
What Types of Fries Can I Reheat in an Air Fryer?
I’ve reheated all types of fries from steak fries to frozen fries to even pub-style and McDonald’s fries in the air fryer. They all turn out great and get crispy!
Keep in mind a thicker fry will take a minute or two longer to heat up and get crispy while thinner fries will cook faster.
Reheating Fries in the Air Fryer FAQs
How Long Are Leftover Fries Good?
Leftover fries will stay good in the refrigerator for about 3 to 5 days in an airtight container. I do recommend eating them within 2 days for the best texture.
Dipping Sauces and Seasonings for Fries
While my kids love their ketchup, I love dipping fries in nacho cheese sauce when we have it on hand. Other dipping sauces you can use are ranch, a garlic aioli, malt vinegar, and 1:1 mix of ketchup and mayo.
You can also add a little more flavor to the fries by adding some sea salt or french fry seasoning — I love using Lawry’s French Fry Seasoning for my own fries!
Ways to Use Leftover Fries
Yes, you can eat fries as, but sometimes that gets a little boring. I love to add them into sandwiches, turn them into loaded fries, onto a burger, or add taco ingredients on top of them for a taco-inspired loaded nacho fries. Since they get crispy, they add a nice texture!
More Foods to Reheat in the Air Fryer
- Pizza Slices
- Egg Rolls
- Ribs
- Baked Potatoes
- Fried Fish
- Fried Chicken
- Rotisserie Chicken
- Chicken Tenders
- Steak
- Chicken Wings
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Reheat Fries in the Air Fryer
Ingredients
- Leftover french fries up to 1lb
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F.
- Arrange the french fries in a single layer in the basket or tray so they can get crispy.
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Remove, serve with your favorite sauces, and enjoy!
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
