How to Make Crispy Air Fryer French Fries

I have long maintained that potatoes, like eggs, are one of the most perfect foods. But of course for other reasons.

What if there was a way to make french fries that were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside in less than half an hour? If I told you it was possible to pull this off without the mess or hassle of frying potatoes, would you believe me?

Well there is a way and yes it’s true. Enter the air fryer.

What do air fried fries taste like?

The air fryer isn’t going to give you exactly the same results as this decadent frying — but it can come close. Given what it can do, the results are more than acceptable. With this particular recipe, you will encounter a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior.

What is an air fryer?

The air is circulated around the food at a high temperature and evenly, which cooks the food faster than otherwise in a conventional oven and gives the food a crispy exterior without additional oil or frying.

For all of these reasons, air fried fries (e.g. three times quick) taste a little crispier than those in a conventional oven.

My model advised preheating; I simply set it to the desired cooking temperature, toggled the timer until it hit 10-15 minutes, and set about preparing the ingredients.

• New to the air fryer? Check out our beginner’s guide to using an air fryer.
• Looking to invest in your own air fryer? Get our list of the best air fryers.

What kind of potatoes to use?

I’ve tried this recipe a few times with Russets and Yukon Gold. Both were good quality fries, but the Russets are clearly the superior potato for roasting, which is my direct opposite preference for roast potatoes.

Russet potatoes get their insides just how you want them—a bit fluffy and soft—while keeping the outside crispy.

And they’re the right size for fries, too. If you can pick them one at a time, rather than buying a bag, I’d recommend trying to find the longest ones you can find – smaller, round potatoes will make fries that don’t allow for much interaction with ketchup or whatever spice of choice.

You could probably use red potatoes as well, but they usually aren’t long enough to fit into the classic roast pan, so I left them out for this recipe. (They also tend to be a bit waxier, so I can’t vouch for the result.)

How to prepare your potatoes

I didn’t peel the potatoes because I like the texture of the skin, but you can peel them if you’d like. I also find that they taste better with the skin on and that you lose some vitamins when you peel them.

I cut them into roughly 1/2 inch wedges, maybe a little smaller or bigger, give or take 1/8 inch. Just remember that the thinner you cut them, the faster they will fry. If they’re thin, you may need to reduce the frying time by a few minutes.

Why should you soak your potatoes?

When preparing traditional fried fries, it is advisable to soak the potatoes in cold water beforehand. There’s something magical about soaking the potatoes with the starch—it helps achieve the fries’ coveted crispiness and keeps the fries from sticking together. I did the same thing with the hot air fryer.

I soaked these potatoes for about an hour, but I’ve also soaked them for up to 24 hours with no ill effects. Just pat them completely dry before preparing them for the fryer. You can soak them in a bowl of water in the fridge throughout the day while you work.

I wouldn’t bother making potatoes from the raw state without soaking them. It takes about half an hour and the texture won’t be nearly as rewarding. They just don’t get very crispy without the cold soak.

What kind of oil to use?

I used a combination of expeller-pressed canola and coconut oil, which I usually use for frying and roasting vegetables. Any type of vegetable oil would work.

Keep in mind that if you use olive oil, the potatoes will brown faster without necessarily being fully cooked through. I didn’t enjoy that.

You only need about a tablespoon of oil tossed in for coating to crisp up the potatoes.

More Favorite Potato Recipes!

• Crunchy hash browns
• Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
• Pressure cooker garlic mashed potatoes
• Crispy parmesan potato stacks
• Cheesy Potato Skins