If you're craving hot crispy thick cut homemade fries but don't want something that is greasy and deep fried, these flavorful Air Fryer French Fries are amazingly delicious! Just the right amount of olive oil and seasonings over freshly cut russet potatoes create the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth, golden brown french fries.
Why this recipe is so great:
- Less fat: That's why we all use the air fryer, right? Instead of traditional deep fried french fries, air fryer french fries have the same great crispy texture with a fraction of the oil.
- Unbelievable taste and texture: These fries have the perfect amount of seasoning on every bite. Each fry is crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth on the inside.
- Simple ingredients: Unlike frozen fries that you bake, there are never any surprises when you cook from scratch.
Ingredients needed:
Exact quantities are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.
- Russet potatoes: Other potatoes can be used, but russets offer the best flavor and texture.
- Oil: Olive oil is my preferred oil when making air fryer french fries, but something like avocado oil works great too.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt are all you need. To take these fries to the next level, you must use Jacobsen Rosemary Salt - I'm absolutely obsessed with this. Not only are their products local to me, but they are outstanding.
How to make Air Fryer French Fries:
Detailed step by step instructions are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.
- Clean potatoes: Scrub off dirt and remove any eyes. I highly recommend using this Veggie & Fruit Scrub Cloth.
- Cut: Slice potatoes into fry shapes. My rule of thumb is to keep them no thicker than your pinky finger.
- Soak: Do not skip this step. Soaking the potatoes in the cold water not only removes excess starch, but it helps the inside of the fries steam while they cook. This will create the best taste and texture once they're cooked in the air fryer.
- Season: Toss the potatoes with oil and seasoning in a large bowl to coat.
- Air fry: Arrange fries in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, they will need to be cooked in at least two batches. 20 minutes with a shake half way through and they're done.
scrub dirt off potatoes slice into fry shape soak in cold water toss with oil and seasonings arrange in thin layer air fry until golden brown
Recipe tips for perfect results:
- Plan ahead: Since fries need to be cooked in a single layer and this recipe makes a lot, they will need to be cooked in batches. Since each batch takes 20 minutes, these will most likely take a minimum of 40 minutes to make (longer if you have a small air fryer).
- Storage and reheating: Store any leftover fries in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and consume within 4-6 days. To reheat, just place in air fryer basket and cook at 400°F until heated through.
Serve this recipe with:
- Burgers: What's a delicious fry without an amazing burger? Make a Stuffed Bacon Jalapeno Cheddar Burger, Spicy Southwestern Turkey Burgers, or my favorite World's Greatest Hamburger.
- Fry Sauce: Sure, ketchup will work just fine, but take these air fryer french fries to the next level with Southwestern Fry Sauce or Bacon Jalapeno Fry Sauce.
- Aioli: If you want to be extra decadent, dip the fries into homemade Basil Garlic Aioli, Chipotle Aioli, or Green Chile Aioli.
Note: The model of air fryer I used for this recipe was the Breville Smart Oven. Although each model air fryer cooking in a similar manner, basket sizes and cooking times may vary greatly from model to model.
If you’ve made this or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out. I love hearing from my readers!
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Full Recipe Instructions
Air Fryer French Fries
If you're craving hot crispy thick cut homemade fries but don't want something that is greasy and deep fried, these flavorful Air Fryer French Fries are amazingly delicious! Just the right amount of olive oil and seasonings over freshly cut russet potatoes create the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth, golden brown french fries.
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Scale: servings
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Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes ((skin scrubbed to remove dirt but not peeled))
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sea salt ((highly recommend Jacobsen Salt Co. Rosemary salt, can also use kosher salt as a substitution))
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Soak the potatoes:
- Slice the potatoes into long strips that are ¼" to ½" thick.
- Place in large bowl of cold water for a minimum of 30 minutes, or as long as overnight if kept refrigerated.
Cook the fries:
- Preheat air fryer to 385°F.
- Drain and rinse the potatoes. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove any excess water. Transfer to a clean bowl and toss with remaining ingredients.
- Add potatoes to the air fryer basket and arrange so that they are in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, this will need to cook in multiple batches.
- Place basket in preheated air fryer and plan to cook for 20 minutes, shaking the basket well to shift them around after the first 10 minutes. Note: If you sliced the fries thin, they will cook faster, so keep an eye on them. When they are mostly golden brown, remove from air fryer and transfer to a clean bowl. Repeat with remaining batches.
- Once all the fries are done, you can add all of them back to the air fryer basket and continue cooking for a couple of minutes so that they are all hot and crispy prior to serving.
Notes
Nutritional information based on a half pound of potatoes (uncooked weight) per person - a rather large serving.
- Plan ahead: Since fries need to be cooked in a single layer and this recipe makes a lot, they will need to be cooked in batches. Since each batch takes 20 minutes, these will most likely take a minimum of 40 minutes to make (longer if you have a small air fryer).
- Storage and reheating: Store any leftover fries in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and consume within 4-6 days. To reheat, just place in air fryer basket and cook at 400°F until heated through.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1175mg | Potassium: 960mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 166IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg
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Rachna
I absolutely love french fries and these look gorgeous. Guilt free when done in air fryer.
Mahy
Super excited to dip these into my favorite sauce... THE BEST entertainer, that's for sure.
Toni
One of my new favorite air fryer recipes! It turned out perfect! Thanks!
Tavo
I loved this recipe! So easy and so tasty!
Gina
I never want to eat another fry again! These are incredible!