Crispy Air Fryer French Fries

4.88 from 8 votes
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Air Fryer French Fries gives you the crisp texture of deep-fried french fries with a fraction of the oil. The perfect quick and easy side dish or appetizer!

Overlooking into the basket of French fries.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Tips for the Perfect French Fries
  2. Ingredients in Crispy French Fries
  3. Dipping Sauces for French Fries
  4. Frequently Asked Questions
  5. Perfect Potatoes
  6. How to Make Crispy Air Fryer French Fries
  7. Crispy Air Fryer French Fries Recipe


When it comes to side dishes, potatoes steal the show, but especially French fries. They pair so well with burgers, sandwiches, chicken, and fish. Whatever you do, don’t forget the dipping sauces! Our favorite is what is locally called fry sauce. Clever name, right? It does describe its one and only purpose, which is to enhance the deliciousness of a French fry. 

Sure, you can make French Fries in the oven or in a deep fryer, but have you tried French Fries in an Air Fryer? If not, you are missing out! With an Air Fryer, you get the best of both worlds – the crispiness of a deep fryer, and the health benefits of using an oven. Tasting is believing. With very little oil, the French fries are completely and evenly crispy on all sides. If you want another air fryer recipe to try, we also highly recommend our Air Fryer Chicken Wings!

Fries arranged in air fryer.


Tips for the Perfect French Fries

To get the perfect French fries every time, make sure you follow these tried and true tips:

  1. Perfect French fries start with the perfect potato. The best potato for fries is the Russet potato. Russets are white (on the inside) with a firm texture. They are low in moisture and have a neutral flavor that lends to a variety of seasonings.
  2. Cut the fries uniformly. We prefer a thicker cut fry, some call this homestyle fries or potato wedges. Some prefer thinner, crispier fries. Whichever you prefer, make sure all your fries are cut evenly so they will cook evenly.
  3. Soak the fries in water before air frying, then drain off the water and rinse the potatoes before adding them to the air fryer. Russet potatoes are high in starch. Soaking helps remove the starch from the potatoes and prevents the fries from sticking together. It will also make the fries crispier.
    Air Fryer French fries laid out on newspaper to cool
  4. Season, season, season. Even if it’s just with salt, fries taste much better with seasoning. With this recipe, we used some paprika for color in addition to salt, but you don’t have to stop there. Garlic salt, onion salt, seasoned salt, Cajun seasoning, Parmesan cheese, and chili powder all taste amazing on French fries. Many popular food brands carry seasonings just for fries as well.
  5. For an extra bonus, try some toppings on your fries! After the fries have finished cooking in the air fryer, throw on some bacon bits and cheese, or blue cheese crumbles, and air fry for another minute or two.

Ingredients in Crispy French Fries

  • Russet potatoes
  • Vegetable oil
  • Paprika
  • Kosher salt

Dipping Sauces for French Fries

Have you seen the t-shirts that say “French Fries are just a utensil I use to get ketchup in my mouth” or “You’re the ketchup to my fries?” While it’s true that ketchup is probably the most popular dipping sauce for French fries, it’s not the only sauce. If you are feeling adventurous, introduce your French Fries to something new. Here are some suggestions:

Close up of an air fryer French fry dipped in ranch.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should potatoes sit in water before frying?

Potatoes should sit in a large bowl of cold water for 30 minutes before frying. This will remove the excess starch and give you nice and crispy fries.

Why are my fries not crispy in an air fryer?

One thing to make sure you do is to slice the potatoes into even sizes. You want the fries to be equal thicknesses so they cook evenly. Also, you can cook in batches, no need to overload the air fryer basket.

Read More: 35+ Quick and Easy To Follow Dinner Ideas Your Family Will Surely Love

Perfect Potatoes

I like potatoes, do you? If you like potatoes as much as I do, then you’ll love these potato-centric recipes:

Broccoli Cheese Potato Skins

Baked Potato Wedges

Parmesan Garlic Grilled Potatoes

Cheesy Potato Cakes

How to Make Crispy Air Fryer French Fries

Air Fryer French Fries in a basket with 3 dipping sauces

Crispy Air Fryer French Fries

4.88 from 8 votes
Air Fryer French Fries give you the crisp texture of deep fried french fries with a fraction of the oil. The perfect quick and easy side dish or appetizer!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American, French
Servings 4

Video

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Peel and wash the potatoes.
    3 potatoes on a cutting board
  • Cut the potatoes into French fries by cutting long thick strips.
    Potatoes cut into French Fries
  • Soak the fries in cold water for 30 minutes to remove the starch (this will help them crisp up better).
    Cut Potatoes soaking in water to make fries.
  • Preheat the air fryer by cooking empty for 2 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove fries from water and pat dry with a paper towel.
    Fries being patted dry with paper towel
  • Toss fries in a large ziploc bag with oil and paprika.
    Tossing fries in oil and seasoning in a bag
  • Add fries to air fryer, leave a little space beween each fry and alternate driection of fries for each layer to allow maximum air flow.
    Fries arranged in air fryer
  • Cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Shake the basket at 10 and 15 minutes into the cooking process. Be sure to shake it hard enough that any fries sticking come loose. Salt to taste when cooking is complete.
    Cooked Fries in air fryer

Notes

Fries don’t make great leftovers, so you’d better eat ’em while they’re hot!! 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 299mgPotassium: 678mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 246IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg

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About the author

Emily Walker

Emily lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband, Beau, a physician assistant, and her three incredible children: a son and two daughters. Travel is one of her favorite ways to experience new cultures and cuisines, and she has a love for all things Disney.

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