Air Fryer French Fries

Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings

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Air Fryer French Fries are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside! A family favorite made with hardly any oil!

overhead image of french fries in air fryer

You guys.

Can we talk about French fries?

I love a good oven roasted potato or French fry, but these Air Fryer French Fries take the humble potato to the next level!

When we are making some of The Best Burgers or these Hawaiian Chicken Burgers, this is the only side dish I need! (Although to be honest, I could make a meal out of these French fries alone!)

Just pass me a tall milkshake and I’m good to go!

The thing is, I never have frozen French fries around. I try to stick to whole foods and staples when I’m at the grocery store as much as possible, so that I know what I’m feeding my family.

close up image of air fryer french fries

That is why I pull out the Air fryer for these amazing homemade French fries. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside!

What kind of potatoes are best for this recipe?

I reach for russet potatoes when I make French fries in the air fryer because they hold their shape well, crisp up nicely but stay tender on the inside!

They are the potato most often used for fries. Other potatoes will do the trick, but your results may vary.

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What is the best way to cut my fries?

I used a sharp knife to make quick work of these potatoes but a mandolin or fry cutter would be a good option too.

I like to keep things simple and not worry about storing kitchen tools that I don’t use that often.

What tools will I need to make air fried fries?

  • Air fryer
  • Something to cut the potatoes — a knife or mandolin.
  • Large bowl
  • Rimmed baking sheet
  • Towels for drying the potatoes

How do you make Air Fryer French Fries?

  1. Clean potatoes: I rinse and scrub the potatoes under running water.
  2. Cut potatoes: I lean towards a 3/8-inch size fry. This size is great because they cook easily but are still tender on the inside.
  3. Soak the cut potatoes: Soaking will draw the starch out of the potato. This helps them crisp and keep from sticking to each other.
  4. Preheat the Air fryer: don’t skip this step! You want the fries to begin cooking as soon as you put them in. Luckily, it only takes a few minutes to preheat an air fryer!
  5. Dry the potatoes: I lay the soaked potatoes out on one towel and cover with a second then all I have to do it pat them dry — water won’t crisp or brown, so we don’t want them wet!
  6. Toss potatoes in oil.
  7. Cook for 25 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes for even cooking.
  8. Season with salt and serve hot with your very favorite condiments!

How many fries can I add to the basket at one time?

Because you are shaking the basket every 5 minutes, I have found that you can have a couple of layers of fries cooking at once.

I can fit about 2 potatoes worth in a 5.8-quart air fryer.

How do I keep my fries warm while I make the next batch?

I preheat the oven to 200℉ then put the air fried fries onto a rimmed baking sheet to keep them warm.

I have found the girls really like it when the next batch comes out just in time to ask for seconds! Perfect timing!

overhead image of hands grabbing air fryer french fries

More air fryer recipes you’ll love:

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Air Fryer French Fries

5 from 5 votes
Air Fryer French Fries are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside! A family favorite made with hardly any oil!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Soak time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Air fryer
Servings 6 servings
Calories 174cal

Ingredients

  • 4 large russet potatoes
  • 3 Tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Kosher sea salt

Instructions

  • Wash and scrub potatoes.
  • Cut potatoes into 3/8-inch fries.
  • Soak cut fries submerged in cool water for 1 hour.
  • Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees F.
  • Dry raw potatoes with a clean towel then place in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat.
  • Working in batches, place some of the fries in the basket. I can usually get half into my air fryer at one time, overlapping somewhat (you will be stirring them so that's okay!)
  • Cook for 20-25 minutes, shaking the basket to toss every 5 minutes. They are done when they are golden on the outside and tender inside.
  • Season with Kosher sea salt and serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 174cal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2333mg | Potassium: 593mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
Keywords air fryer french fries, air fryer fries

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Lima Ekram says

    Ashley – I am debating about getting an air fryer – this looks so good – how does the taste compare to regular deep fried fried – is it a little dryer?

  2. Sara Welch says

    Another great recipe for my air fryer! Made these with dinner and they turned out perfectly crisp and flavorful; the perfect finger food in minutes!

  3. Shelley says

    Such perfect time to find this recipe, Ashley! My parents JUST got an air fryer, and they’re excitedly trying all sorts of recipes. And yes …. they LOVE French fries!! Thank you!

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