Would you believe that I bought an air fryer for the sole purpose of making CRISPY french fries? Because I did. And on my very first try, I made crispy french fries in just about 30 minutes! I’m in french fry heaven right now– and you can be, too.
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All you need to make crispy, relatively healthy french fries is a potato, a drizzle of olive oil (or skip it!), and your favorite seasonings. You basically prepare them exactly like you would oven-baked french fries, but the air fryer cooks them faster and with crispier results. It’s a total win-win! (I served them with this vegan special sauce, which was delicious.)
Which Air Fryer is Best?
There doesn’t seem to be a consensus when it comes to the “best” air fryer, so I read a lot of Amazon reviews and landed on buying this NuWave model. I liked that it had a 6-quart capacity (so I can make more than just french fries, if I feel so inclined) and the price point seemed more reasonable than some other models that I researched. Since I’m not sure how much I’ll use an air fryer yet, I feel comfortable with this choice so far.
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When my air fryer arrived in the mail my first reaction was, “Wow, this is huge!” It’s roughly the same size as my 8-quart Instant Pot, so it’s not a small appliance that will live on my countertop permanently. (The Instant Pot, on the other hand, has earned its spot because I use it almost every day.)
How to Make Crispy French Fries
The key to getting ultra-crispy french fries is to soak the cut potatoes in water for 10 minutes, to help remove some of their starch content. This helps the centers get tender, and the outsides get crispy!
The air fryer does an exceptional job of helping the process along, though, so if you don’t have time to soak your sliced potatoes, it’s not a deal-breaker when you use the air fryer. They really do get crispy regardless! I tested them both ways, just to be sure. (On busy weeknights, I always skip the soaking process.)
Are Air Fryer French Fries Healthy?
It’s hard to think of a french fry as being “healthy,” but I think these fries are just about as healthy as you can get. They are made with significantly less oil than the deep-fried version, and you can even make them with no oil at all, if you prefer. (I do think using a little oil helps with texture and mouthfeel, so I don’t skip it.) If you think oven-roasted potatoes are healthy, these are the same thing– just crispier!
Air Fryer French Fries Recipe
This is more of a method, or technique, so keep in mind that this recipe is just a starting point. Feel free to add any other seasonings you like, and you could even do this with sweet potatoes, too!
Here's how to make crispy Air Fryer French Fries, using little to no oil, in just 15 minutes!
- 2-3 yukon gold potatoes , scrubbed
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
- Garlic powder, paprika, and any other seasonings you like
Preheat the air fryer to 360ºF, then slice the potatoes into french fry shapes, about 1/2-inch thick. Place the raw potato slices in a bowl of warm water and let them rest for 10 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle them with the olive oil, then season generously with salt, pepper, and other seasonings you like, such as garlic powder, paprika, or chili powder. Toss well to coat the potatoes.
Arrange the seasoned potato slices on the bottom of your air fryer basket, in a single layer, if possible. The more separated the potatoes, the crispier they will be. If the potatoes overlap, I recommend flipping the fries half-way through the cooking time for more even baking.
Cook the fries at 360ºF for 15 minutes. Use a spatula to remove the crisp fries from the air fryer, then serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
Leftover fries can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, but they will get soggy with storage. I'd recommend re-heating them in the air fryer again before serving, until they are crisp again.
Per Serving: Calories: 80, Fat: 3g, Carbohydrates: 10g, Fiber: 2g, Protein: 2g
Recipe Notes:
- If you want to make these french fries oil-free, simply toss the soaked potatoes in the seasonings and bake as directed. The fries might stick slightly to the bottom of the air fryer pan, but they will still crisp up and will have a slightly drier texture when compared to using the oil.
- This recipe is very adaptable, so you can use any other oil, type of potato, or seasonings you like. Feel free to get creative!
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Reader Feedback: Have you used an air fryer before? Let me know if you have any recipe requests for this thing!
Raymond Fera
Do you have a recipie for salt water fish like red snapper, red drum or speckled trout.
Karen
I use leftover fries in the mornings sometimes to make a hash with! We own the tfal. It has an additional snack plate where we can throw in things like chicken or fish. My husband likes to make dry ribs with it a lot. It’s also nice for the summertime because I can throw stuff in it and let it work on our back deck!
Iwould Love a ginger beef recipe. Similar to what you find in Chinese takeout. It’s deep fried usually and covered in a sticky gingery syrupy sauce. But I bet you could use cauliflower instead. And then figure out some kind of sauce that is similar . Gingerbeef is my favourite thing ever
Healthy Kitchen 101
The air fryer absolutely makes the friend fries more cripsy. Back to the year that I worked part-time for a Texas Chicken restaurant, they also use the bigger fryer to make the fries, so that’s the way it works 😉
– Natalie Ellis
JoAnn Billitti
Bought the NuWave fryer last week per your recommendation. I finally had the opportunity to try the fries tonight. You’re right — so creamy and tasty, only it took more like 35 minutes to get the brown, crispy texture we like. I did use Yukon gold. My next try will be with the sweet potatoes, then maybe chicken. I hope you keep posting recipes that work with the NuWave Fryer