Air Fryer French Fries Recipe

French fries are a classic American side dish that we all know and love. They are salty, crispy, and go well with just about anything. Sometimes, you just don't feel like settling for drive-thru options, but don't want to break out the dust-covered deep fryer. If you have hopped on the air fryer train, we are here to tell you that you can easily make your favorite fried spuds at home. 

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for air fryer french fries and says, "These french fries are every bit as good as the deep fried version, and actually offer quite a few health benefits. Potatoes are high in potassium, Vitamin C, and are full of fiber to keep us full for longer. I like to keep the peel on, which contains some of the vitamins, and also saves a step in preparing the fries" (via Healthline). Read on to learn how to make these delicious french fries in your air fryer.

Gather the ingredients for air fryer french fries

To make this recipe, we'll need some russet potatoes. Hahn says, "I like using russet potatoes because they tend to get the crispiest, and the size lends itself to long french fries like you would get at a restaurant." We'll also need some avocado oil; Hahn chooses this oil because it has a high smoke point, and it's one of the healthiest to use when cooking at a high temperature. Then for our spices, we'll need some garlic granules, onion granules, salt, smoked paprika, and pepper.

Prep the potatoes

Our first step is to cut the potatoes into our french fry shape. "I always buy organic potatoes, and leave the skin on," Hahn remarks. "But if you if you prefer to peel them, that won't affect the end result." Once they are cut, put them in a bowl, and cover them with ice and water. Let sit for 30 minutes — this pulls the starch out, which helps achieve the crispy texture we are going for.

Season the potatoes

Drain the potatoes when they are done soaking, and dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel. Put them back in the bowl, and add the oil, garlic granules, onion granules, salt, smoked paprika, and pepper. Toss to coat all of the fries.

Air fry, and serve the french fries

Lay the seasoned fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You will most likely have to cook these in batches based on the size of your air fryer. "I love to use parchment sheets that are cut to air fryer size when I cook these because it makes clean up super quick. You can find them online, and they are very inexpensive." Hahn shares. Set the temperature to 400 F, and the time to 20 minutes, or until crispy. You'll want to give the air fryer basket a few shakes about halfway through cooking. Your steamy hot, crispy french fries are ready to serve. They will last several days in the fridge in a sealed container, and Hahn says to just heat them up in the air fryer for a few minutes to get crispy again. 

Air Fryer French Fries Recipe
5 from 24 ratings
This air fryer french fries recipe eliminates the need for drive-thru spuds, or soggy, frozen alternatives.
Prep Time
40
minutes
Cook Time
20
minutes
Servings
6
Servings
french fries on plates
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients
  • 3 medium russet potatoes, unpeeled and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • ½ teaspoon garlic granules
  • ½ teaspoon onion granules
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
Directions
  1. Slice the potatoes into a thin stick shape.
  2. Add to a bowl with water and ice, and let sit for 30 minutes.
  3. Drain the water, and dry off the potatoes. Add the oil, garlic granules, onion granules, salt, smoked paprika, and pepper. Toss to combine.
  4. Lay in a single layer in the air fryer. Turn heat to 400 F, and cook for 20 minutes, or until browned and crispy.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 106
Total Fat 2.4 g
Saturated Fat 0.3 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Total Carbohydrates 19.5 g
Dietary Fiber 1.5 g
Total Sugars 0.7 g
Sodium 199.3 mg
Protein 2.3 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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