Air Fryer French Fries

These air fryer French fries are just as crispy and crunchy as regular fries, but they use far less oil. With just 3 ingredients, they're easy and delicious.

 Air fryer French fries

If you’re looking for an easy side to pair with your veggie burgers this weekend, these air fryer French fries are just the thing for you! I know, I know. When it comes to grilling sides, I’m usually all about salads or corn on the cob, but sometimes, I get a craving for a salty, crunchy snack that even the best summer salad can’t satisfy. That’s where these air fryer French fries come in.

In a lot of ways, they’re just like regular fries. They’re crispy on the outside, creamy in the middle, and dusted with an irresistible coating of salt. But there is one key difference between deep frying and air frying: you only need a light drizzle of oil to make crispy French fries in the air fryer. As a result, these fries are far healthier than average ones.

This is good news for Jack and me, because we’ve been making (and eating) these air fryer fries on repeat lately. They only require 3 basic ingredients, and they cook up in no time. Fresh out of the fryer, they’re hot, crunchy, and completely addictive. Try them once, and you’ll be hooked.

Uncooked Air fryer fries

How to Make Air Fryer French Fries

When you’re ready to cook, here’s what you need to do:

First, chop your potatoes. Aim for them all to be a similar size, about 1/4-inch thick. That way, they’ll all cook at the same rate. I don’t recommend peeling your potatoes – the skin helps them crisp up nicely as they cook. Once you’ve chopped the potatoes into fries, toss them all with olive oil and salt.

Next, cook the first batch. Spread the cut potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket with a little space between each one. Don’t cram them in! The space allows the hot air to come in contact with all sides of the fries, which is what makes them golden brown and crisp. Air fry them at 380 for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway. Take them out when they’re crisp and brown around the edges.

Drizzling potatoes with olive oil

Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cooking as many batches as necessary to give the fries adequate space in the basket.

Finally, toss them all in together! When you finish cooking the last batch, add all the fries back into the air fryer basket (no need to worry about a single layer this time) and cook them for 1 to 2 minutes to warm and crisp up the earlier batches. When all the air fryer French fries are crispy, take them out, and dig in!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Tossing potatoes with salt

Best Air Fryer Fries Tips

  • Work in batches. It’s essential that you spread the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and that you leave a little space between each one. If they’re too crowded, the potatoes will steam inside the air fryer, and they won’t get crispy. In order to give them adequate space, you’ll likely need to work in batches. When I use 2 russet potatoes, I cook 3 batches of fries.
  • Not crispy yet? Keep cooking! The exact timing will vary based on your particular air fryer. I recommend checking your first batch at the 12 minute mark and adjusting your timing based on how they look at that stage. If they’re still not crispy, continue cooking until they crisp up.
  • When it comes to doneness, taste is more important than appearance. I’ve found that my air fryer French fries start to look done before they actually are done. Taste a fry from each batch to make sure it’s tender on the inside and crisp on the outside before you move on to a new batch.
  • Toss them all in together at the end. Because you’ll be working in batches, some of the fries will have to sit around for a bit before you finish cooking. No one likes cold, soggy fries, so toss all the fries into the air fryer together (no need to worry about space this time) for 1 to 2 minutes before you eat. This quick step will reheat the fries from the earlier batches and make them nice and crispy. Yum!

French fries in air fryer

Air Fryer French Fries Serving Suggestions

On their own, these air fryer French fries make a super fun snack or appetizer. Serve them simply with salt and pepper, or dress them up with fresh herbs, chili powder, garlic powder, or onion powder. They’re also fantastic with dipping sauces! I love them with ketchup and mustard, but they’re tasty with out-of-the-box choices like chipotle sauce, chimichurri, or vegan cheese too.

Of course, these air fryer fries are also a great side dish. Pair them with any of these recipes for a fun, delicious meal:

Enjoy!

Air Fryer Fries with ketchup

More Favorite Snacks and Appetizers

If you love these air fryer French fries, try one of these fun snacks next:

Then, check out this post for 50 more easy appetizer ideas!

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Air Fryer French Fries

rate this recipe:
4.99 from 200 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves 4
These air fryer French fries are super crispy and delicious! Enjoy them plain, or dress them up with fresh herbs, spices, or your favorite dipping sauce.

Equipment

Ingredients

optional seasonings & dips:

Instructions

  • Preheat the air fryer to 380°F.
  • Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat.
  • Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer so that the potatoes are not touching each other. You will have to work in batches. Air fry for 12 to 15 minutes*, flipping halfway, or until crispy. If your fries are not crispy, air fry them a little longer.
  • Once all batches are finished, toss them all back into the air fryer (no need to place in a single layer this time) for 1 to 2 minutes to warm and re-crisp any that got cold from the first few batches.
  • Serve with desired seasonings and dips.

Notes

*Time can vary widely between air fryers. If your fries aren't crispy at 15 minutes, continue baking them until they are.
You can also make these fries in the oven. Roast them at 425 for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway. They won't be as crisp as the air fryer fries, so if you don't have an air fryer, you might want to check out this roasted potatoes recipe instead.

 

56 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Sarah
    02.15.2024

    I’ve seen other recipes where we soak the potato before hand. Why don’t we do it here?

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.16.2024

      Hi Sarah, we’ve tried soaking the potatoes before making these fries before, but we haven’t found that it makes a huge difference in the final result. Because we don’t think soaking is crucial for making great fries, we skip it to streamline the recipe. Hope this helps!

  2. David
    02.14.2024

    4 stars
    I was in a hurry so i pre cooked the potato whole in the microwave a baseball sized potato Took about 4 minutes total turned over after 2 minutes
    Cut into fries lightly sprayed with cooking oil separated and air fried at 400° for 4 to 5 minutes until gbd

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.16.2024

      Hi David, thanks for sharing your method!

  3. Mary Ann
    01.21.2024

    I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but when I air fry any type of potatoes they never get crispy. I cooked them at 400 in batches for 30 minutes. Some got crispy but not all of them. I tried to cut them the same size. It is a good air fryer. I don’t want to rate it because it could be operator error.

  4. G. Deane
    01.11.2024

    Great recipe!! Super fast and easy. Used a single potato and seasoned with garam masala. Definitely using this one for small batches of fries from now on.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      01.12.2024

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!

  5. Florence
    01.01.2024

    5 stars
    I didn’t do it in batches. Used 2 large baking potatoes. Air fried 390° total of 30 minutes. Turning often. Pretty good

  6. Jill Edwards
    12.13.2023

    5 stars
    I tried the French fries last night. We really liked them. I used just 2 potatoes & that was enough for the 3 of us. I got the approval from my mother-in-law, so you know it has a hit then!!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.13.2023

      I’m so glad they were a hit!

  7. Judy B
    10.28.2023

    5 stars
    I always see don’t use red potatoes for fries but that’s what I had. They turned out fabulous and nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I had to cook them about 3 extra minutes. I used Cajun seasoning in them. Yummy. Now my favorite way to make fries.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.31.2023

      I’m so glad you loved them!

  8. Leia
    09.29.2023

    Do you need to split the batches up if you have a rotating basket?

  9. Sara
    09.13.2023

    Has anyone tried making large batches and freezing them?

  10. Diane
    09.12.2023

    Question…..My Frigidaire oven is an air fryer, do I need to change my temperature and bake time settings for this recipe? Thank you

    • Ryan
      09.13.2023

      4 stars
      Our Samsung is as well. I just made these tonight. At 380 my first batch in the fryer basket took 22-25 minutes. I bumped it up to 420 for the second batch and they were done around 18 minutes.

  11. Ginele
    07.15.2023

    5 stars
    Great recipe, and delicious <3

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Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.