Air Fryer Potatoes

Spud lovers will tell you: there's nothing quite like a great potato recipe! (Allow us to direct you to Ree Drummond's classics like crash hot potatoes and potatoes au gratin.) Whether you like 'em mashed, baked, or boiled, it's always a crowd-pleasing side dish, but what if we told you achieving crispy on the outside, pillowy on the inside roasted potatoes just got easier? Presenting: air fryer potatoes! If you've been searching for more ways to use your air fryer, this is just the recipe you need. Serve these quick-fix spuds for an easy vegetable side dish or even for breakfast alongside chicken apple sausage and cheesy scrambled eggs. 

Is air frying potatoes better than baking?

There's a few reasons why air fryers are perfect for cooking potatoes. First, they cook them quicker than ovens! These potatoes get crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside in just 10 minutes. Speaking of crispness, air fryers achieve undeniably crispier results than ovens.

Why are my air fryer potatoes not crispy?

First things first, make sure you start with dry potatoes! When using types of potatoes like russet, red skin, or a sweet potato, it's important to scrub any residual dirt from the potato before cooking. That said, you also want to give the potato a chance to dry. It's best to scrub the potatoes at least 30 minutes before cooking. Pat them with a paper towel then set them on a kitchen towel, rotating after 15 minutes so that both sides of the potato skin can dry. Dice the potatoes and proceed with the recipe. If you're in a hurry and don't get to scrub the potatoes until right before cooking, be sure to pat them as dry as you can before mixing with the oil and spices.

Do you have to soak potatoes before air frying?

Though not necessary, this is another helpful step to making the crispiest potatoes. Once the potatoes are cut, soaking them in cold water for 30 minutes (or overnight) is a great way to remove the starch from the cut sides, thus allowing them to crisp up even more in the air fryer. (Just be sure to pat them very dry before cooking!) This is actually the trick to making crispy French fries, too.

If you have the time, dice up your potatoes and try it out. For a weeknight or quick potato fix, the hot heat of the air fryer will still yield excellent results even with potatoes that haven't been soaked. 

What do you serve air fryer potatoes with?

The beauty of these simply seasoned potatoes is that they go with everything! They're especially good with a big, juicy steak dinner but can double as breakfast potatoes for a filling morning meal.