Air Fryer French Fries

Air fryer french fries are a spud lover's dream! Fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and cooked with a fraction of the oil of regular fries, they're the perfect reason to break out your air fryer. 

This recipe keeps things nice and simple with just four ingredients: russet potatoes, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Combined with a few tried-and-true tricks from the best traditional fry recipes—soaking the potatoes in water before cooking and using a low-then-high-temperature frying process—these healthier fries are easy for anyone to make at home. The best part? Unlike other air fryer recipes, this one lets you cook all of the fries (a full pound and a half!) in one batch, keeping your total cook time under 30 minutes. Make them for burger night or transform them into cheese fries for a Super Bowl party.

How do you cut potatoes for fries?

This recipe works best when the potatoes are cut into a traditional fry shape. To achieve this, use a sharp knife to trim a 1/2-inch piece off one side of the potato. Turn the potato onto this flat side and cut planks that are between 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. Stack the planks on top of each other, then cut the stack into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices. If your potatoes are super long, you may want to then cut each fry in half. You should have long, thin french fry shaped potatoes.

Why do you soak potatoes before air frying?

Soaking the potatoes in hot water before frying accomplishes two things. First, the hot water acts almost as a "pre-cooking" step, helping to create a tender, fluffy interior for the french fry. Second, it helps to wash away the starch from the surface of the potato, which can prohibit browning and crispiness. After the soak, these potatoes need a rinse in cold water before being patted very dry with paper towels.

What do you season air fryer french fries with?

These fries are seasoned simply with just salt and pepper, but you can sprinkle on any spice blend that you prefer. Some garlic powder, onion powder, paprika (or smoked paprika!), or dried herbs would add a layer of flavor to these fries.

Why don't my fries get crispy in the air fryer?

You may be overcrowding the air fryer basket. Using The Pioneer Woman's 6.3-quart air fryer, we are able to cook these fries all in one batch. However, if you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to cook them in two batches. It's perfectly fine for the fries to be touching and on top of one another, but if your basket is filled to the brim a pile of fries, you may want to cook them in batches for optimum crispiness.

How long should you air fry french fries?

This method starts by "frying" the french fries at a lower temperature (370 degrees) for about 15 minutes, before tossing the fries with more olive oil, salt, and pepper, then returning to the fryer for 12 more minutes at 400 degrees. At both steps in the process, it's important to open the basket and move the fries around halfway through the cook time. This gives all the fries a chance to be close to the heating elements, promoting even browning and crispiness.