Air Fryer French Fries

Crispy outside, tender inside, and seasoned to perfection, this Air Fryer French Fries recipe is the pinnacle of satisfaction. This recipe is the BEST method to make perfect homemade French fries in the air fryer!

Air Fryer French Fries are the Best Fries

The very first recipe I set out to master in my air fryer was the ultimate fried food favorite: Air fryer French fries.

An air fryer makes it easy to create healthy versions of foods that are usually cooked by deep frying, like Air Fryer Potato Chips, Air Fryer Onion Rings, and Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries. And air fryers make veggies (like Air Fryer Broccoli) crispy and delicious.

• Less oil means less mess. No grease or messy, sizzlingly oil to clean up at the end.
• Air fryers are FAST. Most heat up in around 3 minutes and use convection cooking which is quicker than a traditional oven and doesn’t heat up my kitchen. (It’s why I love making an Air Fryer Baked Potato too.) The top contains a heating element and fan, which blows hot air down and around the food on a rack below, cooking it quickly and making it crispy. Make it even faster with my Air Fryer Frozen French Fries recipe.
• Air fryers are healthy. Just 2 teaspoons of oil per large potato is all you need to make crispy fries (go ahead, have them for a snack!).

And, the air fryer can even make the perfect main attraction to these fries, Air Fryer Hamburgers.

The Best Homemade Air Fryer French Fries Recipe

This recipe is based on my go-to oven Baked Homemade French Fries. After testing different air fryer French fry times, potato varieties, cut sizes, and even numbers of fries in the basket, I can say with complete confidence:

These are the best air fryer French fries ever!

Secrets to Crispy Air Fryer Fries

Making air fryer french fries that are supremely crispy, piping hot, and dead ringers for their deep-fried restaurant counterparts comes down to four components:

1. The Best Potato for French Fries

When it comes to which potato to use for air fryer French fries, you have two options: Yukon gold potatoes and Idaho potatoes (also called russet potatoes).

• Russet potatoes are starchier and result in fries that are crispy outside, drier inside, and taste most similar to fries you would eat in a restaurant.
• Yukon gold potatoes are waxier and result in fries that are equally crispy outside, but that have a firmer, creamier inside. Thanks to their naturally buttery taste, the French fries made with Yukon gold also have a richer flavor.

While Yukon golds are my favorites for Oven Roasted Potatoes and Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, when it came to making a healthy version of classic French fries in the air fryer, russet potatoes are the best potatoes.

Feel free to try both types potatoes and pick your favorite!

2. How to Cut Potatoes for Fries

To create fries that crisped but didn’t burn, I found that cutting the potatoes into matchsticks that were 1/4-inch wide on each side and 3 to 4 inches in length worked best.

• In order for your fries to cook evenly in the same amount of time, cut them the same size.
• I suggest using a mandoline (like this one) for easy cutting and to ensure uniform fries. Otherwise, be sure to use a very sharp knife.
• If you’re looking for thicker-cut fries, you’ll love my Air Fryer Potato Wedges.

3. Soaking: A Crispy Essential

While it may seem like a pain, soaking the potatoes in hot water for 10 minutes prior to cooking them in the air fryer is essential.

• The water removes excess starch, allowing the fries to be their crispiest.
• Instead of soaking them in large bowl of cold water, I like to use hot water to cook the potatoes slightly. This creates the “double fried” effect that makes many restaurant fries so addictive.
• Be sure to pat your soaked potatoes very dry with kitchen towels or paper towels so they crisp nicely.

4. How Many Layers Can You Cook at Once?

One of my biggest frustrations with the air fryer is that, despite the basket’s large overall volume capacity, in order for certain foods to crisp properly, they need to be cooked in a single layer.

Since the surface area of the basket is small, that means you end up making a lot of batches, taking away from the air fryer’s quicker cook time.

To determine whether or not you could fit more fries into the air fryer at once, I tested a few different methods. Here is what I found.

• Single Layer of Potatoes. Cooking just one even layer of potatoes at a time resulted in the best, crispiest fries. The downside was that I needed to make at least 4 batches, which extended the recipe’s total time.
• Double Layer of Potatoes. My next test was to see if I could stack the potatoes in two layers. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the double-layer fries, while not *as* crisp as the ones I cooked in a single layer, were still delightfully crispy and very satisfying. This approach also cut my number of batches in half.
• Three Layers or More. When I stacked the potatoes in three layers or more, they were noticeably less crisp and representative of “fried” fries. I would not recommend this method.

For us, the double layer was the perfect balance between crispiness and faster recipe time.

Homemade Air Fryer French Fries Cook Times

The amount of time you need to air fry French fries will vary based on your model and its power, how thickly you cut the fries, and how many layers of potatoes you cook at once.

• I primarily tested these as Ninja air fryer French fries, as this is the model I own. My cook time was 8 minutes. Your time may vary based on your model.
• Plan to air fry french fries at 375 degrees F for 8 to 16 minutes, turning them once or twice partway through.

Seasoning Ideas

I’ve suggested my go-to seasoning blend with garlic powder here, but you have plenty of options!

• Ranch. Add onion powder and dried dill.
• Cajun. Toss your fries with Cajun seasoning for a bold, lightly spicy flavor.
• Taco. Try a blend of chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano (or your favorite taco seasoning).
• Italian. Try your air fryer fries with some Italian seasoning for a delicious Italian spin. (Pair these with the basil yogurt dip from my Zucchini Fries recipe.)
• Seasoning Salt. Add seasoning salt for ultimate flavor. Omit the kosher salt, as seasoning salt is already salty.
• Curry. For warm and richly-spiced fries, try a shake or two of curry powder over the freshly cooked fries.
• Parmesan Truffle. Enjoy an elegant, restaurant-worthy spin by adding truffle salt and topping your finished fries with freshly grated Parmesan.

Fry Sauces

One of the best parts of french fries is dipping them in your favorite air fryer French fry sauce!

Of course, ketchup is classic, but don’t miss out on one of these other yummy recipes, or use your own favorite dipping sauce.

• Skinny Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
• Honey Mustard Dip from my Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders
• Homemade BBQ Sauce
• Vegan Queso

More Easy Potato Side Dishes

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