These Crispy Air Fryer French Fries provide a healthier option compared to traditional deep-fried fries, featuring a soft inside and a crunchy exterior. They are incredibly tasty – full of flavor without the excess grease.
Recipe Highlights
French fries are a classic favorite! Nothing beats biting into a crisp fry that won’t leave your hands oily. I enjoy preparing this quick and easy recipe, perfect for a side dish or a snack. It pairs well with everything!
- FLAVOR: Simply seasoned with salt and black pepper, the natural taste of the potato shines through.
- TEXTURE: These crispy Air Fryer French Fries are crunchy and firm on the outside while being soft and chewy on the inside, making them utterly delightful.
- TIME: You can have these fries ready in approximately 30 minutes.
- EASE: With just four simple ingredients, this recipe is very straightforward.
What You Will Need
Notes on Ingredients
- Potatoes- For the best fries, use Russet potatoes because of their high starch content and durability.
- Olive oil- This helps make the fries crispy on the outside.
- Salt- Adds flavor and extracts moisture from the potato strips, aiding in achieving a crispier result.
- Black pepper- Enhances the flavor.
Additions and Alternatives
- Frozen fries option- You can use frozen fries by skipping the oil if they are pre-seasoned. Cook them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through for even cooking, and they’ll turn out golden brown.
- Alternative seasonings- Feel free to experiment with a variety of seasonings such as garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, paprika, cumin, chili powder, thyme, basil, oregano, or garlic salt.
- Sweet potatoes- This recipe can also be made using sweet potatoes in the same way.
Steps to Make Air Fryer French Fries
- Prepare the potatoes. Start by peeling the potatoes and give them a thorough rinse. Cut them into strips resembling fries.
- Soak them. Place the uncooked fries in a bowl with cold water and several tablespoons of salt for 10-15 minutes. This step removes extra starch and moisture, resulting in crispier fries.
- Rinse and dry. Rinse the fries in cold water, scrubbing off the starch, and then dry them as thoroughly as possible.
- Oil and season the fries. Spread the fries on a baking sheet and drizzle with avocado oil (or you can use corn or vegetable oil). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cook. Place the fries in the air fryer basket and cook for 15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, shaking them every 5 minutes for even cooking.
Pro Tip: Ensure that the fries are as dry as possible using paper towels or a kitchen towel. Excess moisture will decrease crispiness.
Helpful Cooking Tips
- Soak in saltwater – This process helps extract even more moisture from the potatoes compared to just using plain water.
- Rinse thoroughly – Removing all the starch from the potatoes ensures that your fries will be crispier.
- Dry them well – Ensuring the fries are dry before adding seasoning allows the oil to adhere better, resulting in crunchier fries from the air fryer.
- Avoid overcrowding – If the fries are too close together, moisture can build up and hinder the air fryer’s ability to crisp all sides evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
An air fryer is a kitchen gadget that cooks food by blowing hot air around it using a convection mechanism. This method cooks food evenly from all angles—unlike a conventional oven, where you typically have to flip items. It achieves this with little to no oil, similar to how a convection oven operates.
Soaking cut potatoes in saltwater helps to remove excess moisture and starch, ensuring the fries turn out extra crispy when air-fried. Just remember to pat them dry afterwards.
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to eliminate any excess moisture on the surface.