Homemade French Fries in the Air Fryer

Sharing is caring!

Stop deep frying homemade french fries, and make them in the air fryer instead. These Homemade French Fries are crispy, salty, and cooked entirely in the air fryer.

I tested all kinds of methods for these air fryer french fries: soaking and not soaking, double frying and single frying. After plenty of batches (and a lot of ketchup), I figured out exactly how to make homemade French fries that are crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, without deep frying.

These fries are kid-approved, husband-approved, and a lighter alternative to deep fried or frozen fries. They’re easy, reliable, and go with everything.

Why You’ll Love Homemade Air Fryer French Fries

• The ingredient list is short, just potatoes, a little oil (to help brown and prevent sticking), and salt. I feel good about serving this to my picky eaters.
• If you’ve struggled with soggy homemade fries before, this recipe walks you through exactly how to get them crispy outside and cooked all the way through (never greasy).
• No deep frying involved, so your house won’t smell like grease, and you won’t have a big pot of oil to dispose of.

Ingredients

Homemade French fries require only 3 basic ingredients. The exact amounts can be found on the recipe card, along with a helpful video!

• Russet potatoes – Russet potatoes are the best for homemade French fries.
• Avocado Oil or Olive Oil– I like using avocado oil or olive oil here because they can handle the higher heat and longer cook time needed to get these potatoes nice and crisp in the air fryer. They also have the best flavor, without leaving the fries tasting heavy or greasy.
• Salt – I use coarse Kosher salt for this recipe, but you can use table salt if that’s what you have on hand. After air frying, you can add more salt if needed.
• Air Fryer – I have a 6-qt Instant Vortex basket style air fryer, which will hold this size batch of french fries. Air fryer models are all different, so you may need to cook the potatoes in batches depending on what size air fryer you have.

How to Make French Fries In The Air Fryer

Step 1

Wash and scrub the potatoes really well and cut them into ¼” thick french fries. 

Step 2

Soak the fries in water for 30 minutes to remove the starch.

After soaking, rinse the potatoes until the water runs clear. Lay out fries on a towel and dry really well.

Tip: Removing the starch will allow the fries to brown evenly and crisp up evenly on the outside.

Step 3

Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F. Add the fries to a mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil, and toss to coat.

Pour the fries into the hot air fryer. Do not wash the mixing bowl.

Cook the fries for 15 minutes at 350°F, shaking halfway through cooking.

Step 4

Remove the fries from the air fryer basket and add back to the mixing bowl.

Gently toss the fries in 2 tablespoons of oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Turn the air fryer up to 400 degrees F.

Add the fries back to the air fryer and fry for another 10-15 minutes at 400°F. Shake every 5 minutes for even browning. Cook until all the fries are golden brown and crispy.

Pour the cooked fries onto a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with additional salt if needed. Serve hot.

The Best Potatoes For Air Fryer French Fries

Russet or Idaho potatoes are great options to use for homemade french fries. Russet potatoes are dense, high in starch, and low in moisture. A good second is Yukon gold potatoes, which will give the fries as creamy texture. Avoid using waxy potatoes.

I also like to use medium potatoes, about 5” long, that are roughly even in size so I get even-sized fries.

Tips & Tricks

These are my top tips and tricks for the best results with this air fryer french fries recipe.

• Soak the potatoes in a large bowl of cold water to remove the excess starch, this will give you evenly browned, crispy fries.
• Cut potatoes evenly so they cook evenly.
• Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket to avoid soggy fries. It’s ok if a few fries overlap.
• After the first cook, toss in a little oil again for extra crispiness and flavor and cook on the salt. At this point, you can add fry seasoning.
• Shake the basket every now and again for even browning and cooking.

How to Serve

These easy air fryer fries go with just about everything. These are a few of my favorite ways to serve them.

• Air Fried Fish, and creamy coleslaw for a healthier take on fish and chips
• Alongside New England Lobster Rolls or a fish sandwich for that summer in Maine feel.
• For a homemade kid friendly meal, serve these with some homemade air fryer chicken nuggets.
• As a side with a homemade black bean burger, sloppy Joe sandwiches, pulled pork sliders, and baked beans with bacon
• With these Boneless BBQ Chicken Thighs
• Instant Pot Chili – makes for great chili fries too
• Next to some Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls or turkey rollups for a great lunch
• Dip these crispy homemade french fries in guacamole, ranch dressing, fry sauce, or your favorite dipping sauce (like my blueberry BBQ sauce).

Storage and Leftovers

How Long To Reheat French Fries In The Air Fryer?

Reheat leftover french fries in the air fryer at 400°F for 2-5 minutes until crisp.

How Long Do You Cook Fries In An Air Fryer?

I like to cook fries for 15 minutes at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes. Then I’ll take them out to add seasoning, turn the air fryer up to 400°F, and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.

More Air Fryer Recipes

Recipe

Sharing is caring!