Air Fryer French Fries
This air fryer french fries recipe skips deep frying but keeps a crackling crust, thanks to a 30-minute cold water soak that most home versions leave out. That soak step pulls surface starch off the sticks so they crisp instead of steaming in the basket.
Equipment
- Air fryer - basket large enough to hold a single layer of fries
- Mandoline slicer - optional, for even sticks
- Cutting board - large enough to hold a whole potato
- Large mixing bowl - for soaking and tossing
- Kitchen tongs - for shaking and flipping
- Salad spinner - optional, for drying
- Paper towels - or clean kitchen towel for drying
- Digital kitchen scale - optional, for consistent batches
- Misto olive oil sprayer - optional, for even oil distribution
- Perforated parchment air fryer liners - optional
- Y-peeler - optional
- Cooling rack - for keeping finished batches crisp, optional
Ingredients
- 2 lbs russet potatoes - 900g, about 4 large potatoes
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil - 22ml
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt - 5g, plus more to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder - 2g, optional
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper - 1g, optional
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch - 3g, optional, for extra crispiness
- cold water - for soaking
Instructions
- Wash the russet potatoes well (peeling is optional). Slice each potato into ¼-inch (0.6cm) thick planks, then stack and cut into ¼-inch sticks, keeping the size uniform.
- Place the cut potato sticks into a large bowl and cover them completely with cold water. Let them soak for 30 minutes at room temperature, then drain the water completely.
- Spread the drained fries across a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Pat and roll until no visible moisture remains. A salad spinner speeds this up considerably.
- Transfer the dried potato sticks to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle in salt, garlic powder, and black pepper (if using), then toss again. If using cornstarch, sprinkle it over the fries and toss one more time.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C) for 3-5 minutes. Arrange fries in the basket in a single layer, leaving space between sticks. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
- Cook for 10 minutes, then pull out the basket and shake or toss the fries. Return and cook for another 8-10 minutes, checking for a deep golden color and crisp edges. Total cook time is about 18-20 minutes.
- Transfer the hot fries to a clean bowl immediately. Toss with a pinch of extra salt to taste while still hot. Serve right away with your preferred dipping sauce.
Notes
- Cut sticks as uniformly as possible to ensure even cooking.
- Don't skip the soak — even a shortened 15-minute version helps improve the crust.
- Dry the potatoes completely before adding oil to prevent steaming.
- Avoid overcrowding the basket; a single layer with visible space between sticks is essential for crispness.
- Shake or flip the basket at least once during cooking for even color.
- Add salt right after cooking rather than before to avoid drawing moisture out.
- A light dusting of cornstarch gives an extra-crackly shell; skip for a more traditional crust.
- Set finished batches on a cooling rack over a sheet pan to stay crisp while later batches finish cooking.
- Refrigerate cooled fries in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the air fryer at 380°F (193°C) for 3-5 minutes to restore crispness — avoid the microwave.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0.5gSodium: 440mgPotassium: 750mgFiber: 3gVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 6mg
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