These air fryer French fries are just as crispy and crunchy as regular fries, but they use far less oil. With just 3 ingredients, they're easy and delicious.
Jump to Recipe
If you’re looking for an easy side to pair with your veggie burgers this weekend, these air fryer French fries are just the thing for you! I know, I know. When it comes to grilling sides, I’m usually all about salads or corn on the cob, but sometimes, I get a craving for a salty, crunchy snack that even the best summer salad can’t satisfy. That’s where these air fryer French fries come in.
In a lot of ways, they’re just like regular fries. They’re crispy on the outside, creamy in the middle, and dusted with an irresistible coating of salt. But there is one key difference between deep frying and air frying: you only need a light drizzle of oil to make crispy French fries in the air fryer. As a result, these fries are far healthier than average ones.
This is good news for Jack and me, because we’ve been making (and eating) these air fryer fries on repeat lately. They only require 3 basic ingredients, and they cook up in no time. Fresh out of the fryer, they’re hot, crunchy, and completely addictive. Try them once, and you’ll be hooked.
How to Make Air Fryer French Fries
When you’re ready to cook, here’s what you need to do:
First, chop your potatoes. Aim for them all to be a similar size, about 1/4-inch thick. That way, they’ll all cook at the same rate. I don’t recommend peeling your potatoes – the skin helps them crisp up nicely as they cook. Once you’ve chopped the potatoes into fries, toss them all with olive oil and salt.
Next, cook the first batch. Spread the cut potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket with a little space between each one. Don’t cram them in! The space allows the hot air to come in contact with all sides of the fries, which is what makes them golden brown and crisp. Air fry them at 380 for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway. Take them out when they’re crisp and brown around the edges.
Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cooking as many batches as necessary to give the fries adequate space in the basket.
Finally, toss them all in together! When you finish cooking the last batch, add all the fries back into the air fryer basket (no need to worry about a single layer this time) and cook them for 1 to 2 minutes to warm and crisp up the earlier batches. When all the air fryer French fries are crispy, take them out, and dig in!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Best Air Fryer Fries Tips
- Work in batches. It’s essential that you spread the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and that you leave a little space between each one. If they’re too crowded, the potatoes will steam inside the air fryer, and they won’t get crispy. In order to give them adequate space, you’ll likely need to work in batches. When I use 2 russet potatoes, I cook 3 batches of fries.
- Not crispy yet? Keep cooking! The exact timing will vary based on your particular air fryer. I recommend checking your first batch at the 12 minute mark and adjusting your timing based on how they look at that stage. If they’re still not crispy, continue cooking until they crisp up.
- When it comes to doneness, taste is more important than appearance. I’ve found that my air fryer French fries start to look done before they actually are done. Taste a fry from each batch to make sure it’s tender on the inside and crisp on the outside before you move on to a new batch.
- Toss them all in together at the end. Because you’ll be working in batches, some of the fries will have to sit around for a bit before you finish cooking. No one likes cold, soggy fries, so toss all the fries into the air fryer together (no need to worry about space this time) for 1 to 2 minutes before you eat. This quick step will reheat the fries from the earlier batches and make them nice and crispy. Yum!
Air Fryer French Fries Serving Suggestions
On their own, these air fryer French fries make a super fun snack or appetizer. Serve them simply with salt and pepper, or dress them up with fresh herbs, chili powder, garlic powder, or onion powder. They’re also fantastic with dipping sauces! I love them with ketchup and mustard, but they’re tasty with out-of-the-box choices like chipotle sauce, chimichurri, or vegan cheese too.
Of course, these air fryer fries are also a great side dish. Pair them with any of these recipes for a fun, delicious meal:
- Best Veggie Burger
- Portobello Mushroom Burger
- Black Bean Burger
- Crispy Cauliflower Po’ Boy Sandwich
- BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
Enjoy!
More Favorite Snacks and Appetizers
If you love these air fryer French fries, try one of these fun snacks next:
- Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Parsnip Fries
- Sheet Pan Nachos
- Veggie Quesadillas
- Best Guacamole
Then, check out this post for 50 more easy appetizer ideas!
Air Fryer French Fries
Equipment
- Instant Pot Omni Plus Air Fryer (this model doubles as a toaster oven!)
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch sticks
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Sea salt
Optional seasonings & dips:
- Fresh herbs, chili powder, or chipotle powder
- Ketchup, mustard, mayo, or chipotle sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F.
- Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat.
- Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer so that the potatoes are not touching each other. You will have to work in batches. Air fry for 12 to 15 minutes*, flipping halfway, or until crispy. If your fries are not crispy, air fry them a little longer.
- Once all batches are finished, toss them all back into the air fryer (no need to place in a single layer this time) for 1 to 2 minutes to warm and re-crisp any that got cold from the first few batches.
- Serve with desired seasonings and dips.
Notes
Do you have an air fryer recommendation?
Finally some crispy fries in the air fryer. I think in the past I sometimes used too much olive oil and they were too crowded. So I really appreciated your tips. I used some seasoning salt and they were delicious.
Hi Judy, I’m so glad you found the tips useful!
Very good!
Would you recommend pre-soaking prior to air frying?
I haven’t found it to make a difference.
Jeanine, just about to start my second time making these outrageous fries! My husband…who is not a potato fan to begin with, asked for seconds! Thanks for a recipe we can all enjoy!
I’m so glad you love the recipe!
Meh
They turn out great every time I make them.
I’m so happy to hear!
Delicious
i love fries and best post of today, i read, but i suggest you try checkers Fries its really delicious. Check- Checkers Fries
i love fries and best post of today, i read, but i suggest you try checkers Fries its really best.
Easy and very delicious, crispy 👏
So glad you enjoyed them, Ángela!
Awesome, they are nice and crisp will repeat 5k times
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe. I’m 12 years old, and my mom has been talking a lot about making French fries in an air fryer. I made this recipe and surprised her when she came from office, and we had an amazing day!
You’re a great kid.
Any tips on laying out fries in a single, non-touching layer into a preheated air fryer? I feel like the fryer would cool off before I could accomplish that. That or burn my hand trying to manage it quickly.
Tastes almost as good as deep fried fries and way healthier!
Finally a guide to plain fry’s not ask that fancy stuff. Thank you
Amazing
So glad you loved them, Frankie!
These are my family go-to fries! So delicious! Thank you for the recipe! I need to try your onion rings next!
I’m so glad you’ve loved them!
There’s no way you really mean for the potatoes to be just a quarter inch thick. A half inch at least for a normal size fry, right? Also, measurements including weight of potato would be helpful to your readers. Otherwise, great simple recipe!
Hi Mike, thanks for the feedback. So glad you enjoyed the fries!
I’ve done both 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch, and we definitely prefer the bigger 1/2 inch because the thinner 1/4 inch loses the inside creamy part in the air fryer by the time they’re crispy enough. The 1/2 inch actually leaves some nice potatoeyness in the middle of the crispiness. I also found that 1 large russet potato is enough for 2 people, and 2 are enough for 4 (or for 3 much larger portions). As far as oil amount, think about how much oil you want to ingest per person: I made 2 large russets for 4 people and dribbled a full Tablespoon of oil and the fries were a teensy bit on the dryer side. That meant tho each person ate about 1/4 Tbsp of oil. It’s about experimenting for personal taste.
I’m glad you loved them! Thanks for your helpful feedback.
I do these with duck fat and I salt them as I toss prior to cooking….I don’t cook in small batches instead I shake them often and then they are all hot at same time.
The fries turned out nicely. Is there a way to get the measurement of olive oil? I think I may have poured too much on the potatoes because they never really got that crunchy. Thank you!!
I think you’d just cook them for longer if they’re not crispy….