Crispy exterior, tender inside, and seasoned to perfection, these Air Fryer French Fries are the top of satisfaction. This recipe is THE technique to make good French fries from scratch within the air fryer!

Sure of us, I’m one of many cool youngsters now: an air fryer proprietor! (After copious analysis, that is the one we settled on primarily based on value and capability.)

The very first recipe I got down to grasp: French fries.

One of many greatest appeals of an air fryer is that it will probably crisp meals with little or no oil.

For instance, French fries are more healthy in an air fryer, as a result of not like a deep fryer the place the potatoes are utterly submerged in a considerable amount of oil and likewise take in the oil, you solely want 2 teaspoons of oil to prepare dinner a beneficiant batch of fries within the air fryer.

And let me let you know, I air-fried so many potatoes in my quest for the right French fry, the more healthy issue is one thing I appreciated deeply. (For reference, air fryer French fry energy are round 107 for Four ounces, in contrast with 335 energy for a similar-sized serving of fries at McDonald’s.)

This recipe relies on my go-to oven Baked French Fries. <—Should you don’t personal an air fryer and need fries which are wholesome, that recipe is fabulous and yields the crispest potential fries within the oven.

Translating the unique oven recipe to the air fryer, nonetheless, did current a number of challenges.

Along with figuring out the plain—how lengthy you air fry French fries (reply: 7 to 15 minutes, relying upon your mannequin and for those who prepare dinner the potatoes in a single or double layer)—I wished to delve deeper.

After testing completely different air fryer French fry instances, potato varieties, minimize sizes, and even numbers of fries within the basket, I can say with full confidence: these are the very best air fryer French fries ever!

The best way to Make Good Air Fryer French Fries

Air frying fries which are supremely crispy, piping sizzling, and useless ringers for his or her deep-fried restaurant counterparts comes down to 5 elements:

• The kind of potato
• How you narrow the potato
• Soaking the potato
• What number of layers of fries you prepare dinner within the air fryer without delay
• Whole prepare dinner time

Which Potato is Finest for Air Fryer French Fries

In relation to which potato to make use of for air fryer French fries, you could have two choices: Yukon gold potatoes and russet (a.okay.a. Idaho) potatoes. Every will yield a special consequence.

• Russet potatoes resulted in fries that have been crispy exterior, drier inside, and tasted most just like fries you’ll eat in a restaurant.
• Yukon gold potatoes resulted in fries that have been equally crispy exterior, however that had a firmer, creamier inside. Because of their naturally buttery style, the French fries made with Yukon golds additionally had a richer taste.

Whereas Yukon golds are my favorites for Oven Roasted Potatoes and On the spot Pot Mashed Potatoes, when it got here to creating a wholesome model of basic French fries within the air fryer, russet potatoes did the very best job.

Be happy to attempt each potatoes and choose your favourite!

The best way to Lower Potatoes for Fries

To create fries that crisped however didn’t burn, I discovered that reducing the potatoes into matchsticks that have been ¼-inch large on either side and three to Four inches in size labored finest.

• To ensure that your fries to prepare dinner evenly in the identical period of time, it’s vital for them to be minimize the identical dimension.
• I counsel utilizing a mandoline (like this one) for simple reducing and to make sure uniform fries.

Soaking: A Crispy Important

Whereas it might look like a ache, soaking the potatoes in sizzling water for 10 minutes previous to cooking them within the air fryer is important.

• The water removes extra starch, permitting the fries to be their crispiest.
• I like to make use of sizzling water to prepare dinner the potatoes barely. This creates the “double fried” impact that makes many restaurant fries so addictive.

Layering Meals within the Air Fryer

One in every of my greatest frustrations with the air fryer is that, regardless of the basket’s massive total quantity capability, to ensure that sure meals to crisp correctly, they have to be cooked in a single layer.

For the reason that floor space of the basket is small, which means you find yourself making lots of batches, taking away from the air fryer’s faster prepare dinner time.

To find out whether or not or not you may match extra fries into the air fryer without delay, I examined a number of completely different strategies. Here’s what I discovered:

• Single Layer of Potatoes. Cooking only one layer of potatoes at a time resulted in the very best, crispiest fries. The draw back was that I wanted to make at the least Four batches, which prolonged the recipe’s whole time.
• Double Layer of Potatoes. My subsequent check was to see if I may stack the potatoes in two layers. I used to be pleasantly shocked to find that the double-layer fries, whereas not *as* crisp as those I cooked in a single layer, have been nonetheless delightfully crispy and really satisfying. This method additionally minimize my variety of batches in half.
• Three Layers or Extra. Once I stacked the potatoes in three layers or extra, they have been noticeably much less crisp and consultant of “fried” fries. I’d not suggest this technique.

In the end the variety of layers of fries you air fry without delay relies upon upon how choosy you might be concerning the fries being maximally crispy and the way a lot time you could have for a number of batches.

For us, the double layer was the right stability between crispiness and quicker recipe time.

Air Fryer French Fries Prepare dinner Occasions

The period of time you must air fry French fries will range primarily based in your mannequin and its energy.

Since fashions range, I like to recommend you examine a couple of minutes early, after which once more in direction of the top of cooking time to verify your fries don’t burn.

The best way to Prepare dinner Air Fryer French Fries from Scratch

This recipe *may* feed Three to 4, however the two of us don’t have any downside devouring the entire batch! Be happy to scale it up or down as you want.

The Elements

• Potatoes. There’s nothing like a plate of sizzling and crispy potatoes, particularly once they’re this straightforward to make! Plus, potatoes are wealthy in minerals, nutritional vitamins, and antioxidants. Each russet potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes will work right here.
• Olive Oil. A bit oil helps the fries grow to be completely crispy.

• Seasoning. The choices are infinite! I like the basic mixture of salt, pepper, and garlic powder by itself, however you’ll be able to add any of your favourite seasonings. I’ve listed some enjoyable concepts under.

The Instructions

1. Slice the potatoes into sticks.

2. Soak the potatoes in sizzling water.
3. Drain and dry the potatoes. Rinse the bowl earlier than returning the potatoes to it.

4. Toss the potatoes with oil and seasonings.

5. For pretty crispy fries: Prepare dinner the potatoes in 2 layers within the air fryer basket at 375 levels F for five minutes. Toss the fries, then prepare dinner for 3-7 minutes extra.

6. For max crispy fries: Prepare dinner the potatoes in a single layer within the air fryer basket at 375 levels F for five minutes. Toss the fries, then prepare dinner for 4-Eight minutes extra.
7. Switch the fries to a plate, and sprinkle them with salt. Repeat the cooking course of with any remaining potatoes. DIG IN!

Seasoning Concepts

I’ve instructed my go-to seasoning mix right here, however you could have loads of choices!

• Cajun. Toss your fries with Cajun seasoning for a daring, frivolously spicy taste. (This is able to be tasty with my Skinny Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip.)
• Italian. Attempt your air fryer fries with some Italian seasoning for a scrumptious Italian spin. (Pair these with the basil yogurt dip from my Zucchini Fries recipe.)
• Seasoning Salt. Add seasoning salt for addictive salty and garlicky taste. Omit the kosher salt, as seasoning salt is already salty.
• Curry. For heat and richly-spiced fries, attempt including curry powder.
• Parmesan Truffle. Take pleasure in a chic, restaurant-worthy spin by including truffle salt and topping your completed fries with freshly grated Parmesan.

Storage Ideas

• To Retailer. Place leftover fries in an hermetic storage container within the fridge for as much as Three days.
• To Reheat. Within the unlikely occasion of leftovers, you’ll be able to reheat the baked fries within the air fryer at 375 levels F or by preheating your oven to 400 levels F and inserting an empty baking sheet within the oven whereas the oven preheats. Unfold the leftover fries in a single layer on the new pan (or within the air fryer basket), and recrisp. Nothing replaces the just-cooked style (the fries will dry out a bit), however they do perk up. I discovered air fryer fries reheated even higher than common fries, because the lesser quantity of oil inherently prevents them from getting soggy.
• To Freeze. Freeze fries in a single layer on a baking sheet till stable. Switch the frozen fries to an hermetic freezer-safe storage container or ziptop bag for as much as Three months. Reheat from frozen as desired.

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