Homemade Air Fryer French Fries
Making fries at home doesn't have to be a big, messy affair! With the help of your air fryer, you can make at batch of crispy fries without the mess of oil. Use this easy recipe for homemade air fryer French fries to whip up your favorite restaurant side dish from the comfort of your own kitchen.
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What Do I Need to Make Homemade Air Fryer French Fries?
Skip the oil and prepare a delicious air-fried side dish with your air fryer for dinner tonight! These simple homemade French fries can be cooked to crispy perfection in 35 minutes and using just four ingredients. To make your own air fryer fries, you'll need:
- Potatoes
- Avocado oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
How Do I Make Homemade Air Fryer French Fries?
You won't believe how easy it is to make homemade fries using your air fryer. That's because you can prep and fry them in a matter of minutes. Just follow these easy instructions and you'll be on your way to biting into crispy fries in no time.
Step One: Prep the Potatoes
Wash and peel the skin off your potatoes, then cut them into evenly sized fries. Make the fries around ¼ inch thick for even cooking. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl and cover them with water. Allow the fries to soak for around 30 minutes to remove excess starch. Then, remove them from the bowl and pat the potatoes dry using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
Step Two: Season the Fries
Transfer the dried French fries back to the bowl and add the avocado oil. Toss the potatoes until they're evenly coated in oil, then season them with salt and pepper. Toss again to evenly season each fry.
Step Three: Air Fry the French Fries
Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees for around five minutes, then carefully transfer the seasoned French fries to the basket. Make sure to place them in an even layer to avoid overcrowding the basket. Cook the fries in batches for best results. Set the air fryer to cook for 20 to 25 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. The fries are done when they are golden brown and crispy. Allow them to cool slightly before serving.
How Do You Store Homemade French Fries?
Freshly made fries taste best straight out of the fryer. But if you have some extras, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They'll stay good for up to four days before getting soggy. You can reheat the fries in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes. But to get a crispier texture to your leftovers, try heating them in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat with a small amount of oil.
Do You Need to Soak Potatoes Before Frying?
Whether you're frying your potatoes in oil or using the air fryer, it's essential to soak them before cooking. The soaking process helps remove excess starch from the potatoes and keeps the potato pieces from sticking together, which helps them get crispy while cooking.
Soaking the potatoes before frying is simple. Just make sure you allow enough time for them to rest before you start frying them!
After peeling and slicing the potatoes, place them in a large bowl. Cover the sliced potatoes completely with cold water and allow them to set for at least 30 minutes. If you want to prep them in advance, you can keep them in the water up to overnight.
When you're ready to air fry, just remove the slices from the water and pat them dry completely with a clean towel.
What Potatoes are Best for Homemade French Fries?
With so many potato varieties, it can be difficult to know which type is best for every recipe. But the key to getting deliciously crispy fries is picking the right type of potato! When it comes to frying, your best bet is a large russet potato. Russet potatoes have the perfect texture for fries - soft and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. And their large size allows you to cut a variety of long fries.
Another great option is Yukon gold potatoes. While smaller than russets, this potato variety has a lower starch level than other types, making it great for frying!
Air Fryer French Fry Recipe Ideas
Since this basic recipe is so simple to make, you can have some fun customizing your fries! Try these flavor suggestions to create a variety of different types of French fries:
- Seasoning salt (like Lawry's)
- BBQ seasoning or BBQ sauce
- Ranch seasoning
- Sea salt and vinegar
- Fresh herbs, like rosemary or parsley
- Taco seasoning
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Parmesan garlic
- Cajun spices
- Cheese and bacon
- Buffalo sauce
Homemade Air Fryer French Fries
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 360°F for about 5 minutes.
- Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut them into evenly sized fries, about ¼ inch thick.
- Place the potato fries in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Allow them to soak for 30 minutes to remove excess starch.
- After soaking, drain the fries and pat them dry using a kitchen towel or paper towels.
- Place the dried fries back into the bowl and drizzle with avocado oil. Toss well to ensure all the fries are coated.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over the oiled fries and toss again to evenly distribute the spices.
- Carefully transfer the seasoned fries to the preheated air fryer basket. Make sure they are arranged in a single layer without overcrowding. You may need to cook them in batches.
- Cook the fries in the air fryer for 20-25 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. The fries should turn golden brown and crispy.
- Once cooked, remove the fries from the air fryer and let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve the homemade air fryer fries hot with your favorite dipping sauce or as a side dish to your main meal.
Notes
For best results, choose starchy potatoes like Russet or Yukon Gold.
Make sure to cut the potatoes into evenly sized pieces for even cooking.
Feel free to adjust the seasonings according to your taste preferences.
Cooking times may vary depending on the model of your air fryer. Adjust accordingly.
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