If you love using your air fryer to make healthier versions of your favorite foods (like Air Fryer Tofu, Air Fryer Potatoes, Air Fryer Vegan Meatballs, Air Fryer Zucchini and Air Fryer Chickpeas), you have got to try these air fryer French fries. I could nosh on French fries forever, which is the reason I rarely dared to make them at home. I knew they’d be gone before they ever got to the table. That changed after I got myself an air fryer. Suddenly French fries–or at least homemade French fries–were my friends. Because what’s a fry anyway but a potato–a root veggie filled with minerals and other good-for-you stuff? I’ve experimented with a million ways of making the perfect air fryer French Fries from scratch since. I’ve made them with different sizes of cuts. I’ve made them at different temperatures. I’ve made them with and without oil. I’ve salted them before air-frying, I’ve salted them after. I’ve happily eaten all of these experiments. Finally this, I promise, is the best French fry you will ever eat.
Why you will love this recipe
Golden and crispy fries, but without the fat. Delicious. This recipe makes the perfect French fries! Easy recipe. The fries they take minutes to make, with foolproof directions. Healthy. These fries have a fraction of the fat you’d find in regular French fries.
Top tips
Choosing the potato. There’s just one ingredient in a French fry, so you want to be sure it’s the exact one you need: a starchy potato like russet potato or Maris Piper potato. These are dense and therefore perfect for achieving that golden, crispy texture. If you’re going to keep the skin on, and I recommend that you do, use organic potatoes. Cut the potatoes into thin slivers, about 0.5 centimeters (or half a centimeter) across. There are lots of debates out there about whether or not French fries are really French, some even think they are uniquely American, and there seems to be some consensus that they originated in neighboring, French-speaking Belgium (where they are called Vlaamse frites or “Flemish fries” –I remember gorging on those amazing fries, which are sold in paper cones all around Brussels). My own, completely uncorroborated theory is that they are probably called French fries because of their distinctive cut–French fries are long, thin, and matchstick-like (as in they are julienned), as opposed to the thicker-cut British potato chips. But to get back to the point, julienne or French-cut your French fries or you’ll end up with potato chips which, albeit delicious, are not French fries. You can do this by hand or do it with a mandoline. Soak the fries in water after cutting and before air frying. It’s a good idea to get the excess starch out out of the fries before you air fry them. Doing so will give you crisper fries and it will prevent the fries from sticking together in the air fryer. You can remove the starch by soaking the potatoes in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes after you’ve cut them and before you put them in the air fryer. Or you can rinse the cut fries in a strainer for a couple of minutes until the water runs clear. Make sure you knead the fries with your fingers to get all the starch you can out. Dry the fries before putting them in the air fryer. Use paper or cloth towels to remove any visible moisture. Adding a little oil will make crispier fries. You don’t need much–about three-fourths of a tablespoon for a pound of potatoes. It’s enough to make them crisp up nicely and give you that satisfying crunch. Use a flavorless oil with a high smoke point, like avocado oil or peanut oil, and not extra virgin olive oil, for the best results. Coconut oil would just make the fries taste like coconut oil so please, don’t use it. Salt and pepper the fries before they go into the air fryer and once again after they come out for the maximum flavor. Don’t crowd the air fryer basket. This is really important. When I make air fryer fries with a pound of potatoes, I cook them in two batches in my air fryer which has a basket that’s 7 ½ inches in diameter. Giving enough room for the air to circulate around the French fries is crucial in getting the crispiest, goldenest fries your heart and tummy desire.
How to make air fryer French fries
Wash two pounds of medium-sized potatoes. You can leave the skin on but peel them if they’re not organic. Using a mandoline or a knife, cut the potatoes into slivers lengthwise, each one about half a centimeter in width. Immediately immerse the cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water. Toss them around gently so you get any surface starch out. Change the water and repeat a couple more times until the water remains fairly clear. Place the fries on paper or cloth napkins and dry them as thoroughly as you can. Throw away any water remaining in the bowl, wipe it clean and place the French fries back in it. Add 1 ½ tablespoon vegetable oil (I used avocado) and toss the fries until they are coated. Sprinkle on salt and pepper and toss them again. Place the fries in the air fryer basket. I did four batches with two pounds of potatoes for the best results. If your air fryer can hold more, lucky you. Air fry at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Every five minutes, remove the basket and gently and carefully toss the fries with a fork or spoon so they brown evenly. This also gives you a chance to keep an eye on your fries and make sure they are not overbrowning and to check the doneness of your fries. Keep in mind that if you make the fries thicker or thinner, you will need less or more time. Eat your fries hot. They taste best just out of the air fryer. If you save some for later, pop them back in the air fryer for a minute or two.
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