Healthy Air Fryer Fries – Easy and Delicious

Air fryer fries are a simple and easy way to make homemade fries without extra oil and calories.  You can make french fries in the air fryer from scratch that is crispy and satisfying with no deep frying needed!

French fries are kind of a thing in our house because my kids love them! It’s really never a battle to get them to eat fries, especially these incredible air fryer fries.

They come out perfectly crispy and flavorful and are great for dipping in ketchup or your favorite sauce. My husband even said they tasted better than fast-food fries. Mission accomplished!!!

This is why cooking with the air fryer is so great! I have made so many crispy, healthier versions of my favorite foods like crispy breaded chicken breast, coconut shrimp, and sweet potato chips that all come out wonderfully golden and delicious without extra oil and calories. I just love it!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Perfectly crispy homemade fries from scratch with less oil and calories.
• Easy to make, store, and reheat.
• This is a gluten-free, paleo, vegan, whole30 recipe that everyone will love!
• Kid-friendly and so easy to make!
• They make the perfect side dish or snack!

The secret to getting super crispy delicious fries

Here are the key secrets to air frying fries that result in the most golden and crispy fries that resemble fast food fries.

• Use the right type of potatoes – I have found that Russet or Yukon gold potatoes both work great!
• Soak and dry the potatoes really well before you season and cook them. I like to soak mine in HOT water since it allows the potatoes to slightly cook, giving them that double fry crispy texture. Do not skip this step! This is the secret to super crispy fries.
• Use a little bit of oil – you only need a little oil to get the fries perfectly crisp, golden, and delicious!
• Cook them in batches. This allows you not to overcrowd your air fryer and helps the fries get nice and crispy all over. They are so good!

Ingredients you will need

This homemade french fries recipe only requires 3 simple ingredients.

• Potatoes – I used Yukon Gold potatoes because I cannot eat russet but you can also use russet potatoes. This is important because picking the right type of potatoes for fries is key.
• Olive oil + olive oil spray – just a little bit to get them nice and crispy.
• Salt & pepper – to season the fries.

What type of potatoes is best for making fries?

Russet potatoes make the best fries since they are high in starch and have low moisture. So, if you can have them then I would suggest using russets. I cannot have russets, so I made this recipe with Yukon gold potatoes and they still turned out supremely golden, crispy, and so good!

Sweet potato fries in the air fryer are also delicious!

How to cut potatoes for fries

To cut potatoes for fries, slice each potato in half, lengthwise using a sharp kitchen knife. Then lay the cut side of each potato on a flat surface and cut them into planks about 1/2 inch thick. Lay the planks on top of one another then slice them into fries that are 1/2-1/4 inch thick.

How to make air fryer fries

It is way easier than you think to make your own homemade restaurant-style fries right in the air fryer. They come out great and you will want to make them all the time!

1. Prepare the potatoes – Scrub the potatoes and dry them so they are nice and clean. Then slice each potato into planks and then cut the planks into long French fry shapes. Place the raw, cut fries into a large bowl and cover them with warm water. Let them sit in the water for about 30 minutes then drain and rinse them. Transfer the potatoes to a clean kitchen towel and dry them really well.
2. Season the potatoes – Wipe out the bowl you soaked with potatoes in and add the dry potatoes back to that same bowl. Drizzle them with olive oil and season them well with salt and pepper. Toss to coat them all in the oil and seasoning.
3. Cook the potatoes – Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F and spray the basket with olive oil spray. Working in batches, place half of the potatoes into the air fryer in an even layer. Close and cook the fries for 10 minutes, flipping them in the basket halfway through. At around 10 minutes, open the air fryer basket and spray them with more olive oil spray and shake them in the basket. Cook for 10 more minutes until they are golden and crispy.
4. Serve – serve these air fryer fries right away with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce. See dipping sauce suggestions below.

Tips for making french fries in the air fryer

• Cut the potatoes thinner rather than thicker – the thinner you cut the potatoes the faster they will cook. I prefer to cut them into shoestring fries since they just come out better in my opinion. This would be about 1/4 inch in thickness.
• Soak and dry the potatoes in water before you air fry them – This is an important step since it will remove a lot of the starch from the potatoes which helps them get nice and crispy.
• Dry them before you season them – once the potatoes are done soaking then you will want to drain them and dry them really well on a clean towel. I like to also pat them dry as well. This is an important step so make sure not to skip it!
• Season the potatoes well before you air fry them – Potatoes are bland in nature and require lots of great seasoning to bring out their flavor. So it is important to season them well with salt and pepper before you cook them.
• Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket – I know you have heard this one before but there is a reason why. Overfilling or crowding the air fryer will result in soggy fries and nobody wants that. Make sure to place the uncooked potatoes in an even layer, which means you will likely have to cook them in batches. Which is fine since it will be 100% worth it! They can be slightly overlapping, just not overcrowded.

Dipping sauce recommendations

• Ketchup
• BBQ sauce
• Ranch dressing
• Homemade fry sauce (pictured) – 1/4 cup mayo mixed with 1 tablespoon bbq sauce, 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard and 1 tablespoon ranch dressing (similar to Chick-Fil-A sauce)

Cooking times for homemade air fryer fries

This will depend on a few things.

• The shape and size you cut the potatoes will vary, which will change the cooking time. In this French fries recipe, I cut the potatoes to about 1/4 inch thick and they cooked perfectly in about 20-22 minutes.
• The other factor will be the type of air fryer you are using. I tested this recipe with a Cosori 5.6-quart air fryer. For the best crispy fries, I recommend checking the potatoes as they cook and then adjusting the time and air fryer temperature from there.

Seasoning suggestions

I stuck to a classic seasoning of just oil, salt, and pepper, but there are plenty of other options too!

• Italian seasoning – this gives the fries a nice Italian flavor and makes them taste really great dipped in some homemade tomato sauce. We also like to add a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese too! So good!
• Seasoning salt – this is a great option that is made of a delicious combination of flavors like garlic, onion, paprika, salt, and pepper. It is also wonderful on popcorn.
• Ranch – you can use store-bought ranch seasoning or make your own by combining onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried dill, salt, and pepper.
• Taco seasoning – for a fun Mexican flavor for the fries.
• Cajun seasoning – one of my favorites that make the fries taste like restaurant-style seasoned fries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing and reheating Suggestions

These air fryer fries actually store and reheat really well!

• Storing: You can store them in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• Freezing: You can freeze these fries after they have cooled completely. Then lay them on a baking tray and place them in the freezer for about an hour. Transfer them to a freezer-friendly container and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
• Reheating: To reheat fries in the air fryer, cook them at 350 degrees F for 3-4 minutes. They come out just the same as if you had just cooked them. It’s amazing! This also works for leftover restaurant fries. To reheat them from frozen, place them right from the freezer into the air fryer and air fry them at 370 degrees F until crispy and cooked through. This will take around 7-10 minutes.

Other healthy fries recipes

• 15-Minute Air Fryer Carrot Fries
• Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
• Easy Baked Eggplant Fries
• Paleo Sweet Potato Fries
• Air Fryer Green Bean Fries

More Air Fryer Recipes

• Zucchini Patties
• Healthy Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
• Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
• Healthy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
• Air Fryer Apple Chips

Did you try this air fryer fries recipe? If you did then I would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment and rating for this recipe below! You can also pin it to Pinterest and save it for later and please follow Pinch Me Good on Pinterest for all of my latest recipes!

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