Air Fryer Fries - Crispy and healthy

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Air fryer fries are a simple and easy way to make homemade fries without extra oil and calories. These air fryer french fries are much healthier than fast food fries and they are so delicious and crispy. Gluten free, paleo, vegan and whole30.

Crispy golden homemade French fries on a white dish with a dipping sauce with a yellow dish of salt and pepper behind it.

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 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!!!

By now you probably noticed that I am obsessed with my air fryer. I have made so many crispy, healthier versions of your favorite foods like crispy breaded chicken breast, coconut shrimp and of course air fryer sweet potato chips. So I just had to try traditional French fries in the air fryer and wow are they AMAZING!

Why you’ll love this recipe

Perfectly crispy homemade fries
Easy to make and reheat
Gluten free, paleo, vegan, whole30
Kid-friendly
Healthier French fries with the use of less oil and calories

Ingredients for air fryer fries

This homemade french fries recipe only requires 3 simple ingredients.

Potatoes – I used Yukon Gold potatoes but you can also use russet potatoes
Olive oil + olive oil spray – just a little bit to get them nice and crispy
Salt & pepper – to season the fries

Bowl of 4 potatoes with a yellow bowl filled with salt and pepper and a small bowl filled with olive oil in front of it with labels over each ingredient.

How to make French fries in the air fryer

It is way easier than you think to make your own homemade fast food fries right in the air fryer. They come out perfectly crispy and golden and are loaded with great flavor.

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.
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.
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.
Serve – serve these air fryer fries right away with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce. See dipping sauce suggestions below.

Round wooden cutting board with cut potato fries on it with knife next to it.

Uncooked cut potatoes in fry shapes in a glass bowl covered with water.

Crispy air fryer French fires on a white platter with fry sauce in a bowl on the platter with a bowl of salt and a bowl of herbs behind it.

Best Dipping Sauces For French Fries

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)

Tips for making the perfect air fryer fries

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.
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. Also make sure to cut them into even sizes so they all cook at the same time.
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, lol! 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!

Crispy golden French fries close up on a white and black baking sheet.

How long to cook fries in the air fryer?

This will depend in 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 adjust the time and air fryer temperature from there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to soak the potatoes?

While you do not have to soak the potatoes, skipping this step will result in soggier fries. Soaking them removes a lot of the starch that potatoes contain which allows them to get perfectly crispy when you air fry them.

Do I need to dry the potatoes before I air fry them?

Yes! Drying the potatoes is another important step in this recipe that you should not skip. If they are not dry then the oil and seasoning will not stick to them well and they will not get as crispy when you cook them.

What type of potatoes should I use for air fryer fries?

The best types of potatoes I have found for air fryer fries are Yukon Gold or russet potatoes. You can also try red potatoes or sweet potatoes, although I have not tried those yet.

How do you reheat fries in the air fryer?

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.

Pile of air fryer fries on a white platter with orange dipping sauce on the platter with them.

Other healthy fries recipes to try!

More Air Fryer Recipes!

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!