How To Make French Fries In An Air Fryer | Crispy Fries

If you have an air fryer on the counter and a bag of potatoes in the pantry, you already have everything you need to learn how to make french fries in an air fryer at home. The method is simple, the clean-up is easy, and you get fries that are crisp on the outside and fluffy inside with less oil than a deep fryer. Once you understand the basic steps, you can adjust the cut, seasoning, and cooking time to match exactly how your family likes their fries.

How To Make French Fries In An Air Fryer Step By Step

The core method for how to make french fries in an air fryer stays the same whether you cook for one person or a crowd. You cut the potatoes, soak and dry them, toss them with a little oil and seasoning, then cook in a single layer with a shake halfway through. The exact minutes and temperature shift slightly with the thickness of the fries and the power of your appliance.

Use the table below as a starting point for time and temperature. Always check your fries near the low end of the range the first time you try a new cut, then adjust on your next batch.

Fry Style	Approximate Size	Time & Temperature
Thin Shoestring	1/4 inch (0.6 cm) sticks	10–12 minutes at 380–400°F (193–204°C)
Classic Fast-Food Style	1/3 inch (0.8 cm) sticks	12–15 minutes at 380–400°F (193–204°C)
Thick Steak Fries	1/2 inch (1.3 cm) wedges	15–18 minutes at 375–390°F (191–199°C)
Crinkle-Cut Fries	1/3 inch (0.8 cm) ridged pieces	13–16 minutes at 380–400°F (193–204°C)
Sweet Potato Fries	1/3 inch (0.8 cm) sticks	12–16 minutes at 375–390°F (191–199°C)
Wedge Potatoes	8–10 wedges per potato	18–22 minutes at 375°F (191°C)
Reheated Leftover Fries	Cooked fries, chilled	3–5 minutes at 375–390°F (191–199°C)

Basic Ingredient List

You only need a short list of pantry staples to make air fryer french fries:

• 2–3 medium russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 pound / 450 g)
• 1–1½ tablespoons neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, sunflower, or avocado oil
• 1/2–3/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus extra for serving
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Optional dry seasonings such as garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, or dried herbs

Step-By-Step Method

1. Wash And Cut The Potatoes

Scrub the potatoes well under cool running water. Peel them if you prefer a smoother texture, or leave the skins on for more fiber and a rustic look. Cut each potato into even planks lengthwise, then slice those planks into sticks. Try to keep the thickness consistent so the fries cook at the same rate.

2. Soak To Remove Surface Starch

Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Let them soak for at least 20 minutes and up to an hour. This step pulls off extra surface starch, which helps the fries brown more evenly and reduces the chance that they stick together in the basket. Drain the potatoes and rinse them once more with cool water.

3. Dry The Potatoes Thoroughly

Spread the drained potatoes on a clean kitchen towel or a double layer of paper towels. Pat them dry on all sides. Excess moisture turns into steam in the air fryer and keeps the fries from crisping, so take a minute here to dry them well. If you are cooking a large batch, you can work in two rounds to keep the towels from getting soaked.

4. Toss With Oil And Seasoning

Add the dried potatoes to a dry bowl. Drizzle the oil over the top and sprinkle on salt, pepper, and any dry spices you like. Use clean hands or tongs to toss until every fry has a light, even coating. You want just enough oil to help the surface brown and hold the seasoning, not so much that the fries feel greasy.

5. Preheat And Load The Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer for 3–5 minutes. A hot basket helps the fries start crisping right away. Spread the oiled potatoes in a single layer in the basket. Small gaps between pieces let the hot air move freely around each fry. If the fries sit in a piled mound, the ones in the center tend to steam rather than crisp, so work in batches if needed.

6. Cook And Shake The Basket

Set the temperature and time based on your chosen fry style. Cook for the first half of the time, then pull the basket out and shake it well or use tongs to turn the fries. This exposes new surfaces to the air flow and helps the fries brown on all sides. Slide the basket back in and cook until the fries look deeply golden and feel firm at the edges.

7. Season While Hot And Serve

As soon as the fries come out of the air fryer, move them to a bowl or tray and sprinkle with a little extra salt or seasoning. The heat helps the flavors cling to the surface. Serve air fryer french fries right away for best texture.

Fresh Potato Prep For Homemade Fries

The type of potato you choose for air fryer french fries affects both flavor and texture. Russet potatoes make fries with a fluffy interior and crisp shell, while yellow varieties such as Yukon Gold bring a creamier center and slightly denser bite. Waxy potatoes, including red or fingerling types, hold their shape but may not get as crisp.

Whatever variety you pick, try to choose potatoes that feel firm and heavy with no green patches or deep sprouts. According to USDA FoodData Central, a medium potato brings starch, fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, which makes homemade fries more than just a treat when you eat them in a balanced meal. Baking or air frying keeps that nutrition closer to what you start with compared with deep frying, which introduces extra fat through oil absorption.

Soaking and drying matter just as much as the variety. A short soak sheds loose starch that can brown too fast. Drying avoids pockets of water that interfere with browning and can make the fries stick to the basket. Both steps create a surface that responds well to the blast of air in the fryer.

Seasoning Ideas For Air Fryer French Fries

Salt alone can make air fryer french fries disappear quickly, yet a few pantry spices give you plenty of variety without extra work. Add dry seasonings before cooking when you want them toasted and fragrant, or toss them on right after cooking if they burn easily.

Classic And Simple Flavors

• Garlic and onion powder for a diner-style side dish
• Paprika or smoked paprika for color and a hint of smoke
• Dried herbs such as rosemary, thyme, or oregano for a roasted potato feel
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese added right after cooking for a salty crust

Making French Fries In An Air Fryer From Frozen

Frozen french fries in an air fryer follow the same basic pattern as fresh fries, but you can skip the washing, cutting, soaking, and drying. Most frozen fries are par-fried at the factory, so they already contain oil on the surface. You usually do not need to add extra oil; just a light spray if the fries look very dry.

Spread the frozen fries in a single layer in the basket. Cook at 380–400°F (193–204°C) for 10–15 minutes, shaking the basket once or twice. Shoestring or thin crinkle fries cook near the lower end of the range, while thicker steak fries take closer to the upper end. Check the packaging for any specific air fryer directions, then use those as a starting point and adjust based on the browning you see.

If you want to add extra seasoning beyond salt, toss the hot fries in a large bowl right after cooking. Fine salt, garlic powder, or spice blends cling better while a little steam still rises from the fries. For cheese, toss the fries with shredded Parmesan or a similar hard cheese, then give them one more minute in the hot basket with the heat off so the cheese melts gently without burning.

Troubleshooting Soggy Or Burnt Air Fryer Fries

Even with a solid method, air fryer french fries can turn out limp, pale, or burnt at the tips. These problems usually trace back to moisture, temperature, crowding, or timing. Once you match the issue to the cause, small tweaks bring your fries back to the texture you want.

Use the table below as a quick reference when a batch does not look right. Adjust one factor at a time so you can see which change makes the biggest difference in your own kitchen.

Problem	Likely Cause	Fix For Next Batch
Soggy Fries	Too much moisture or crowded basket	Dry potatoes better and cook in smaller batches
Pale Fries	Low temperature or short cook time	Increase temperature by 10–20°F and cook longer
Dark Tips, Pale Centers	Fries cut unevenly	Slice potatoes into even sticks before soaking
Dry, Hard Texture	Too little oil or very long cook time	Add a little more oil and check earlier
Sticking To Basket	No preheat or wet potato surfaces	Preheat basket and dry fries thoroughly
Smoky Air Fryer	Oil or crumbs left from earlier batches	Wipe basket and tray between rounds
Uneven Browning	No mid-cook shake	Shake basket or turn fries halfway through

Food safety still matters with fries, and potatoes still change when they cook at high heat. To lower the formation of acrylamide, a compound that forms in starchy foods at high heat, health agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration encourage cooks to aim for a golden color rather than a very dark brown. Air frying helps because it relies on hot air instead of a full vat of oil, which can reduce acrylamide levels compared with deep frying.

Serving, Storage, And Reheating Tips

Serve air fryer french fries right away for the best texture. A warm oven set to low heat can hold a batch for 10–15 minutes while you finish a second round, but long holding times tend to soften the crust. If you need to feed a larger group, plan on cooking in batches and cycling fries through the oven for only a short time.

Leftover fries keep in the refrigerator for three days. Spread them in a shallow container so they cool quickly. When you are ready for more fries, skip the microwave, which steams the potatoes, and use the air fryer instead. A short blast at 375–390°F (191–199°C) brings back some of the crispness without drying them out completely.