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These homemade air fryer French fries are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and made with just a few simple ingredients. If you’ve been wondering how to make restaurant-style French fries at home without deep frying, this is the easy recipe you need!
Once you’ve mastered this recipe, you’ll also love these Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries and my Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken!
Why you’ll love French fries in the air fryer!
Did anyone else buy their air fryer specifically for French fries? I mean, I love air fryer popcorn chicken, air fryer Brussels sprouts, and air fryer chicken breasts, but what I really wanted to see was if I could get restaurant-style fries in an air fryer, without having to mess with deep frying.
And you know what? Homemade air fryer French fries are pretty dang amazing. I’ve been enjoying these with my Garlic Butter Steak Bites lately!
- Crispy Without Deep Frying: Get perfectly golden fries using minimal oil.
- Simple Ingredients: Just potatoes, oil, and salt—nothing fancy required.
- Healthier Option: Lower in fat than traditional fried fries.
- Easy to Make: Minimal prep and quick cook time.
- Customizable: Add your favorite seasonings or toppings.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for full measurements!
- Russet potatoes – You can use Yukon gold if you like, but Russet will give you restaurant-style fries. I don’t recommend other types of potatoes.
- Olive oil – Helps the fries crisp up beautifully.
- Salt – Enhances flavor and brings everything together.
Variations
You can use your air fryer French fries as a base for Chili Cheese fries, serve them with my French fry dipping sauce, or flavor them with your favorite seasonings. Here are some to try:
- Seasoning salt
- Italian seasoning
- Truffle oil
- Garlic oil
- Grated Parmesan
- Cajun seasoning
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Minced parsley
How to Make French Fries in the Air Fryer
- Prepare: Preheat your air fryer to 380°F and lightly spray the basket. Slice into ¼-inch sticks for evenly cooked fries.
- Rinse: Rinse the potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch. Pat completely dry to ensure crispiness.
- Season: Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Cook: Arrange in a single layer and cook for 14–16 minutes, flipping halfway through. Sprinkle with extra salt and enjoy immediately.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Place leftovers in an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a 350ºF oven until they’re warmed through. (You can microwave them too, but they’re not as crispy that way!)
Frequently Asked Questions
Air fryers can vary, but I find that about 15 minutes is a good amount of time for French fries. You can check a little bit sooner if you think your air fryer tends to cook things faster!
Set the air fryer temperature for 380ºF when you’re making fries.
There are two reasons your fries might not be crispy. First, if you don’t rinse and dry the fries, they’re unlikely to crisp up. Second, if you crowd too many fries in your air fryer, they’ll be soggy instead of crisp.
Yes, you do need to turn the fries halfway through the cooking time to ensure that they’re crisp on both sides and cook evenly.
More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love
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Homemade Air Fryer French Fries
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes sliced into 1/4-inch sticks
- extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat an air fryer to 380 degrees F and spray the basket with nonstick spray.
- Cut the potato in half lengthwise, then into 1/4-inch slices. Cut the slices into 1/4-inch sticks. Put the fries in a medium bowl and rinse them well with cold water, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.
- Toss the fries with the oil in a medium bowl, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper.
- Working in batches if necessary, put the fries in an even layer in the air fryer basket with no overlapping and cook, turning them halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, 14 to 16 minutes.
- Remove and season with salt.
