How to make the BEST Homemade Crispy Air Fryer French Fries

Have you ever heard about healthy french fries? If not, then this recipe will amaze you. Everyone loves to eat french fries but, deep-fried french fries have lots of oil and, many people avoid eating them. Here I will share air fryer french fries, which are not just healthy but also crispy, crunchy, and delicious. 

 I use the two new methods that I will share here, to make the french fries with a crisp exterior, a fluffy interior with potato flavor, golden in color and the fry stay crisp for at least as long as it takes to eat a full serving.

Nothing beats homemade Air Fryer french fries and snacking on its salty crispy caramelized edges.

There is one key difference between air frying the fries and deep frying: you only need a  drizzle of oil to make crispy French fries in the air fryer. As a result, these fries are far healthier than average ones or fast food fries. I love that it uses way less oil than regular deep-fried fries.

Homemade Air Fryer French Fries.

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into french fry stick. I like to use Russet potatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder 
Salt to taste 
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon French fry seasoning. I used Roast Vegetables and Fries spice blend.

Instructions: 

1. Slice russet potatoes to create a french fry shape.
2. Rinse the potatoes under running cold water until the water is clear from starch.
3. Place the potatoes in a bowl with cold water and let sit for at least 30 minutes. The longer the better. But don't let them sit for more than overnight. Add 1 Tablespoon of baking soda. I started adding baking soda and noticed that air fryer french fries come out crispier.
4. Rinse the potatoes and lay them on the kitchen towel. Pat dry with a paper towel to dry them off.
5. Add potatoes to a bowl. Drizzle olive oil evenly over the potatoes. Sprinkle garlic powder, black pepper, and salt over the potatoes.
6. Preheat air fryer to 380F/190C for 3 minutes
7. Gently toss to evenly coat with oil and seasonings. Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket /tray. Space them out so they do not overlap.
8. Air fry potatoes at 380 F/ 190 C for about 10 minutes, flipping them halfway. For the rotisserie basket, you may need a bit longer, 15-20 minutes (depending on how loaded the basket is). If you don’t have a rotating basket, halfway through cooking, shake the basket and gently turn the potatoes. Try not to break them. 
9. Serve with homemade Chipotle dip or copycat Chick-Fil-A dip. Divine!

The first method to make the fries crispier is to add a tablespoon of baking soda to the water, as I shared in the directions above.

The second method that I learned from one of our Air Fryer recipes + tips group on Facebook. Blanching potatoes.

Do I need to dry potatoes before frying?

For air fryer fries, you should pat dry potatoes because if the water remains on the potatoes, then oil will not stick to them.

What Kind of oil should I use for air-fried French fries?

You can use any oil of your choice, such as olive oil, coconut oil, Avocado oil, sesame oil, or vegetable oil. You only need just one tablespoon of oil for air fryer french fries.

Tip: Olive oil turns fries into golden brown more quickly than others.

How to store leftover Air fryer french fries?

Yes, you can store them, just put your leftover fries in a zip lock bag or air-tight container and put them in the refrigerator. To reheat them, put them in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes, and you will get back their crispiness.