See my guide on how to use an Air Fryer.

Air Fryer French Fries are so easy to make, with just three simple ingredients. Crispy and absolutely irresistible, these are the best homemade French fries. 

a plate of air fryer french fries with a small dish of ketchup

Who out there bought an air fryer just so you could make air fryer French fries? If your hand is raised, I certainly don’t blame you. 

The air fryer is perfect for making healthier versions of your favorite foods, including French fries. With an air fryer you can use very little oil and get crispier fries than oven baked French fries. Forget about store-bought frozen French fries that contain up to a dozen ingredients, these homemade fries have only three ingredients and are so delicious. 

Between these air fryer French fries, my Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries and Air Fryer Zucchini Fries, we’ve been munching on healthy fries nonstop over here and Air Fryer Onion Rings too! 

Enjoy these air fryer fries dipped in ketchup, BBQ Sauce, Honey Mustard, Ranch Dressing or make Cajun Fries with Cajun Seasoning. They’re the perfect side dish for Turkey Burgers, Black Bean Burgers, Chicken Tenders, Instant Pot Pulled Pork and Crockpot BBQ Chicken.

close up of three air fryer french fries in a dish of ketchup with more fries around the dish

To Soak or Not to Soak the Potatoes?

One question that came up when I was testing this French fry recipe was whether soaking the fries in water was necessary before air frying. In theory, soaking can help to remove some of the potato starch, yielding crispier fries.

I did a side by side taste test of fries soaked for one hour in cool water (and then dried) before cooking and no soak fries. The results? My family and I did not notice a difference in crispiness between the soak and no soak fries. So for convenience and to save time, this recipe does not call for soaking the fries. 

If you’re looking for a make ahead option, however, soaking is the way to go. You can cut the fries up to 24 hours in advance and store them in a bowl of water in the refrigerator. The water will prevent the fries from browning. Just be sure to dry the fries really well before air frying.

Best Potatoes for Fries

Russet potatoes make the best air fryer French fries. Russet potatoes will give you homemade fries that are soft and fluffy inside and crispy on the outside. I also tested this recipe with yellow potatoes (Yukon golds) and the texture of the fries was not nearly as good. 

Recipe Ingredients

  • Russet Potatoes: The best potato for air fryer fries!
  • Olive Oil: You’ll only need a small amount of oil to make crispy fries in the air fryer.
  • Salt: Salt is essential for seasoning the fries. We salt to taste, both before and after cooking, for the perfect fries. 
  • Optional Seasonings: Try garlic salt, Cajun seasoning or your favorite dipping sauce. 

Find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.

How to Make Air Fryer French Fries

  1. Preheat the air fryer. Preheating the air fryer helps the fries to start crisping up as soon as they hit the hot basket.
  2. Scrub and dry the potatoes. Leave the skins on the potatoes because the skins make the fries crispier.
  3. Cut the potatoes. Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch thick fries. To do this, first cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices and then cut each potato slice into 1/4-inch thick sticks. Pat the potatoes dry again. Any moisture left on the fries can prevent them from crisping up as they cook. potato cut into 1/4-inch thick slices cutting a potato into 1/4-inch thick sticks
  4. Oil and season. Drizzle olive oil over the fries and toss to evenly coat them. Sprinkle the fries with salt and toss to evenly distribute. french fries in a glass bowl drizzled with olive oil
  5. Air fry French fries in batches. Cooking the fries in a single layer without overcrowding the air fryer basket is essential for maximum crispiness. How long to air fry French fries depends on a number of factors, including the thickness of the fries and which model of air fryer you use. In my air fryer, fries take 14-18 minutes at 380° F. Toss the fries after the first 8 minutes of cooking time by shaking the air fryer basket. This promotes even cooking and allows you to check on their progress. uncooked fries in an even layer in air fryer basket
  6. Taste and season. The best way to tell when air fryer French fries are done is to taste one. If the ends aren’t yet crispy, you can cook them a few minutes more. I always add a bit more salt after cooking, to taste.

crispy french fries in air fryer

Air Fryer French Fries Recipe Tips

  • Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. The fries should be in a single layer, with a bit of room between them so that the air can circulate around as they cook. Cook fries in batches as needed.
  • Keep the skins on. The skins help to make the fries crispy. Save a step and don’t peel the potatoes.
  • Slice the fries thinly. Aim for 1/4-inch thickness. Try to cut all of the fries approximately the same thickness, so that they will all be done at the same time.
  • Toss the fries halfway through the cook time. This helps all of the sides to cook evenly.
  • Air fryers may vary, so adjust the cook time as needed. Check on the fries at 8 minutes to assess their progress. When you think they look done, taste one. If it’s not crispy yet, cook a few minutes more.
  • Reheat batches of fries in the air fryer. If you’re cooking the fries in more than one batch, you can put all of the batches back in the air fryer at once to reheat once the last batch is done. It’s ok if they aren’t in a single layer for reheating. In the unlikely chance that you have leftover fries, the air fryer is the best way to reheat them.

More Easy Air Fryer Recipes

a plate of air fryer french fries with a small dish of ketchup
5 from 2 ratings

The Best Air Fryer French Fries

Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 24 minutes
Air Fryer French Fries are so easy to make, with just three simple ingredients. Enjoy these crispy homemade fries as an appetizer, snack or side dish!
Print Recipe Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 Russet potatoes
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • salt, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the air fryer to 380° for 5 minutes.
  • Scrub the potatoes and dry them well. There is no need to peel the potatoes. Leaving the skins on makes the fries crispier.
  • Cut the potatoes into ¼-inch thick fries. Pat them dry.
  • Place potatoes in a bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and toss to distribute the oil evenly over the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and toss to mix. (You can add more salt, to taste, after cooking.)
  • Air fry the potatoes in batches, placing fries in a single layer in the air fryer with a little space in between to allow air to circulate around the fries. Air fry each batch for 14-18 minutes, tossing after 8 minutes of the cook time, until golden brown and crispy on the edges and soft in the center.
  • Add more salt if needed, to taste.

Notes

  • The best way to reheat fries is in the air fryer. If cooking in batches, you can serve each batch as it is done, or wait and reheat all of the fries together in the air fryer once the last batch is cooked. 
  • Nutrition information does not include salt as the amount of salt will vary.
Calories: 131kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 5mg, Potassium: 444mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 14mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
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