The BEST Crispy Air Fryer French Fries (No Soaking)

Hands down one of the most made recipes in our house – air fryer french fries!! Yes, they are pretty simple, but man, I promise you they are AMAZING.

In all seriousness, we make air fryer fries at least 3-4 times a week. It rotates between sweet potato fries or classic white potatoes.

I have become obsessed with my air fryer since getting it back in 2018 and it’s in the top 2 of my favorite appliance (along with my Vitamix). We sometimes use it multiple times a day. And homemade air fryer french fries are by far one of my favorite things to make in it!

If people ask me if they should get an air fryer, I tell them, yes, and even if you only make fries in it, it’s totally worth it!

This air fryer french fry recipe reminds me of getting them at a restaurant but they are made without all the oil and deep-frying. They are lightly coated in a little oil, tossed with some salt and pepper, and cooked for about 30 minutes in your air fryer. We love making them as an easy side dish to any meal or to accompany burger night.

The best part – no soaking or cooking in a single layer is required!

Are air-fried french fries healthy?

Making fries in the air fryer is a great healthy alternative to your typical deep-fried french fries. They are a lot lower in fat as they require a lot less oil to cook. One serving of these is only 187 calories with 36 grams of carbohydrates, 3.6 grams of fat, and 5.5 grams of fiber. On the other hand, your typical serving of fries from a restaurant can have 480 calories, 53 grams of carbs, and 24 grams of fat. 

What are the best potatoes for fries?

When making fries, you want to choose potatoes with a higher starch content, like yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes. Both will crisp up nicely but still stay tender in the middle. I find russet are best for making fries as they are what you are used to as most french fries are made with them. Yukon gold has a little bit of a buttery taste.

How to cut potatoes for french fries

One of the key tips for crispy fries is cutting uniform french fries. There are plenty of shapes and sizes you can cut, but we are making your standard 1/2-inch thick french fries. This is the easiest way I have found to cut potatoes into fries:

1. Prep. Wash/scrub your potatoes to remove any excess dirt.
2. Cut. Position the potato so one of the ends is facing you (it should be up and down lengthwise). Holding the potato, cut off about 1/2 inch of one side. If you like, you can cut off another slice about 1/2 inch thick. This leaves you with a smaller flat surface on one side of the potato (depending on how big your potato is). Then you can place the potato flat side down so it is against the cutting board. Now you have a stable base to cut the remainder of your potato.
3. Continue to cut into 1/2-inch thick slices. Then cut those rounds into 1/2 inch thick french fries. Try to make them as uniform as possible, as that will help with even cooking time.

I find that cutting them into 1/2-inch thick pieces is the perfect size for fries because they will shrink as they cook down. That being said, you could cut them smaller or larger depending on what you like. You will have to adjust the cooking time if you choose to do that.

Air fryer french fries ingredients

• russet potatoes – the best potatoes for french fries!
• olive oil
• salt
• black pepper

How to make air fryer french fries

1. Cut your potatoes. Rinse and dry them and them into 1/2 inches pieces (see the section above on how to cut the perfect fry).
2. Coat the potatoes. Then add them to a large bowl along with the rest of the ingredients and mix well to combine, making sure to coat each fry with the oil, salt, and pepper. Add all your fries to your air fryer basket, making sure to spread them out evenly and allow for even airflow. It’s okay that they are on top of each other. Depending on how big your air fryer is, you might have to cook them in two batches. The less you have in there, the crispy they will get. With my Philips XXL, I find one batch is enough for this amount of fries.
3. Cook fries. Close the drawer and set to 400 degrees for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, take the basket and shake it up some to move the fries around. I like to do this over the sink for easy cleanup. Briefly arrange the fries again to make sure air can evenly flow through them. Cook for another 10-15 minutes. Check to see how they look and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes if needed. Make sure to open the drawer of the air fryer once done or they can steam in there.
4. Enjoy! Once done, immediately sprinkle with some sea salt before serving (I love using flakey sea salt). Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Do you have to soak fries before air frying?

Soaking potatoes in cold water can help release some of their starch and yield a crispy fry. That being said, I find it is not necessary when using the air fryer as the air gets hot enough to get them crispy. I have never soaked my potatoes and we get crispy fries all the time. If you want to try it, feel free to.

Do I have to cook them in batches?

You will see a lot of recipes call for making air fryer french fries being cooked in a single layer. I find this is super unrealistic unless you are just cooking for one person. No one has time to cook 4 batches of french fries.

The fewer fries you have in your air fryer, the less time they will take to cook. And this can help with getting them crispy. BUT I find you can still get them just as crispy, it just takes a little longer. And honestly probably less time than if you going to have to make 3+ batches.

When adding my fries to my air fryer basket, I try to spread them out and make sure there is room for the hot air to flow evenly. I will slightly arrange and stack them, but with russet potatoes, they are still able to crisp up nicely without being so cautious (compared to sweet potatoes).

Remember that all air fryer models vary so it could depend on your model as well. My Philips XXL works great for pilling in lots of food.

How long do you cook french fries in the air fryer?

Cooking time will depend on how many potatoes you are using. If using 2 pounds and cooking them all at once, I find you need about 30-35 minutes in the air fryer. When cooking one pound, you could need about 15 minutes. If cooking fries in a single layer, you only need about 10 minutes.

I recommend cooking at 400 degrees.

Tips for crispy french fries

The beauty of using russet potatoes is they can get super crispy when done right. Here are some of my tips to get crispy fries in the air fryer.

• cut in uniform shape – cutting your potatoes in uniform shape and size will help ensure an even cooking. We don’t want some fries undercooked and others burnt. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but try to get them the same thickness.
• cooking at high temperatures – high temperatures are what helps them get crispy and brown on the outside. I suggest cooking at 400 degrees. With my air fryer, you don’t need to preheat it, but check your manual if that is something yours recommends. I find it to be a waste of time/energy (even in the oven!).
• flip and check them every so often – shake/flip them halfway through to ensure all sides are cooking evenly. Towards the end of the cooking time, you want to check in on them frequently. I have found that they can go from perfectly cooked to overcooked in 1-2 minutes. Around the 25-30 minute mark, I will add 1-2 minutes at a time and check to make sure they aren’t burning.
• don’t overcrowd the basket – we like to make a lot at once, but you don’t want to fill your basket up too much. With the technology of the air fryer, the air needs room to circulate, which helps get things so crispy. While I put a lot in there, I make sure they are evenly spread out so it allows for the air to flow. Some recipes have you put them in one layer! It will depend on the size of your air fryer, but you should be good with 1-2 batches for these french fries in the air fryer.

What to serve with french fries

• burger salad
• greek lamb burgers
• instant pot BBQ chicken with a salad or veggies

And of course, what is a good french fry with a good sauce?! Here are some of my favorite dips (I am not a ketchup person):

• special sauce – a match made in heaven and by far one of our favorite sauces
• greek yogurt blue cheese dressing
• buffalo sauce
• tzatziki sauce – for a little greek vibe
• jalapeno honey mustard

Storage and how to reheat

• refrigerator – if you have leftovers, allow them to cool completely (so no moisture forms) and store them in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to a week. To heat them up you can put them back in the air fryer for 4-6 minutes, toast them in a pan with a little oil, or use the microwave.
• freezer – allow them to cool completely. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer and place in the freezer for 1-2 hours until frozen. Then place in a storage bag for up to 3 months. Freezing them in a single layer allows them to not stick together when you place them in a bag/container.

More healthy air fryer recipes

• air fryer sweet potato fries
• garlic rosemary air fryer potatoes
• crispy air fryer brussel sprouts
• roasted air fryer carrots
• air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings

If you love quick and easy healthy recipes, check out our free 30-Minute Meals Recipe Book!