The exact cook time can vary. Read below for our tips!
Want to make air fryer French fries from scratch? These homemade French fries in the air fryer will have you rethinking frozen fries!
Made with a few potatoes, a little oil, and some simple spices, these fries turn out crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and go great with dipping sauces!
Unlike frozen French fries in the air fryer, these freshly cut fries are made completely from scratch and turn out just as good (if not better) than frozen fries!
Recipe Tips And Substitutions
Before you air fry French fries, read up on these recipe tips so that you achieve the best results – and yummy homemade fries!
- Try to cut the fries all to a similar width so that they cook evenly and finish around the same time. There’s nothing worse than having some fries under-done and some over-done in the same batch!
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer tray too much – these fries need room for air to circulate. That’s how they get crispy. We have a 6-quart air fryer so if you have a smaller one you may need to do these fries in two batches.
- We recommend avocado oil for these French fries since it has a high smoke point.
- You can peel the potatoes (we use Russet potatoes) but we like the skin on – it gets a little crispy which is delicious.
- We’d recommend using russet potatoes if you want them to be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. However, you can also use other types of potatoes if you don’t have any russets on hand.
Step by Step Instructions
If you are looking for visuals for how to make French fries in an air fryer from scratch, you can have a look at the step-by-step process photos in this section.
In case you’re not a fan of visuals, you can find the recipe card with all ingredients and measurements at the bottom of this post!
First, wash the potatoes well, dry them off, and cut them into slices.
Then cut them into sticks approximately 1/4 inch thick. You don’t have to peel the potatoes first but you can if you want to.
Try to cut them to a similar thickness so they can cook evenly.
Add the fries to a mixing bowl, add hot (not boiling) water and let the potatoes sit in the hot water for at least 15 minutes.
After the 15 minutes are up, rinse the potatoes under running water and pat them dry again.
This is important since you don’t want excess moisture to get into the air fryer.
Add the fries to a clean and dry mixing bowl. Add the oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika (optional).
Toss until the fries are well coated.
At this time, also preheat the air fryer to 385 degrees Fahrenheit.
Evenly spread the potato wedges onto the air fryer tray. A little overlap is fine but you shouldn’t have too much.
If you have a smaller air fryer, it’s better to cook the fries in two batches. This way, they will get crispier and cook evenly!
Air fry the French fries for 18-22 minutes until cooked and nicely crispy on the outside. Shake approximately every 5 minutes.
Since every air fryer is different, your cook time might vary slightly.
Remove the fries from the air fryer and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Storage Tips
Air fried French fries don’t usually last too long in our house. That said, any leftover fries should go in a sealed container in the fridge.
They will get a little softer but you can always reheat them the next day (in the air fryer) or cut them up as fried breakfast potatoes and they’ll be good to enjoy again.
What to Serve Air Fryer French Fries With
Homemade French fries in the air fryer are a great snack on their own. Just add in your favorite dipping sauce like ketchup, mayo, or even chipotle mayo!
Of course, homemade French fries make a great side dish to lots of different things: from common finger foods like chicken strips to BBQ dishes, chicken burgers, wraps, and salads!
Related Recipes
For more great air fryer potato ideas, check out these other yummy creations you can do at home:
- Garlic Parmesan Fries in the Air Fryer (Also Homemade)
- Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes
- Crispy Homemade Potato Skins Air Fried
- Homemade Air Fried Wedges
- Air Fryer Frozen Tater Tots
Homemade Air Fryer French Fries
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, 3 medium-large
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil, see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes well, dry them off, and cut them into slices. Then cut them into sticks approximately 1/4 inch thick. You don't have to peel the potatoes first but you can if you want to.
- Add the fries to a mixing bowl, add hot (not boiling) water and let the potatoes sit in the hot water for at least 15 minutes.
- After the 15 minutes are up, rinse the potatoes under running water and pat them dry again.
- Add the fries to a clean and dry mixing bowl. Add the oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Toss until the fries are well coated.
- Preheat the air fryer to 385 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Evenly spread the fries onto the air fryer tray. A little overlap is fine but you shouldn't have too much. If you have a smaller air fryer, it's better to cook the fries in two batches. This way, they will get crispier and cook evenly!
- Air fry the French fries for 18-22 minutes until cooked and nicely crispy on the outside. Shake approximately every 5 minutes. Since every air fryer is different, your cook time might vary slightly.
Video
Notes
- For these French fries, we use russet potatoes because they get a nice crisp on the outside and stay soft on the inside. You can use other types of potatoes if you don’t have russet – just keep in mind that they may air fry differently.
- Try to cut the fries to a similar thickness so that they all cook evenly and finish at roughly the same time. There is nothing worse than having some burnt fries while others aren’t even soft yet!
- As for cooking oil, we use avocado oil since it has a higher smoking point. We don’t recommend virgin olive oil – but other alternatives are sesame oil and canola oil.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
