American · 400°F · 40 min
Air Fryer Baked Potato
Russets with a dry, salted skin and a steaming interior: faster than the oven, crisper than the microwave.
Air Fryer French Fries
From-scratch fries: soak the starch out, dry hard, then blast. Frozen fries are a shorter path. Do not treat them the same. Either way, space in the basket is what makes them crisp.
Soak, then dry
Cold-water soak pulls surface starch. Towel-dry until no damp patches remain or they steam.
Two temperatures if you can
Some cooks start lower to cook through, then finish hotter. One hot blast works if the cuts are thin and dry.
Frozen is different
No soak. Cook from frozen, shake often and do not thaw.
Air Fryer French Fries
Prep 30 min · Cook 18 min · Total 48 min · 4 servings
Crowding. A packed basket makes steamed potato sticks. If they overlap, they will not crisp.
From frozen. Frozen fries: skip soak and oil. 400°F (204°C) for 12-16 minutes, shake at 8. Do not thaw.
Step-by-step instructions
Follow each step in order. Photos show what to look for so the basket finish matches the plate.
Prep
Cut the potatoes into even 1/4-inch sticks. Soak in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes to pull off surface starch. Drain and dry thoroughly with a clean towel until the towel stays dry.
Potato sticks cut for fries drying on a towel Toss the fries with oil, salt and any spices you want. Every stick should look lightly coated, not wet.
Cook
Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C). Load a loose single layer. If they look crowded, cook in two batches so they crisp instead of steam.
Raw fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket Cook 10 minutes. Open the basket and toss hard so the pale sides get heat. Cook 6-8 minutes more until the edges are brown and the centers are tender.
Golden crispy french fries in the air fryer basket Salt again while they are hot and eat right away. Fries soften as they sit.
