By using an air fryer, you can make delicious and perfectly crispy fries without having to heat up the oven or use a lot of oil. This post has lots of tips for making The Best Air Fryer Fries, along with some suggestions of different ways to season them, so you can have a different flavour chip (fries) every time.
If you have an air fryer and you have never made fries/chips in it, then you are seriously missing out.We have lots of delicious air fryer recipes for you. We actually had an air fryer for over a year before we made anything but fries in it (although there is so much more you can do in it) and we still have these at least twice a week - they are a classic side dish.
Instead of heating up the oven and still getting frustrated that you don't have perfectly crispy chips (what we call fries here in the UK), why not try doing them in the air fryer? This recipe couldn't be simpler, and there is no need to turn them like you would in the oven, as the paddle keeps them turning (if you are using an ActiFry style air fryer like we have in this recipe).
Now you have your perfectly crispy chips, what do you serve them with? We serve these with our Homemade Healthier Tomato Ketchup or our Healthy BBQ Sauce.
WHY SHOULD YOU TRY IT?
- Crispy fries every time
- No need to turn them
- Lower in calories and fat then oven cooked as they use less oil
- Lots of seasoning options
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
Potatoes - Any potatoes will work, but some definitely work better than others. We try to use a floury potato like a King Edward or Maris Piper, as they have produced the best results for us.
Olive oil - you could swap this for vegetable or sunflower oil.
Garlic granules - we added garlic granules to add lots of flavour, however there are lots of flavour options with air fryer fries. Add some smoke and spice with paprika and cayenne or a Fajita or Cajun blend.
STEP BY STEP
One: Chop the potatoes into thin fries.
Two: Put them in a large bowl with the oil, salt, pepper and garlic and mix well.
Three: Put them in to the air fryer (this recipe uses a Tefal ActiFry(aff) with a rotating paddle).
Four: Press setting number 1 for the chip/fries setting and cook for 29 minutes.
WHAT POTATOES TO USE?
Any potatoes will work, but some definitely work better than others. We try to use a floury potato like a King Edward or Maris Piper, as they have produced the best results for us.
SEASONING
We have kept it pretty simple with this recipe and just used our standard go-to seasoning of sea salt, black pepper and garlic granules. But there is so much more that you can do with the seasoning here.
You could add a couple of tablespoons of a Mexican or Italian seasoning blend, or just a teaspoon or paprika if you want to give it a smokey edge.
When we want to make a more indulgent chip, we open up the air fryer a few minutes before the chips are cooked and add a sprinkle or grated Parmesan and cook for 3-4 minutes more.
HOW TO GET THEM CRISPY
To get the best crispy fries possible, you are better off cutting them in the thin fries, rather than thicker potato wedges (although you run the risk of them breaking up). We leave the skins on our potatoes when chopping them. This is partly due to the fact that we are lazy and like to save time any way we can, but also because the skin gets nice and crispy and helps to give an overall crispy chip.
If you open up your air fryer and they are still not as crispy as you would like them, then put them back on for 3-4 minutes more. For maximum crispiness, serve them immediately. If you let them sit for a while, or reheat them, they can go soggy.
OVEN COOKING INSTEAD
You can cook chips in the oven, and that is the more traditional method, however to get them crispy you have to use a lot more oil and the cooking time is almost double. Whilst ovens are bigger, if you have a large air fryer then you can make enough to feed a family of four. They will also need to be moved around the baking tray regularly to stop them from sticking.
ACTIFRY VS OTHER AIR FRYERS
This recipe uses a Tefal ActiFry, which differs to most air fryers as it has a rotating paddle to constantly keep the food moving within the air fryer. This is quite a unique function of the ActiFry and we realise that not everyone will have this type of air fryer.
If you have the kind of air fryer that doesn't have a paddle, soak the fries in water for about 10 minutes, remove from the water and pat dry. Preheat the air fryer to 180ºC/360ºF. Put the dried fries in a bowl, drizzle with oil and season to your taste. Toss well to coat evenly.
Arrange the fries on the bottom of your air fryer basket, in a single layer. The more separated, the crispier they will get. If they overlap, it is recommended that they be flipped half-way through the cooking time for a more even cooking. Cook for 15 minutes and once cooked serve immediately.
SOME MORE AIR FRYER RECIPES
If you are looking to get the most out of your air fryer, but don't really know what to make in it, then we have you covered. Why not try these Air Fryer King Prawns or Air Fryer Chicken Tikka.
FAQS
Usually, if you want really crispy fries then they need to be deep fried. With air fried food, you get all the taste and crispiness of a fried dish, but uses much less oil and cooks by circulating hot air around the food. The best bit is, it doesn't sacrifice on taste. Traditional fried food can also seem a lot heavier because of the fat content. But not these Air Fryer French Fries!
You can use Fry Lite and although they will taste a little dryer, they will still cook well and get crispy and you will save yourself some calories by not using a tablespoon of oil per person.
We have tried them when they have been soaked (and patted dry) first and without soaking and noticed no difference in how they were cooked or how crispy they got. So, we now don't bother soaking them, because it just makes the whole process longer.
However, this process is different for other air fryers - see above.
Well, they shouldn't be raw after this cooking time, however if they still aren't cooked to your liking then cook them for a few more minutes. Cooking times will vary depending on the potatoes you use, the thickness of the chip and your air fryer.
We haven't parboiled them first. However, if you want really fluffy on the inside chips, then you can parboil them for 5 minutes first.
Yes, you can and I think it's the best way to cook frozen chips. Simply heat your air fryer up to the temperature on the packaging and then cook them for ¾ of the time stated, but check on them every 5 minutes.
Is there anything more comforting than cheesy chips? Once your chips are cooked, add some grated cheese and then cook it for a further 2 minutes (without a paddle) until the cheese is melted.
If your air fryer fries are too soggy, then make sure you are drying them with some kitchen towel before adding them to the air fryer.
If you are finding that they are burnt, then try using less oil and reducing the cooking time. This recipe really does depend on how you cut the fries and your air fryer - they all cook things differently.
EXTRA TIPS
- Please note that this recipe is made using a Tefal Actifry(aff) Air Fryer. Using a different model of air fryer will change the cooking method needed (see above)
- If you want to change the amount this makes, we recommend a ratio of 1 tbsp of oil to every medium sized potato.
- Get creative with the seasoning. You can add a Mexican or Italian seasoning, or keep it simple like we have.
- For some extra indulgent chips, sprinkle some parmesan on top a few minutes before they are fully cooked.
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