How to Make Fries in Air Fryer

Air fryer fries are genuinely excellent — crispy on the outside, fluffy inside, and made with a fraction of the oil used in deep frying. Once you've made them this way, it's hard to go back to the oven. Here's the complete guide for fresh-cut and frozen fries.

Fresh-Cut Air Fryer Fries

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 medium russet potatoes (russets have the best starch content for crispy fries)
1–2 tablespoons oil (vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
Salt to taste
Optional: garlic powder, paprika, black pepper

Step-by-Step

Cut the potatoes: Peel (optional) and cut into 1/4” to 1/3” sticks. Uniform thickness is key — uneven fries cook unevenly.
Soak in cold water: Place cut fries in a bowl of cold water for 20–30 minutes. This removes excess starch, which is the secret to crispy fries. Skip this step and they'll be soft.
Dry thoroughly: Drain and pat completely dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. This is critical — wet fries steam instead of crisp.
Toss with oil: Coat evenly with 1–2 tablespoons of oil. Every fry should have a light coating.
Season: Add salt and any other seasonings. Toss to coat.
Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 3–5 minutes.
Cook in a single layer: Don't pile fries on top of each other. Cook in batches if needed — this is the most important step for crispiness.
Cook for 15–20 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes for even browning.
Raise to 400°F for the last 3–5 minutes for maximum crispiness.
Season immediately after cooking while hot.

Why Soak the Potatoes?

Soaking removes surface starch that would otherwise form a gummy layer on the fries, preventing them from crisping. The water turns cloudy — that's the starch coming out. After soaking, the fries will crisp much more effectively in the air fryer.

Frozen Fries in the Air Fryer

Frozen fries are even simpler — no soaking or drying needed.

Preheat to 400°F
Add frozen fries in a single layer (no oil needed — they already contain oil)
Cook for 12–16 minutes, shaking every 5 minutes
Season immediately after cooking

Thin frozen fries (like shoestring) take 10–12 minutes. Thick steak fries take 16–20 minutes.

Fry Variations

Sweet Potato Fries

Cut sweet potatoes into 1/4" sticks. No soaking needed. Toss with oil, salt, and a pinch of cinnamon or paprika. Cook at 380°F for 15–18 minutes, shaking every 5 minutes. They won't get as crispy as russet fries but are delicious.

Seasoned Fries

Garlic parmesan: Toss with garlic powder; add grated parmesan in the last 2 minutes
Cajun: Cajun seasoning + paprika + cayenne
Rosemary salt: Fresh rosemary + flaky sea salt
Truffle: Truffle oil (add after cooking) + parmesan + parsley

Troubleshooting

Problem	Cause	Fix
Fries are soft, not crispy	Too much moisture or overcrowding	Soak + dry thoroughly; cook in smaller batches
Fries are unevenly browned	Not shaking enough	Shake every 4–5 minutes
Fries are dry and hard	Overcooked	Reduce time by 2–3 minutes
Fries stick to basket	Not enough oil or basket not preheated	Ensure light oil coating; use parchment liner

Recommended Air Fryer for Fries

The Ninja XL 5.5 QT Air Fryer has a large enough basket to cook a generous portion of fries in a single layer without batching for most households. The 400°F max temperature delivers the high heat needed for truly crispy results.

The soak-and-dry step adds 20–30 minutes of passive time but makes a dramatic difference in crispiness. Do it once and you'll never skip it again.

Back to blog