French fries are one the most popular side dishes, thanks to their tastiness and versatility. But through trial and error, we’ve learned an air fryer is the secret weapon for achieving peak potato crispiness at home. All that fast-moving hot air trapped in a small chamber mimics the effect of deep-frying but without all the grease.
Making perfect air fryer french fries, whether fresh or frozen, is easy and fast, but your very good fries could taste even better with a few tweaks. Master these air fryer french fry hack and you’ll never have to settle for a floppy shoestring or a soggy tot again.
This is how I make the best crispy french fries with little effort in the air fryer.
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How to make the world’s crispiest air fryer fries
A few techniques help me get the most out of my air fryer when cooking frozen goodies like french fries, chicken tenders and tater tots.
1. Preheat the air fryer
A light spritz of oil will ensure your air fryer fries don’t dry out.
Some people swear by spraying a little of their go-to cooking oil, like canola, olive or avocado, into the basket and over frozen french fries before air-frying. The idea is that the extra oil helps the food brown and crisp up. You don’t need to go nuts with oil, but a light coating helps seal the potato strings in a divinely crispy crust.
An oil mister or spray bottle will help with an even and light coating of oil.
Try not to crowd your fries in the basket.
Air fryers create convection heat by using a fan (the noise you hear when you turn the machine on) to circulate air around the food, cooking it faster and creating that crunchy exterior we want. For convection cooking to work well, your french fries need to have as much surface area exposed as possible. That means loading up batches of fries in a single layer and leaving just a little space between each piece, if possible. The result is tastier fries in a shorter cooking time.
4. Shake for even cooking
Weeknight dinners are simple when you implement the help of your air fryer.
How to make air fryer french fries
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 2 minutes.
- Spritz the air fryer basket with oil.
- Add the frozen fries to the basket, arranging them in a single layer. If you’re using oil, spritz the fries with it.
- Cook the fries for 10 minutes.
- Pull out the air fryer basket and shake it.
- Rearrange the french fries in a single layer, then replace the basket and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more. The exact time will depend on your air fryer, the size and shape of your fries, and your preferred doneness level.
- Season your fries with salt, if using, and serve immediately.
What to serve with air fryer french fries
How long do fries take in the air fryer?
Yes, you can air fry frozen french fries straight from the bag. Preheat the basket and avoid overcrowding for best results.
Why don’t my french fries get crispy in the air fryer?
