These crispy Homemade French Fries in Air Fryer are a cinch to make with simple ingredients you likely already have on hand. This recipes includes an optional fresh garlic and Parmesan cheese topping that’s restaurant quality. Serve them as a side dish anytime you’re short on time and need a quick and delicious side dish the whole family will love.

Easy Homemade French Fries in Air Fryer Recipe

Making homemade french fries in the air fryer is an easy way to achieve crispy, golden fries using far less oil than traditional deep frying. Fresh potatoes are sliced into fries, soaked to remove excess starch, then air fried until they have a perfectly crispy exterior and tender on the inside.

These air fryer homemade french fries are ideal as a simple side dish for burgers, chicken, steak, sandwiches, and hot dogs, or served as an appetizer with dipping sauces like ranch dressing, garlic aioli, or Southern comeback sauce. Whether you’re cooking for a casual weeknight meal or a backyard cookout, air fryer french fries deliver classic flavor with a lighter, homemade twist.

Checkout this quick list of key ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Air Fryer French Fries : (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

Potatoes – Russet potatoes. I don’t remove the peel but you can peel, if preferred.
Oil – Olive oil will brown the potatoes and add flavor.
Spices – Seasoned salt or Cajun seasoning, granulated garlic.
Fresh Herbs – Chopped fresh parsley for color. You’ll also need fresh garlic and grated Parmesan cheese if you plan on making the optional topping.

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How to Make the Best Homemade French Fries in Air Fryer Recipe

Prep the Potatoes – Scrub and clean potatoes then slice into 1/4 inch slices. Rinse with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Oil and Seasonings – Drizzle with olive oil and season with seasoned salt and granulated garlic. Toss to fully coat.
Transfer to Air Fryer Basket – Arrange in the air fryer basket in a single layer. If the basket is too full cook in 2 batches. (Keep warm on a sheet pan in a 200°F oven between batches.)
Fry – Cook at 375°F per the recipe stopping halfway through cooking to shake the basket or flip. Spray with cooking spray, if needed. Continue to cook for another 8-10 minutes until crisp and golden.
Serve – Sprinkle with more seasoned salt to taste then serve immediately with ketchup, comeback sauce or any of your favorite sauces for dipping.

Kitchen Equipment to Make Homemade Air Fryer French Fries

Large air fryer. Cooking fries in an air fryer uses a fan to circulate hot air around the food for a crispy exterior without excess grease and mess.
Sharp knife and cutting board.
Large bowl and medium bowl.
Measuring spoons.

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Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions

Olive Oil – I use olive oil in this recipe, but you could also use vegetable oil or canola oil. You could also drizzle the french fries with truffle oil just before serving for an upscale taste.
Potatoes – Different varieties of potatoes have different amounts of starch content. Starchy Idaho potatoes (russet potatoes) will give you the best result for this particular recipe, but you could adapt it using yukon gold potatoes.
Spices – The sky’s the limit with seasonings. You could use plain table salt or kosher salt and smoked paprika or chili powder for extra spice. You could also add 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder, oregano or rosemary to change the flavor profile.
Crispy Fries – For ultra-crispy fries, finish with 1–2 extra minutes at the end.
Lighter Oil Options – You can also lighten-up these french fries up by using an oil mister or cooking spray in place of olive oil.
Why Rinse Potatoes for French Fries? Rinsing the potatoes after cutting will remove any starch on the surface. Soaking the potatoes for 15 minutes is also an option. Doing so will result in a crispier french fry.
Adjust Time Based on Appliance – Depending on the style of air fryer used i.e. basket air fryer versus multi function cooker, the the cooking time may vary slightly. Know your appliance and made any adjustments as needed.
Garlic Parmesan French Fries – You can finish these fries with sauteed minced garlic and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, if desired. This is completely optional but adds another dimension to the flavor. Simply sauté minced garlic in a small amount of butter then sprinkle on top of the french fries and top with grated Parmesan cheese after frying. See Step #7 for how to make air fryer french fries into garlic fries topped with Parmesan cheese.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftovers – Store Air Fryer French Fries in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating – Reheat air fryer fries in the air fryer for a few minutes at 350°F just until crispy and heated thru. They can also be reheated on a sheet pan in a preheated oven at 350°F.
Freezer – You can freeze leftover french fries for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen or thaw in the fridge and reheat just before serving.

More Easy Air Fryer Recipes to Make

Finger licking good Air Fryer Southern Fried Chicken.
Easy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts come out crispy and delicious.
Air Fryer Pork Chops are juicy on the outside with a crisp coating.
Air Fryer Meatloaf is packed with flavor and a sweet tomato glaze.
Air Fryer Macaroni and Cheese comes together in no time for a busy weekday option.
Skip the drive through and make your own crispy Air Fryer Chicken Breasts Sandwich.
The family will love these Air Fryer Hamburgers!
Air Fryer Green Beans from Simply Recipes.

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