- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Total
- 47 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 900 g
- 2 l
- 2 tbsp
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- ½ tsp
Process
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Scrub the russet potatoes and cut them into 1 cm thick batons, leaving the skin on if you like. Try to keep every fry the same thickness so they cook at the same rate.
Put the cut potatoes in a large bowl, cover with 2 l cold water and let them soak for 15 minutes. This rinses off surface starch so the fries crisp instead of steaming.
Drain the potatoes and dry them very thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Any water left on the surface will make them soggy in the air fryer.
Return the dry potatoes to the bowl, add 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp fine salt, 0.5 tsp garlic powder and 0.5 tsp smoked paprika if using, and toss until every fry is evenly coated.
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C for 3 minutes. Lightly brush the basket with a little vegetable oil to stop the fries sticking.
Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the basket, working in batches if needed. Do not pile them up, or they will steam and stay pale.
Air fry at 200°C for 12 minutes, then pull the basket out and shake it well so the fries turn and brown evenly on all sides.
Continue air frying at 200°C for 8 to 10 more minutes, shaking once more halfway, until the fries are deep golden brown with crisp edges and a knife slides through the centre easily.
Tip the fries into a bowl, sprinkle with a little extra fine salt while hot and serve immediately.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is skipping the soak and the dry: unsoaked, wet potatoes release starch and steam, giving you limp pale fries no matter how long you cook them.
- Cut the fries 1 cm thick and no thicker. Thicker batons brown on the outside before the middle cooks, leaving a raw, gluey centre.
- Never overcrowd the air fryer basket. A single layer with a little space between the fries is what lets hot air circulate and build a crisp crust; fry in two batches if your basket is small.
- The doneness marker is colour and feel, not the timer: the fries should be deep golden with blistered edges and give no resistance when pierced with a knife. Add 2 minutes at a time if they are still pale.
Substitutions
- russet potatoes→Yukon Gold or Maris Piper potatoes
- cornstarch→potato starch or arrowroot powder
- vegetable oil→avocado oil or another neutral high-smoke-point oil
- smoked paprika→sweet paprika or onion powder
Storage & reheating
Cool any leftover fries completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They will lose their crispness, so reheat them in the air fryer at 190°C for 4 to 6 minutes, shaking once, rather than in the microwave, which turns them soft and rubbery. For longer storage, freeze the cooled fries in a single layer on a tray, then bag them for up to 2 months and reheat from frozen at 200°C for 8 to 10 minutes.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why are my air fryer french fries soggy instead of crispy?
Sogginess almost always comes from too much surface starch or water. Soak the cut potatoes in cold water for 15 minutes, dry them completely with a towel, and toss them with cornstarch before frying. Also make sure the basket is not overcrowded, because piled-up fries trap steam and never brown.
Do I really need to soak the potatoes before air frying?
Yes, the soak matters. It washes away the surface starch that otherwise makes the fries stick together and turn gummy. Fifteen minutes in cold water is enough; longer soaking is fine but not necessary, and you must dry them well afterwards.
What is the best potato for air fryer fries?
Russets are the best choice because they are high in starch and low in moisture, so the inside turns fluffy while the outside crisps. Yukon Gold or Maris Piper also work and give a slightly creamier centre. Waxy potatoes such as red potatoes stay firm and never get that fluffy interior.
Can I make these fries ahead of time?
You can cut and soak the potatoes up to 24 hours ahead and keep them covered in cold water in the fridge. Drain and dry them right before cooking. You can also air fry them fully, cool them, and reheat at 190°C for 4 to 6 minutes to bring the crispness back.
Can I freeze air fryer french fries?
Yes. Spread the cooled cooked fries on a tray and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from frozen in the air fryer at 200°C for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the basket once, until hot and crisp again.
How do I know when the fries are done?
Colour and texture are the best signs: the fries should be deep golden brown with blistered, crisp edges, and a knife should slide through the centre with no resistance. If they are still pale after the full cooking time, give them 2 more minutes and shake the basket.
Why did my fries stick to the air fryer basket?
The usual causes are a dry basket and wet, starchy fries. Brush the basket lightly with oil before adding the potatoes, and pat the fries completely dry after soaking. Shaking the basket at the halfway point also stops them from gluing to the base.
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