I Tried 5 Popular Air
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I made 5 air-fryer recipes and rated each by difficultly level, flavor, and if I’d make again.
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The french-fry and potato-chip recipes lacked crispness and didn’t taste close to fast-food fries.
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The best recipes I followed were for chocolate-chip cookies and churros.
The first recipe I tried was for chocolate-chip cookies.
The recipe calls for 10 ingredients, including pecans and both white and brown sugar.
The process for making these wasn’t complicated.
I didn’t have a stand mixer, so I did things the old fashioned way: by hand.
I whipped my softened butter for 30 seconds and proceeded to add brown sugar, white sugar, baking soda, and salt and continued to mix for two solid minutes.
After, I beat in the egg and vanilla and mixed until it had a smooth consistency.
Slowly, I beat in the flour until it was completely combined. The dough was firm, but still easy to mix.
Lastly, I stirred in the chocolate chips and pecans.
After my dough was complete, I lined my basket with foil and poked holes in it.
I lined the bottom of the air-fryer basket with foil instead of parchment paper a totally OK swap, according to various baking sites.
The recipe didn’t say to poke holes in the foil, but I did so to allow the hot air to stream through as it normally would in order to bake my cookies.
I turned the air fryer on 300 degrees Fahrenheit and let it pre-heat for three minutes. Then, I dropped four dough balls in the first of three test batches.
The third batch was the best.
Best Tips When Making French Fries
- Ensure that you dont overcrowd the basket as it may result in the French fries not getting crispy.
- Ensure that you toss and shake to ensure that the French fries cook evenly.
- It would be best to salt the French fries when serving them. Salting them before can make the French fries lose their crispness.
Easy Air Fryer Home Fries
Air Fryer Home Fries are crispy and crunchy on the outside, and tender and fluffy on the inside. They cook much faster in the air fryer and are a great side dish for breakfast or dinner.
Want to make it a meal? Serve these air fryer home fries with Baked Egg Muffins, Crispy Air Fryer Bacon and Tropical Fruit Salad.
Making home fries in the air fryer is the perfect breakfast side or brunch addition. Its a great option when you dont want to heat up your oven but still want crispy potatoes with great flavor.
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Do I Need To Defrost Frozen French Fries Before Frying
No! Take it from me – do not thaw the fries before air frying!
With all of the advice you’ve seen around the web about water being the enemy of a crispy crunchy finish, it may seem counter-intuitive to put frozen potatoes right into an air fryer.
However, freezing peeled, cut potatoes creates an outside seal that keeps the moisture inside the potato flesh.
Thawing your frozen fries will cause moisture to leak out and your fries won’t crisp up properly.
Nobody wants a pile of mushy fries!
Toss them right into your air fryer and cook them at a high temperature, and you’ll have beautifully crisp fries in minutes!
What Kind Of Air Fryer For French Fries
As far as what kind of air fryer you can use to make french fries, it truly is anything goes – but the hotter you can get your air fryer, the better!
I have a Phillips Air Fryer I got from my parents – and were loving it!
We also have a Ninja Foodie – and I love how it acts as both an air fryer AND a pressure cooker – all in one! The Ninja Foodi cooks more french fries at a time so it can go faster.
Additionally, you can use an Instant Pot with a broil or air fry function, along with a crisping lid! Scroll to the next section for all the tips you need to make this recipe in an instant pot.
Air fryers are super easy, quick, and make cleanup a breeze.
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Air Fryer Times Depending On Machine Size:
Small Air Fryers : Will need to cook in batches with one potato at a time. Cook at 325 degrees F for 10 minutes, then 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Medium Sized Air Fryers and Nuwave Air Fryer : Follow directions in this article
Large Air Fryers : Cook at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, then 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes checking the food every 5 minutes or so.
*Each air fryer can cook at different speeds, so its important to still check your food every 5 minutes to avoid overcooking it.
Air Fryer French Fries Directions
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How Do I Cook Frozen French Fries In An Air Fryer
Cooking frozen foods in your air fryer is a game-changer. You can cook certain foods quicker than your oven preheats.
This air fryer frozen french fries technique requires no oiland still comes out with crispy results!
Fill your air fryer no more than halfway full of frenchfries. Cook at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket every 5minutes.Since all frozen french fries are different, its very important to keep aclose eye on them to make sure they dont overcook. If the fries start to browntoo fast, turn your heat down to 350 degrees F.
I like to only cook the amount I need for that night andremake them again the next night, but I do include directions on how to reheatyour fries below.
Can You Cook Frozen French Fries In A Skillet
Once the oil is shimmering, you can add your frozen French fries in the pan. Make sure you dont add too many fries in the pan since overcrowding the pan will get you less than perfect results on your cook. Since most frozen French fries are par-cooked already, you wont need to spend too long on them.
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How Can I Cook More Food In The Air Fryer
Your best bet is to get a double layer rack for your air fryer. The rack allows you to keep your food on two platforms instead of one, giving you double the amount of space without ever having to worry about the steaks or burgers touching and blocking the air from cooking them thoroughly.
Instead, you will be able to cook two batches at the same time and have them both equally cooked. The double-layered rack will open up for more possibilities. Cooking two ingredients at the same time will not be a problem with the rack.
This can be useful in numerous ways. Having used these racks for quite some time now, Ive found that one of the things that I enjoy the most is the fact that Ive been able to serve the meat and the side at the same time.
Without the rack, I had to cook one ingredient first then proceed with the next. This always led to me to use the oven instead, but I really wanted to get the most out of the air fryer.
Essentially, it fixes the most frequent issue an air fryer owner has to face when cooking with the air fryer.
Dont Crowd Your Fries
One of the tricks to getting even crispiness is ensuring each fry has enough air flow around it. To accomplish this, you need to make sure you dont crowd the fries too much. While a bit of overlap is fine, what you dont want to do is overstuff your air fryer. If youre cooking for a larger group, make them in batches.
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French Fry Seasoning Ideas
These french fries are so delicious because they can be made with all sorts of different flavors and seasonings – try some of these easy ideas, or come up with your own!
Adding different powders and seasonings will help your fries take on new flavors easily – try some of these or come up with your own!
- Onion powder or garlic powder over oiled fries for a bit more flavor.
- Herbs de provence salt for a rustic French twist.
- Cajun seasoning sprinkled over fries gives a spicy Five Guys like french fry flavor – straight from your air fryer.
- Brush fries in the final 15 minutes of baking time with butter, diced garlic, and finely diced parsley for sinfully rich garlic butter fries.
Top Tips For Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
- You can adjust the cooking time depending on how crispy you like your fries or how thick they are. For softer or thinner fries, decrease time. For crispier or thicker fries, increase it.
- If youre using an air fryer that doesnt rotate, toss your fries very, very well midway through. Make sure the fries that are sitting on the bottom of the bowl are scooped up to the top.
- If your air fryer does rotate, be sure to check on them halfway to judge how thoroughly cooked they are.
- Do not spray too much oil, or your fries will get mushy!
- You dont have to preheat your air fryer, but be aware that your cooking time may be longer!
- Try your fries with different seasonings for a more gourmet snack. Try garlic or onion powder, seasoned salt , or chipotle powder for fries with a kick.
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Do I Have To Soak The Potatoes
A lot of home fry recipes call for soaking the potatoes before you cook them. Do you have to? I did some experimenting, and found that its up to you!
Soaking the potatoes draws some of the starch out of them, helping them crisp up. Un-soaked potatoes also crisp up nicely in the air fryer, though Ive found soaking them helps them stay crispy longer. If youre planning to eat them right away, it doesnt make a huge difference, but if you want to make home fries ahead of time, soaking the potatoes in cold water for 15 minutes definitely makes a difference.
The soaked potatoes also brown more evenly. Just be sure to blot the potatoes dry before cooking them so they dont steam.
About Christine
Hi! Im Christine. My passion is creating recipes that take less time in the kitchen, so that we can all spend more time enjoying life! Im a busy single mom of two, so I totally get how tough it can be. Thats why Ive been figuring things out for my own family, and thats why I want to share this knowledge with others. I now help over 2 million people a month get delicious meals onto their tables. Come along with me and see how much easier it can be!
What Kind Of Potatoes To Use
I tried this recipe a couple of times with both Russets and Yukon golds. Both turned out good quality fries, but the Russets are clearly the superior potato for frying, which is my direct opposite preference for roasting potatoes.
The interior of Russet potatoes turns just the way you want ita bit fluffy and softwhereas the exterior stays crispy.
And theyre the right size for fries, too. If you can select them individually rather than buying a bag, Id recommend trying to find the longest ones you cansmaller, more round potatoes are going to make stubby fries that wont permit a whole lot of interaction with ketchup or whatever you condiment of choice happens to be.
You could probably also use red potatoes, but they dont tend to be long enough to turn them into the classic fry shape, so I skipped those for this recipe.
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To Soak Or Not To Soak
One question that came up when I was testing this recipe was whether soaking the fries in water was necessary before air frying. In theory, soaking can help to remove some of the potato starch, yielding crispier fries.
I did a side by side taste test of fries soaked for one hour in cool water before cooking and no soak fries. The results? My family and I did not notice a difference in crispiness between the soak and no soak fries. So for convenience and to save time, this recipe does not call for soaking the fries.
If youre looking for a make ahead option, however, soaking is the way to go. You can cut the fries up to 24 hours in advance and store them in a bowl of water in the refrigerator. The water will prevent the fries from browning. Just be sure to dry the fries really well before air frying.
How To Make Home Fries In The Air Fryer
This potato recipe takes a few minutes to prep, then just 15 minutes in the air fryer. Simple, quick, easy, yet amazing results!
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How To Use An Air Fryer Rack
With the air fryer rack you donât have to stir or shake your food halfway through because thereâs more room for the circulating hot air to pass through, making sure that every piece of food in the air fryer is getting cooked properly.
The advantages of using an air fryer rack
- You can load up double the amount of food
- Itâs perfect if you are cooking two kinds of foods at the same time. Normally, you would have to cook the chicken first and then the fries. During the 20 minutes the fries take to cook, the chicken has dropped in temperature. With a rack, you will always be able to eat the food while itâs hot.
- Itâs very easy to wash after use
The disadvantages of using a rack
- You will have to cut your food into slightly smaller pieces because the space in between the skewers/racks is usually pretty tight.
It is important that you use racks and other accessories that are made specifically for the model you are using. Manufacturers may claim that some accessories are universal and therefore work with any model but I would try to buy an accessory thats made specifically for the air fryer model Im using.
How To Cook Frozen French Fries In The Air Fryer
Cooking frozen french fries in your air fryer could not be easier. Heres what youll need to do
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Tips For Making Air Fryer French Fries
Air Fryer Power and Wattage: Depending on the wattage power of your air fryer start checking the french fries for doneness after about 10 minutes. If you are using shoestring fries they do not take as much time to cook. If you are using steak fries they take a few minutes longer.
Should I Use Oil or Cooking Spray? I never use oil or cooking spray when making frozen french fries. Frozen french fries already have some oil in them.
If you are concerned about the fries sticking to the air fryer basket you can spray the basket. Most air fryer basket are non stick. I have never had a problem with the fries sticking together or to the basket of the air fryer.
Dont Overcrowd the Air Fryer: Overcrowding the air fryer with too many fries will make your fries take longer to cook and they wont be as crispy. This is because air fryers work on air circulation.
Fill the air fryer so there is a single layer of french fries spread across the basket. A bit of overlapping is fine. If you are looking to cook a lot of french fries cook them in batches.
Shake the Basket: About halfway through the cooking time and you were going to want to give the basket a good shake to distribute the fries evenly and move them around a bit to ensure even cooking.
The last thing to do to your french fries is season them. For some, it is as simple as sprinkled salt on the fries. I happen to like seasoned salt on fries.
