How Do You Cook Frozen French Fries In The Air Fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF.
- Add frozen fries to the air fryer basket.
- Spray lightly with oil.
- Sprinkle with salt or seasoning to taste.
- Cook for 7-9 minutes, tossing the fries every 4 minutes for best results.
- Some frozen french fries have air fryer instructions on the bag. Use those if the manufacturer supplies them!
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.
Soaking: A Crispy Essential
While it may seem like a pain, soaking the potatoes in hot water for 10 minutes prior to cooking them in the air fryer is essential.
- The water removes excess starch, allowing the fries to be their crispiest.
- I like to use hot water to cook the potatoes slightly. This creates the double fried effect that makes many restaurant fries so addictive.
Read Also: Reviews Of Power Air Fryer 360
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.
Frozen Air Fryer Fries
There are probably a bazillion reasons I love my Air Fryer. The one I have is by Ninja, and it does double duty as a countertop oven, indoor grill, and dehydrator so maybe its actually quadruple duty, ha!
Mostly I love that it saves me time and makes everything super crispy without the need for a ton of extra oil.
Whichever type of Air Fryer you have, youll be shocked when you see how easy it is to make French fries in your air fryer, directly from the freezer! Trust me, these fries will be on repeat at your house too.
Oh! And make sure you go get my free !
Read Also: Instant Pot Air Fryer Dehydrator
What Can You Not Cook In An Air Fryer
Things You Should Never Cook In An Air Fryer
- Dont attempt typical fried foods with a wet batter in an air fryer.
- Broccoli gets dry in an air fryer.
- Skip entire roasts or whole chickens in an air fryer.
- Cheese melts into a mess in an air fryer.
- Air fryers wont result in a perfect medium-rare burger.
- Air fryers can t cook foods like rice that need a lot of liquid.
Why Air Fryers Are Used
An air fryer is a new way to cook food. It is an appliance that uses superheated air to cook food.It circulates the superheated air around food to cook it from all sides. An air fryer is a healthier way to cook food because it is little or no oil is required. Cooking food in the air fryer is a modern way of cooking that is gaining popularity. Air fryers have been a huge hit since they were first introduced. For those who dont know, an air fryer is a kitchen appliance that uses hot air to cook your food. Air fryers have been marketed as being a healthier alternative to using the traditional oil fryers as the hot air circulates around your food and cooks it from all angles.
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Can You Cook Chicken Nuggets And Fries Together In Air Fryer
You can cook frozen nuggets and frozen fries together in the air fryer especially if you have the air fryers with bigger baskets. Step 1: Arrange frozen fries and chicken in one layer in the air fryer basket. Set Temperature to 400 degrees F and set timer to 15 mins. Shake basket half way through cook time.
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!
Recommended Reading: Instant Pot Air Fryer Dehydrator
How To Recover From Overcrowding
The first thing you can do is, right at the start, when you first become aware of a lot of steam, is to remove maybe 1/4 or 1/2 of the fries , and put them in a stainless steel bowl on the counter at room temperature and cover them. Treat them as a second batch and cook them separately when the first batch is done.
If instead you dont have time for that kind of futzing, then just keep on cooking right through and past the steam phase and allow a far longer cooking time overall. Like, maybe even as much as 20 to 25 minutes extra.
You will still get perfectly edible chips, they will just taste more like oven fries. Most of them will be soft on the side and the outside, and only slightly golden. The few that browned will be slightly harder inside instead of the usual fluffiness you expect.
But it is certainly not the end of the world, and most people wont care or notice, it will mostly be you that notices
Just supply lots of vinegar, mayo, ketchup for people to pour on the fries and theyll be none the wiser.
Are Frozen French Fries In Air Fryer Healthy
Potatoes are a fat free, filling, and low calorie food, rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants! But they often get a bad rap as unhealthy and unhelpful for weight loss. Fries are especially considered a fast, junk food because theyre usually deep-fried and heavily salted, negating any health benefits.
Frozen French fries in the air fryer are a healthier way to prepare fries, while saving the added calories from traditional deep-frying. I find that the air fryer helps me control the salt and oil content, without compromising on that delicious crispy, fried, and salty taste.
Also Check: Nuwave Bravo Xl Air Fryer Toaster Oven Reviews
Air Fryer Frozen French Fries Cooking Time
How long to cook your fries depends on the style and thickness of the potato. Follow these guidelines for the best results:
- For shoestring fries: Cook for 12 minutes.
- For crinkle cut and standard sized fries: Increase the cook time to 18 minutes.
*Cooking tip: Be sure to remove the air fryer basket halfway through cooking to move the fries around.
This will allow them to cook to their crispiest potential!
Tips While Making Ore Ida Fries
If you overcrowd the basket when youre using an air fryer, then your fries are going to be unevenly cooked and that is something that shouldnt happen.
You want evenly crispy fries which are the same texture all the way around. The external texture of different types of potatoes can vary depending on how thick they are.
For instance, if your potatoes are cut extra thin, theyll cook more quickly than thicker fries. To make your air-fried French fries perfect, allow your basket to rotate in the air fryer .
Halfway through cooking, spray oil onto the basket after wiping away any excess. If you prefer not to use oil but would like some flavor, go for non-stick spray or a silicone baking mat.
Related Post: How Does an Air Fryer Work without Oil?
Be aware that silicone mats can damage air fryer baskets, while non-stick spray will require you to replace your basket more often.
Make sure to check how long your model needs to preheat before pulling your fries out. Some only need two minutes while others require a bit longer.
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What Potatoes Are Best For Fries
This is a loaded question with many answers. If you are making French fries from scratch, Idaho or Russet potatoes are the preferred choices for frying. They are dryer than the creamier fleshed Yukon Gold or Red Bliss potatoes. When it comes to sweet potatoes, Japanese white yams have a firmer flesh than domestic orange sweet potatoes. However, both will work with slightly different textures.
For frozen French fries, shop for potatoes that have the fewest ingredients. For instance, fries that have additives or are coated in wheat flour dont always cook as well in an air fryer as they do in a vat of screaming hot oil. The flour coating crisps up nicely when cooked in oil. It can have a sticky texture in an air fryer. The exception to this would be tater tots that are coated in bread crumbs. They do crisp up nicely in an air fryer.
As for the shape, any will work. The key is to adjust the timing for the different sizes. Crinkle cut white or sweet potato fries are a safe bet. They seem to be the perfect thickness for an air fryer. Shoestring potatoes will be done in minutes. Steak cut fries will take a bit longer for the center to cook through.
Do You Need To Oil Spray The Frozen Fries
You really dont need to add more oil to the already deep fried waffle fries. After air frying, youll see that the existing oil will release from the fries. But if you want more of the crispy oil taste, sure go ahead. We dont do it cause we dont think you need it. Other websites suggest spraying with oil before air frying, but maybe they like eating more greasy oil.
We tested the recipe with the Alexia Waffle Cut Fries and Wal-Mart Great Value Waffle Fries.
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Air Fried French Fries
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Theres nothing I love more about a homemade air fryer french fries recipe that actually makes the fries crispy. These air fried french fries do just that.
Ive even included directions on how to make frozen french fries with no oil in your air fryer too!
I remember when I bought my first air fryer. The only thing I wanted to make was air fried french fries. I had no idea how they would taste, but I was confident they would taste good. They werent.
I burnt half of the fries and the other half were barely cooked.I thought I could put the fries in and then in 20 minutes they would be done.
Ive learned a lot about air fryers since then and I can tell you, there is a learning curve. There are even genius articles like this one that tells you what mistakes most people are making with their air fryer. I fell victim to #4.
This recipe has been tested in and out with my current air fryers. It even includes suggestions on how to cook the air fried french fries in a small air fryer or larger air fryer, like the Power Air Fryer Oven.
Ingredients For The Best Fries
The ingredients needed for homemade fries are so simple and you most likely already have them in your kitchen.
- Potatoes For this recipe we use russet potatoes you can also use yukon gold potatoes.
- Oil This recipe calls for olive oil but you can use vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Seasoning We season the fries with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder, but you can use any of your go-to spices.
Also Check: Power Air Oven Reviews
How Do I Cook Frozen French Fries In The Air Fryer
Believe me when I tell you that this is the EASIEST way to cook french fries!
- Step 1: Choose your favorite brand of french fries from your preferred grocer’s frozen foods aisle.
- Step 2: Pour the frozen french fries into the basket of your air fryer. Be sure not to crowd the basket so that the fries will cook evenly!
- Step 3: Give the air fryer basket a gentle shake to spread the fries out as much as possible.
- Step 4: Cook the fries in your air fryer at 400 degrees F, then serve and enjoy. It’s that easy!
Frozen French Fries In Air Fryer
Air Fryer French Fries are so crispy and flavorful!
Gone are the days of limp, lifeless french fries that take forever to cook in the oven!
One bag of frozen fries and 12 minutes in the air fryer gives you amazing results every time!
Paired with an air fryer hamburger or hotdog, your kitchen will feel like the best mom & pop roadside diner around – and you won’t even have to leave your house!
Also Check: Instant Pot Duo Dehydrator
Do You Wanna Preheat The Air Fryer Before Cooking
That is why I always recommend preheating the air fryer before using it. You can turn it on for just 2-3 minutes before you put your food into the basket, and it will be heated to an optimal cooking temperature right when you are ready to start.
You dont want that delicious meal sitting in a cold oven while waiting for things to heat up!
How Long To Cook Frozen French Fries In The Air Fryer
In general, frozen French fries will take between 15 and 20 minutes to cook in an air fryer. There are a few factors that affect how long to cook frozen fries. Remember, you do need to preheat the fryer for best results.
The cut and size of fries needs to be taken into consideration. Smaller, thinner fries, such as shoestring, curly, and waffle fries will only take 15 minutes. Larger ones, such as crinkle cut and steak fries, often take 18 to 20 minutes. Either way, do not be tempted to overcrowd the fryer. A single layer is ideal.
You do need to keep an eye on the fries. What you are looking for is a golden brown and crisp exterior and a fully cooked, soft interior. Dont be shy about taste testing a fry at around 12 minutes for the appropriate texture and doneness.
Read Also: Instant Pot Vortex Dehydrator
How Do I Cook Frozen French Fries In An Air Fryer
Crispy French fries are delicious, but they can take several steps to make from scratch and they can be fairly high in calories when twice fried in oil. An air fryer enables you to make homemade or frozen fries with fewer steps and hardly any oil. They are crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside with fewer calories. Lets explore some things you need to know about cooking healthy French fries in an air fryer.
Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
Bye bye, fast food! You wont need the drive-thru anymore if you have a bag of frozen french fries and an Air Fryer! The Air Fryer crisps up ready-made french fries better than anything, and they truly taste deep-fried. If youre looking for homemade air fryer french fries, youll love our crispy fast-food style recipe!
Some links in this post may be affiliate links. Should you click through to that product and make a purchase, 40 Aprons will receive a small compensation, at no additional cost to you. Anything mentioned here is referred solely based on my experience and satisfaction with the company and/or product, and not because of any potential commission. Ill identify any affiliate links when they appear within the post!
Read Also: Jcpenney Air Fryer On Sale
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.
