Air Fryer Frozen French Fries (Crispy, Fast, Easy!)

Are you one of the people who are intimidated by their new air fryer? To show you there’s no reason why this device should be sitting on your shelf unused, I’ve decided to develop and share the recipe for the perfect batch of frozen french fries.

To make air fryer frozen french fries crispy, fast, and easy, you need to preheat the air fryer before adding the frozen french fries. Fry them until they become golden brown and pour fries on a paper towel. Season them with salt and pepper and serve.

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While the steps might appear simple, there’s some nuance in making the perfect crispy french fries. Keep reading and discover what goes into the basic steps to create the ultimate easy side dish or a snack of crispy fries.

Preheat the Air Fryer

Preheating the air fryer is the first step on our short journey to the perfect fries. Here’s what you’ll need to do to perform this process the right way:

1. Set the temperature to 400°F (200°C).
2. Allow the air fryer 10 minutes to preheat.

Most air fryers will have a dedicated LED that lets you know when the desired temperature is reached, and they aren’t really good at their job if you don’t allow them time to preheat. Remember that frozen french fries are a semi-cooked product, meaning that all you need to do is finish the cooking process by getting them crispy. 

Please note that some air fryer ovens don’t have the preheat option. For these, you can skip the first step and add the french fries immediately.

There are many different types and different brands of air fryers. With the air fryer craze, so many varieties are out there. It's hard to know what the best air fryer is for your family.

One of the most popular is the Ninja air fryer. I have (and love!) the Cuisinart Digital Convection Toaster Oven. For our family it works double duty as we use the toaster oven feature frequently. Keep in mind, the perfect air fryer is the air fryer you will actually use! Take some time to get familiar with the features of your air fryer and use it!

You will love having the perfect french fries and other easy air fryer recipes.

Add the Frozen French Fries

Now is the time to add the frozen french fries to the air fryer basket. Some essential aspects should be kept in mind during this process for best results:

• Frozen french fries don’t need to be thawed before cooking.
• You can skip adding any oil when preparing fries in an air fryer.
• Avoid overcrowding the air fryer.
• Avoid adding any seasoning for now.

Let’s explain these briefly.

Don’t Thaw the Fries

The first thing to keep in mind: as mentioned before, frozen french fries are a partially prepared product. This means that they’ve already been cooked to some extent before being frozen and packaged. For this reason, no thawing is necessary before throwing them in the fry basket.

RELATED: How to Cook Frozen Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer

No Oil Needed

One of the best features of air fryers is that they don’t require oil to make the food crispy like you would with a deep fryer.

If you want to keep this fast food recipe on the healthier side, avoid adding any oil. On the other hand, you can add some of your favorite oil if you want to indulge. 

To keep the fries from sticking, spritz the basket with a little oil (coconut oil or olive oil) or a little cooking spray.

Don’t Crowd the Basket and Don’t Preseason

An overcrowded air fryer can produce subpar results, so make sure that your fries are distributed evenly, in a single layer. The size of your air fryer will determine how much of the bag of french fries you are able to use. If this is your first batch, be sure to allow a little room! This is very important to ensure perfectly cooked fries.

During the research phase of this recipe, I found that avoiding any seasoning during the cooking process produced the best final result.

Fry Until the Fries Become Golden Brown

The next step for air fryer fries is to wait until your fries are done. However, this process is not as simple as just sitting around. Here’s what you’ll need to remember:

• It takes 10 to 15 minutes for frozen french fries to become crispy in an air fryer.
• Shake the basket after the first 5 minutes of cooking time.

Depending on the shape and size of your fries, it can take up to 15 minutes for them to be ready. Thicker cuts, such as air fryer potato wedges or steak fries, might take even longer. There also might be some variance if cooking shoestring fries, curly fries, waffle fries, sweet potato fries, etc.

You’ll know that the fries are ready when they change color to a golden brown and become crispy.

For good results, remember to shake the air fryer basket every 5 minutes during the process, which will ensure that your fries are as crispy as possible.

Get the Fries Out of the Fryer and Season Them

The final step is to take the fries out of the air fryer and add your favorite seasoning based on your personal preferences.

Here are some tips on how you can elevate your french fries taste:

• Add coarse salt for flavor.
• Add a pinch of black pepper for a slight kick.
• Sprinkle some cayenne powder to make the fries pop.
• Add some garlic and/or onion powder to elevate the dish to a whole new level.

Salt is an essential element of every french fry recipe. If you want to improve the star rating beyond the perfect score, you can add some of the suggestions listed above. If you prefer to add a bowl of ketchup or your favorite sauce to dip your fresh fries, go for it!

Air Fryer French Fries Nutritional Facts

One of the most common questions related to air fryers is whether they’re worth buying. The answer to that question is that they are worth it. Air fryers are an extremely effective method of cooking that uses hot air movement to reduce cooking times by up to 25% compared to regular ovens and stovetops.

In addition, the fact that they can work with no oil ensures that the final product is healthier than regular baked or deep-fried versions.

Conclusion

Follow this simple recipe for the crispiest, fastest, and easiest french fries you have ever tried.