If you love homemade French fries but don’t love the mess or the work, then investing in an air fryer might be right for you! Air Fryer French Fries are quick, simple and delicious!

I remember when I was a kid and my mom would drag out the Presto deep fryer to make homemade French fries. Delicious, but what a mess and honestly, who wants to risk burning themselves on all that hot oil! Thank goodness now for air fryers! I’ve made everything from crab rangoon to pizza, wings and more in mine, and finally took the plunge to try French fries. And guess what! It was so much easier than I thought! I can think of so many dishes that these French fries will go perfectly with, especially as we fire up the grill this summer!

How to make homemade French fries

You need to be sure to use the right kind of potatoes. You don’t want them to have too much water content, so the best option is russet potatoes.

You can leave the skin on or not, it’s totally up to you. I choose to partially peel them so it leaves a little skin on some of the fries, but not too much.

You can also choose to cut them very thin and small to make shoestring type fries or large and thick for steak fries, or anywhere in between. The thicker they are the longer they will take to cook.

Tips for making Air Fryer French Fries:

to keep fries from sticking, I like to soak them for at least a few minutes. Rinsing or soaking will remove some of the starch, obviously the longer the better, but even a quick rinse or few minute soak will help.
thin fries will take somewhere around 10 minutes, while thick fries can take up to 25 minutes. Either way you’ll need to keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn.
shake or flip the fries a few times for them to cook evenly.
I prefer avocado oil for it’s high smoke point that allow the fries to brown but not burn as quickly.

Are homemade fresh fries healthier for you?

They certainly can be!! By simply using avocado oil and a simple seasoning blend, you are in control of the ingredients and additives. Plus, it doesn’t take much more than a very thin coating of oil when air frying to end up with a crispy result. Much better than frying in a deep fryer full of oil.

What to serve with air fryer French fries?

These are perfect for all sorts of main dishes, including some of my favorites…