Are you craving some piping hot, crisp, yet soft golden fries like the ones from your go-to restaurant? If you have an air fryer, your favorite fast food fries are just minutes away.
You don't need to break out the deep fryer—as long as you have a bag of frozen French fries in your freezer, you're halfway there.
Say goodbye to soggy fries and use your air fryer basket to enjoy restaurant-quality fries in the convenience of your own home.
Keep reading!
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Frozen French Fries Ingredients
Now, the ingredients you'll need to create your ultimate frozen French fries creation will depend on exactly what you're craving. You also might want to try one of the variations below, so keep that in mind when assembling your ingredients.
For basic frozen French fries in the air fryer, you're going to need the following:
- Frozen French fries: You choose the type you like best. I used typical thin fries from my grocery store's freezer section, but you can certainly choose thicker fries.
- Oil: It's best to use your favorite oil that you've poured into an oil sprayer, but if you only have cooking oil, that's okay, too.
- Salt and other seasonings: You'll probably want to add salt, but you also might want pepper, garlic powder, or maybe paprika.
- Dipping sauces: This is up to you! Some people are purists and only want salt on their fries, but others prefer ketchup, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, or maybe malt vinegar. You could also try this homemade honey mustard sauce. Yum!
What You Need to Cook Frozen French Fries
Now that you've got your ingredients assembled, it's time to get your cooking gear in place.
For air fryer Frozen French fries, you're going to need:
- An air fryer. (Of course!)
- Cooking tongs: These are to help the fries cook evenly by moving them around. You can also use tongs to pull them out of the air fryer basket when they're done.
- Oil spray bottle: If you're not using cooking spray, you will want a spray bottle designed to spritz oil on food.
- A bowl or plate to put the finished Fries on when they're done cooking.
Steps on How to Air Fry Frozen French Fries
Depending on the type of frozen French fries you have, you might have different air fryer instructions. In general, you should rely on the instructions on the package, but you'll want to check their progress as they cook.
Preheat your air fryer. Following the instructions on the package of French fries, preheat the air fryer to the temperature it recommends. (My package recommended a temperature of 400 degrees.) This is so your food starts cooking as soon as you add it, which makes the fries crispy and delicious.
Arrange the frozen French fries in the air fryer basket. It's best to spread them out in an even layer so they cook evenly. If you have too many to lay in one layer, plan on making a second batch.
Spray the fries with oil. You can use cooking spray or you can use your favorite oil in a spray bottle. Spritz them, then shake the basket to spread the coating evenly.
Cook the frozen French fries as indicated. Again, follow the directions as to the correct cook time. The fries I made required a cooking time of 10 minutes, but this will vary depending on the thickness of the potatoes. For example, crinkle cut fries or steak fries might take longer.
Flip or shake the basket halfway through. Your air fryer might remind you to do this, or you might need to remember on your own. Just give it a shake. If you have waffle fries, you'll probably need to use your kitchen tongs to flip them.
Check to be sure they're done. When the timer beeps, check to be sure your fries are hot, golden, and crispy. If you need to cook them for an extra minute or two, do that now. Remember, all air fryers are slightly different, so you might need to adjust the time a bit.
Transfer to a bowl and season to taste. Carefully pour or transfer the fries to a bowl, and add your choice of seasonings and dipping sauces.
Serve immediately. French fries taste best when they're piping hot, so serve them up right away for maximum enjoyment!
Variations of Frozen French Fries
Just because you're using frozen French fries, that doesn't mean you're limited to sticking to the basic recipe!
Air fryer frozen fries are quick to cook up, so you can spend a little extra time making them delicious. In fact, you can make them rival the specialty fries you might find at a fast food restaurant.
Cheesy Fries
You can make cheese fries in a couple of different ways. One is to simply add shredded cheese during the last couple of minutes in the air fryer.
The other is to create a delicious cheese sauce (or feel free to use a commercial sauce!) and pour it over the fries when you take them out of the fryer.
Loaded Fries
Loaded fries are another specialty. First, air fry your fries. Once they are done cooking, top them with cheese, bacon (you can use bacon bits if you'd like), sour cream, chives, or whatever other toppings you prefer.
You might also like to add ranch dressing to create ranch fries, or you could add chili or perhaps broccoli florets and cheese. Really, the possibilities are endless.
Spicy Fries
If you'd like to kick up the spice level a notch, consider tossing your fries with cayenne pepper, chili powder, or hot sauce.
Garlic Parmesan Fries
You can sprinkle your air fryer French fries with garlic powder, onion powder, and parmesan cheese for a gourmet twist.
Sweet Potato Fries
You would make sweet potato fries in the air fryer, similar to how you would make regular frozen French fries. You can even use the same toppings and variations on the cooked fries, or you might try something new!
Top Tips and Tricks
When making frozen fries in the air fryer, there are some tips you'll want to keep in mind.
- Don't overcrowd the basket. An air fryer works by circulating hot air to cook all surfaces of the food, so if you're piling up your fries, it's likely they won't cook evenly or get crispy. Place them in a single layer.
- Always preheat your air fryer ahead of time. This will allow you to achieve crisp fries in the short amount of time they need to cook.
- Keep a good eye on your fries, since cooking time can vary depending on the air fryer style and model.
- Don't be afraid to experiment! Be creative and try different flavor combinations to see what works best as you cook frozen fries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Cut your potatoes into French fry shapes, then soak for a short time in cold water. This will help them crisp up. Cook to your desired doneness; the time will vary depending on how thick your homemade French fries are. You can also check out this recipe for air fryer baby potatoes.
Nope! You'll want to put your fries directly into the preheated air fryer basket from the freezer. This will keep them crispy and avoid sogginess.
Yes, you can! We actually have a recipe for heating up leftover French fries, as well as many other delicious recipes. Use the search field to find more air fryer recipes.
If you are spritzing them with olive oil spray or some other type of cooking oil, they shouldn't stick. If you want, you can use parchment paper to prevent all sticking.
You already know that fries in the air fryer are healthier than those deep fried. You can avoid too much saturated fat and enjoy the fast-food taste without a ton of prep time or hassle by making frozen Fries right in the air fryer. It makes a crispy, delicious side dish that can accompany any meal.
The most important thing is to follow the instructions on your package of frozen French fries. From there, you can experiment with seasoning salt, spices, and dipping sauces. Enjoy!
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Recipe
Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Cooking tongs
- Oil spray bottle
- Serving bowl or plate
Ingredients
- 1 lb Frozen French fries
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- Salt and other seasonings optional
- Dipping sauces optional
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer. Following the instructions on the package of French fries, preheat the air fryer to the temperature it recommends. (My package recommended a temperature of 400 degrees.) This is so your food starts cooking as soon as you add it, which makes the fries crispy and delicious.
- Arrange the frozen French fries in the air fryer basket. It's best to spread them out in an even layer so they cook evenly. If you have too many to lay in one layer, plan on making a second batch.
- Spray the fries with oil. You can use cooking spray or you can use your favorite oil in a spray bottle. Spritz them, then shake the basket to spread the coating evenly.
- Cook the frozen French fries as indicated. Again, follow the directions as to the correct cook time. The fries I made required a cooking time of 10 minutes, but this will vary depending on the thickness of the potatoes. For example, crinkle cut fries or steak fries might take longer.
- Flip or shake the basket halfway through. Your air fryer might remind you to do this, or you might need to remember on your own. Just give it a shake. If you have waffle fries, you'll probably need to use your kitchen tongs to flip them.
- Check to be sure they're done. When the timer beeps, check to be sure your fries are hot, golden, and crispy. If you need to cook them for an extra minute or two, do that now. Remember, all air fryers are slightly different, so you might need to adjust the time a bit.
- Transfer to a bowl and season to taste. Carefully pour or transfer the fries to a bowl, and add your choice of seasonings and dipping sauces.
- Serve immediately. French fries taste best when they're piping hot, so serve them up right away for maximum enjoyment!
Notes
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