These homemade French Fries are warm, crispy, seasoned to perfection and out of this world! This crispy fries recipe can be made in the air fryer or oven and are sure to become a family favorite side dish, snack or appetizer. Gluten-free, vegan and easily Whole30-compliant!
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Crispy Homemade French Fries
French fries will always be a classic, and this Homemade French Fries recipe makes it easier than ever to make them! They come out nice and crispy whether you cook them in the air fryer or oven, and you can season them however you’d like. You can forget about fast food french fries, because these homemade ones are so much better!
They come together in 20 minutes or less, and all you have to do is flip them over halfway through the cooking process. Other than that, your air fryer or oven does all the work for you!
Want to switch up your fries? Try our Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries or Air Fryer Avocado Fries and if you like cooking with your air fryer, be sure to check out my air fryer guide for helpful tips and tricks.
Are Air Fryer Fries Healthier?
Not only are air fryer french fries easier than oven-baked fries, but they’re actually healthier too! You only need half a tablespoon of oil to make them. They also get crispier in the air fryer than they do in the oven. This guilt-free, mess-free recipe will have you serving everything with a side of fries!
What You’ll Need
You only need a few basic ingredients to make these crispy french fries. You can switch up the seasonings, if desired, or adjust the amounts you use to taste.
- Medium Russet Potatoes: Scrubbed, rinsed and dried.
- Avocado Oil: Or olive oil.
- Coarse Sea Salt: Or kosher salt, to taste.
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper: To taste.
- Garlic Powder: You’ll need about 1/4 teaspoon.
- Dairy-Free Parmesan: We like Violife or use your favorite brand. Regular parmesan cheese works too if you’re not dairy-free or vean.
- Chopped Parsley: For serving.
- Fry Sauce: And/or ketchup, for serving.
How to Make Homemade French Fries
This recipe differs a little bit depending on the air fryer you’re using. Some require preheating, some don’t – either way, the process is super simple!
- Preheat Air Fryer: If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat it to 385°F.
- Cut Potatoes: Slice the potatoes into even ¼ inch strip fries. You can use a fry cutter if you have one.
- Season Potatoes: Optional step (feel free to skip this step completely – helps to remove some of the starch and makes the fries crispier). Place the potatoes in a large bowl, then fill with very hot tap water, covering the potatoes by at least 1 inch. Let them soak for 10-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes then transfer to a clean towel and dry as completely as you can, changing the towel as needed. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika and parmesan cheese. Toss to combine until well coated.
- Cook: Working in batches (depending on the size of your air fryer), place the fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not crowding or overlapping. Air fry for 7 minutes, then toss / flip the fries and air fry for another 7-15 minutes (or longer as needed), until the fries are golden and crispy, watching them carefully so they do not burn.
- Serve: Transfer the fries to a serving platter and sprinkle them with coarse salt and chopped fresh parsley. Serve with your desired dipping sauces and enjoy!
Oven Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Brush 1 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil onto a large rimmed baking sheet, coating the pan evenly.
- Spread the potatoes into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the lower rack of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and use a large spatula to carefully toss / flip the fries in large sections from the bottom to the top, and then spread them back out into a single layer.
- Place the pan back into the oven and continue baking for another 8-14 minutes (or longer as needed) until the fries are crispy and golden, watching them carefully so they do not burn.
- Remove the fries to a serving platter, sprinkle with some fresh parsley, additional parmesan and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Tips for Success
New to making french fries? Not used to cooking with the air fryer? These tips and tricks will answer all your questions!
- Avoid Overstuffing the Air Fryer Basket: Your fries should not be touching very much or overlapping at all in the air fryer basket. They need a little space in order to crisp up. I highly recommend working in batches. If the earlier batches get cold before it’s time for serving, you can heat them back up in the air fryer for a minute or two.
- Use a Fry Cutter: If you want to cut out perfect fries in a matter of seconds, a fry cutter is the way to go. Otherwise, just make sure all the fries are the same size (about 1/4 inch thick).
- Season & Cook to Taste: Feel free to play around with the seasonings you use according to your tastes and preferences. And when it comes to the crispiness of the fries, don’t be afraid to try one out to make sure it’s satisfactory.
- Don’t Forget to Flip: It’s important to flip your fries over at the halfway point. You can use tongs to do this safely and easily.
Serving Suggestions
French fries are a fantastic side dish for all sorts of entrees! The following recipes are especially tasty with a side of air fryer fries.
- Serve with Sandwiches: These Chaffle Sandwiches are tons of fun, and they go so well with french fries! Made with eggs, cheese, veggies and a waffle maker, these low-carb sandwiches hit the spot every time.
- Pair with Steak: Steak and potatoes are a classic combination. My husband loves pairing these fries with a juicy Air Fryer Steak!
- Serve with Chili: My family is obsessed with this Vegan Chili, and we also love these fries! It only makes sense to put the two together. So yummy!
- You can’t beat the classic combo of fries with a Burger in a Bowl!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Leftover fries should be refrigerated in an airtight container and reheated within 4-5 days. Reheat your french fries in the air fryer at 360°F for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they’re warm and crispy.
More Air Fryer Recipes
Looking for more tasty things to make in your air fryer? You’ll love these easy air fried side dishes too!
These homemade French Fries are warm, crispy, seasoned to perfection and out of this world! This crispy fries recipe can be made in the air fryer or oven and are sure to become a family favorite side dish, snack or appetizer. Gluten-free, vegan and easily Whole30-compliant!
- 2 medium russet potatoes scrubbed (peeled if desired)
- 1/2 - 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- kosher salt or sea salt to taste
- fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ -1 tsp paprika
- 1/3 cup grated dairy-free parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish - we like Violife. Omit or sub with 2 tbsp nutritional yeast for Whole30. Regular parmesan cheese works too if not vegan / dairy-free.
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Your favorite dipping sauce
Cut each potato in half lengthwise, then cut into even 1/4-inch-wide slices, then turn the slices on their sides and cut into 1/4-inch fries / sticks (can use a knife, mandoline or a fry cutter). If the sticks are long, cut them in half so that your fries are about 3 to 4 inches.
- Optional step (feel free to skip this step completely - helps to remove some of the starch and makes the fries crispier). Place the potatoes in a large bowl, then fill with very hot tap water, covering the potatoes by at least 1 inch. Let them soak for 10-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes then transfer to a clean towel and dry as completely as you can, changing the towel as needed.
- Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika and parmesan cheese. Toss to combine until well coated.
- If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat the air fryer to 385 degrees F. Working in batches, place the fries in the air fryer basket, spreading them out in a single layer without overlapping.
Air fry for 7 minutes, then toss / flip the fries and air fry for another 7-15 minutes (or longer as needed), until the fries are golden and crispy, watching them carefully so they do not burn.
Remove the fries to a serving platter, sprinkle with some fresh parsley, additional parmesan and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Brush 1 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil onto a large rimmed baking sheet, coating the pan evenly.
Spread the potatoes into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the lower rack of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and use a large spatula to carefully toss / flip the fries in large sections from the bottom to the top, and then spread them back out into a single layer.
Place the pan back into the oven and continue baking for another 8-14 minutes (or longer as needed) until the fries are crispy and golden, watching them carefully so they do not burn.
Remove the fries to a serving platter, sprinkle with some fresh parsley, additional parmesan and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Recipe Video
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