The air fryer is the best way to cook frozen french fries. When cooked in the air fryer, french fries come out extra crispy on the outside while soft and fluffy on the inside. They cook in about 15 minutes, which is half the time they take in the oven, and it’s perfect for smaller batches without heating up the kitchen.
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One of the best appliances for cooking frozen foods is the air fryer. When cooked in the air fryer, the food turns out crispy on the outside, without the need for added oil and usually cooks in about half the time it takes in the oven.
Frozen french fries are especially delicious cooked in the air fryer. They are crisp and delicious while staying soft and fluffy on the inside. And unlike cooking in the oven, which oven results in one side being hard and crunchy, the air fryer helps cook them evenly, just like they’ve been cooked in a deep fryer, but without the added fat.
You can cook any frozen french fries in the air fryer, so just choose your favourite. Curly fries, waffle fries, steak fries, crinkle-cut fries, and straight-cut fries are all equally tasty. If you prefer shoestring fries, you will likely want to start with less time as the thinner fries will cook a bit quicker.
Why We Love French Fries in the Air Fryer
- You only need a bag of frozen french fries and some simple seasoning.
- They make a delicious side dish to almost any meal.
- They take less than 20 minutes from start to finish.
- All you need to do is open the bag and dump them in the air fryer.
Ingredients
For a complete list of ingredients, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You only need two ingredients when making frozen french fries in the air fryer.
- Frozen french fries – Choose your favourite brand and cut. The timing in these instructions should work for most types of french fries. Thin, shoestring style fries may only require half the time.
- Seasoning – You can use anything you like. Salt, pepper, seasoning salt, cajun seasoning, and even garlic salt all work well.
Instructions
Making frozen french fries in the air fryer is super easy.
Preheat the air fryer to 380° for 5 minutes.
Next, add the french fries to the air fryer basket in a shallow layer. A bit of overlap is ok, but do not stuff the basket.
Set the air fryer to 15 minutes. Shake the basket halfway through.
After 15 minutes, check the fries; if you want them a bit crispier, you can add 1-2 minutes as needed.
Once the french fries are done, season and serve as desired.
Pro Tip: Even though most air fryers advertise with baskets stuffed with french fries, you don’t want to overfill the basket. A shallow layer will ensure more even cooking and a quicker cooking time without leaving any soggy potatoes.
Top tip and FAQS
You do not need to add any oil to the fries or basket when cooking frozen french fries in the air fryer.
No. You will cook the french fries from frozen.
More Easy Air Fryer Sides
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Printable Recipe
Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen french fries
- salt, pepper, or seasonings to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer at 380°F for 5 minutes.
- Place the french fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer. A bit of overlap is ok, but you don't want to fill the basket to the top.
- Place the basket in the air fryer, set it to 380°F and cook the fries for 15-17 minutes or until crisp. Shake the basket at the halfway mark. The time will vary depending on the thickness of the fries and the brand.
- Once the fries are the desired crispness, remove them from the basket, season, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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Jean
Sunday 31st of July 2022
We like extra crispy fries so added 2 minutes as you recommended and they came out perfectly crispy! I can't believe how easy it is to make this. My kids love it so much better than baked fries!
Riley
Sunday 31st of July 2022
I am not sure I will ever use my oven again! Certainly not for French Fries - these came out perfectly in the air fryer and were SO crispy. Thank you for the tip to not overfill the basket - definitely a mistake I have made in the past. Excited to try more of your air fryer recipes.
Stephanie
Friday 29th of July 2022
These tasted so much better than frozen fries in the oven! I am never making them any other way again. 10/10! Great texture and really fast to make.