These homemade french fries are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, and positively loaded with bold, savory, garlic parmesan flavors! Easy to make, and easy to customize, you can have this side dish with no guilt.
This is one of my Air Fryer recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
If there’s one side dish that both adults and kids can’t get enough of, it’s french fries!
Making homemade french fries isn’t complicated, but generally involves a double cooking process, and deep frying.
I don’t mind frying, but when you can get fries nearly as crispy, without all that work and mess, I’m all in.
Cooking the potatoes in an air fryer allows for the hot air to circulate all around them, and makes for some pretty crispy fries!
Of course, nothing can beat the crunch of deep fried french fries, but this recipe will get you close 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe!
French fries are practically a universal favorite food… and they’re easy to make at home.
- Crispy – these fries are nice and crisp, despite not being deep fried.
- Easy on the waistline – since there’s no vat of oil, you can enjoy these fries practically guilt-free.
- Customize-able – it’s easy to switch up the seasonings and toppings to be more to your tastes.
What do I need to make this recipe?
- Potatoes – this recipe works best with starchy potatoes, like russets.
- Olive oil – you can use any type of olive oil you’d like. You could also use avocado oil.
- Salt – any type of salt will work, just keep in mind that different types of salt contain different amounts of sodium, so some will taste “saltier” than others. I usually use kosher salt.
- Paprika – as written, this recipe uses traditional sweet paprika, but smoked or hot paprika will work as well.
- Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter.
- Garlic – instead of fresh cloves of garlic, you can use about 1.5 – 2 tsp of pre-minced garlic. You can also use garlic powder, but you’ll have to experiment with the amount.
- Parmesan cheese – freshly grated is best, but pre-grated/shredded will also work well.
- Parsley – this is a garnish, but adds great color and a bit of freshness.
How to make air fryer garlic parmesan french fries:
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Combine seasonings. I like to do this in a large bowl, so the potatoes can be added right into it.
- Toss potatoes. Add potato sticks to the bowl and toss to combine.
- Add to air fryer. For best results, add them in a single, even layer.
- Cook. Air fry for about 20 minutes, as directed below in the recipe card.
- Make garlic butter. Cook the butter and garlic in a saucepan for just a minute or two.
- Toss. Add the garlic butter to a bowl with the cooked french fries and toss to combine.
- Add cheese. To the bowl, add the Parmesan and toss again.
- Add garnish and serve. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Helpful Tip!
I do highly recommend soaking the potato sticks in water, as it results in a crispier french fry. It’s not required of course, these are your fries, not mine, so you can make them any way you’d like… but for the best results, take the time 🙂
Variations of this recipe
- Potatoes – for the best results, I do recommend using russet potatoes, or other starchy varieties. However, if you’d like to experiment with other types of potatoes, you can.
- Seasoning – you can absolutely experiment with adding different seasonings, or using your favorite spice blend. I like to add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a small kick of heat.
- Garlic amount – I firmly believe you should measure garlic with your heart, and far be it from me to tell you how much to add… so please feel free to adjust the amount of garlic cloves (up or down), to your tastes.
- Cheese – while I love the Parmesan, you can try adding some grated Romano cheese, or switch it up and try some shredded mozzarella.
- Herbs – if you’d like to play with the types of herbs, try adding some minced fresh rosemary, or minced fresh chives.
FAQ’s
There’s no equal to the crispness that comes from deep frying potatoes, but air fryer french fries are pretty close! If yours aren’t crispy, there are a few reasons as to why. First, they may have been cooked incorrectly. You want to have the fries in an even, single layer, so the air can circulate and really crisp them up. Second, they may have been made with too much oil. The amount of oil in this recipe is correct, but if you’re an estimator when it comes to measuring (I’m guilty of this too lol), you may have just had a heavy hand. Third, they may not have been tossed halfway through to allow for more even heat circulation. And lastly, the potatoes may not have been soaked to remove some of the starch.
Soaking the potatoes in a bowl of water helps remove excess starch from the surface of the fries, which results in crispier potatoes by preventing them from sticking together and becoming gummy during cooking. It ensures even browning and crispness!
Making french fries ahead of time
I don’t recommend making these fries ahead of time, as they won’t be nice and crispy.
You can prep some things ahead of time though:
- Garlic – the garlic cloves can be minced/grated and kept refrigerated for a couple of days.
- Cheese – Parmesan cheese can be shredded/grated and kept refrigerated for a couple of days.
Storage
Leftover fries should be refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 2-4 days.
To reheat, I like to add them to the air fryer at 375°F until they’re nice and crispy.
More Air Fryer Recipes:
My Favorite Air Fryer!
This is a newer air fryer for me, but I really enjoy it! I love the larger, rectangular basket, and that the basket is nonstick, removable, and dishwasher safe! Plus, it just looks great on the counter.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
French Fries
- 4 medium to large russet potatoes sliced into sticks about 1/2" in thickness
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp paprika sweet, hot, or smoked
Garlic Parmesan Butter
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese freshly grated is best
- minced fresh parsley for garnish and color
Instructions
Soak potatoes (optional but recommended)
- Add cold water to a large mixing bowl, then add the potato sticks (made from 4 medium to large russet potatoes). Stir them around, then let them sit for about 30 minutes.
- After the potatoes have soaked, drain the water and pat them very dry. Wet potatoes won't air fry very well.
Season potatoes
- To another mixing bowl, add 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp paprika. Stir well, then add the dry pototo sticks and toss to combine fully.
Air fry
- Preheat air fryer to 380°F for about 5 minutes, then add the potatoes in a single, even layer (you'll need to cook these potatoes in batches to ensure even cooking and crispness).
- Air fry for 10-12 minutes, then toss potatoes, flipping them over, and air fry another 8-12 minutes, until they're crispy and cooked through.
Make garlic butter
- While the potatoes are cooking, add 4 Tbsp unsalted butter to a small saucepan and heat over MED heat.
- Once melted, add 4 cloves garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes, adjusting the heat if necessary to make sure the garlic doesn't burn.
Toss
- Add the cooked french fries to a bowl and top with the garlic butter. Toss to combine.
- Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and minced fresh parsley and toss again.
Serve
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- I’ve estimated this recipe serves about 4, but feel free to divide it up into as many servings as you’d like.
Oven Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Soak potatoes as directed, then season as directed.
- Add seasoned potatoes to prepared baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
- Increase the oven temperature to 425°F.
- Remove fries from the oven for a minute to toss them, then return to the hot oven.
- Bake another 15-20 minutes, or until they’re as crispy and golden as you’d like. If needed, toss the fries another time or two during this second baking.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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