Frozen French Fries in Air Fryer

Frozen French Fries in Air Fryer are a quick and tasty dish if you can fry them perfectly.

There are several ways to make perfect frozen fries: beat them in the oven or fry them in deep fat. But the best and healthiest way is to air fry them, which saves you time and makes your cooking more efficient.

I recommend this because it significantly improves the food quality and preparation time and is a healthier alternative to the deep fryer.

How to choose the best ingredients for Frozen French Fries in Air Fryer

Frozen Fries: Choose the brand of French fries you like. You can also bake different types of fries this way, like thicker fries, curly fries, or waffle fries.

Kosher Salt is the healthiest salt because it is not refined and provides the most microelements.

Tips and Tricks

• Customize the flavor of your frozen fries to take them to the next level. Add spices like garlic powder or onion powder or favorite seasonings such as gyro seasoning, cajun seasoning, red pepper, or chili. The choice is yours. I usually go for the classic version with just salt, but if you’re feeling adventurous, the baking procedure for frozen fries is the same, just with a twist of your own.
• You can heat the fries for 1 minute before serving to make them even crispier.
• You can also sprinkle it with finely grated cheese, such as parmesan or other hard Italian or Dutch cheese.
• If you want the fries to be more browned or even crispier, give them an extra minute in the air fryer.

Frozen French Fries in Air Fryer Step-by-Step Instructions

Frozen French fries in an air fryer are probably one of the easiest recipes I know. You will need an air fryer. I have an instant vortex plus with a clear cook, and I highly recommend it. It is perfect for a family of 4. This is not an advertising post; this is my opinion. 

You will need a bag of French fries that are the best for you. Salt and other your favorite seasonings.

Cooking spray is optional; I do not use it, but if you like fries with a butter flavor, you can gently spray them. Otherwise, for me, it is an additional portion of fat, which does not contribute to the baking because, after all, frozen fries are already baked in fat, and an air fryer is such an excellent device, thanks to hot air, that it allows you to avoid this excess. This is the best way to use less oil.

I bake my frozen fries in two stages because they don’t burn; they are soft in the middle and crispy on the outside, and they bake evenly. I have never had a situation where the fries closer to the basket were burnt but still soft in the middle.

Step 1: Set the air fryer to 329°F -338 °F (165°C-170°C).

Step 2: Preheat the air fryer (usually it takes 2-3 minutes), Put the fries in the air fryer basket. Loosen them so they is single layer, and then they will bake evenly. My air fryer fits perfectly half the package (500 grams). Then, set the time once the air fryer has heated up for 6-8 minutes. After this stage, the French fries will be cooked through but not crispy; you need the second stage for that. Halfway through the cooking time, shake the air fryer basket vigorously to mix the fries.

Step 3: Set the air fryer to high temperature to 365 °F – 374 °F (185 °C-190 °C) degrees (despite the same temperatures, each air fryer is torch different, so you need to adjust it to your equipment). Bake another 6-8 minutes at a higher temperature as before. Halfway through the baking time, shake the air fryer basket well so the fries mix thoroughly. 

You can open it during baking and check the stage of the fries, especially 1-2 minutes before the end. My equipment has a clear cook, which makes this procedure very easy for me.

Put the fries on a plate, a serving bowl, or a basket. Serve with your favorite additions.

Enjoy!

Sides To Serve French Fries

While the classic way to serve French fries is with salt, adding sauces can really enhance the flavor. You can even experiment with your own favorite dipping sauces. Some of my favorites for fries are homemade ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, or tzatziki, and I highly recommend trying them. I also recommend the avocado dip which I usually serve with sweet potato fries.

French fries are also a great, easy side dish for a main course. They ideally match grilled chicken or chicken breast baked in an air fryer or burger.

How to store french fries

Reheated fries in an air fryer are no longer suitable for reheating; they simply burn and become hard. However, in order not to throw them away and not to waste food, you can always make Loaded French Fries from them. This is another option for such fries enriched with additions and that stringy cheese, which definitely gives this dish character. I simply love it served classically with ranch dressing; it will make your old fries new.

If you don’t feel like it, you can store heated and leftover fries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Baked fries are not suitable for refreezing, not only for taste reasons but also for food safety.