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Author:
Franco Salzillo
French fries are a classic. If there’s a side dish more popular than fries, we don’t know what it is. Still, today, French fries come from a bag, and they’ve been frozen for weeks, if not months. Fresh French fries are now rare.
Let’s make French fries from scratch, and let’s also make them healthier. How? By air frying them, of course. Expect crispy, golden fries with little to no oil. Crisp but soft, these is how fries should always be.
To make air fryer French fries, you need the right potatoes. Avoid starchy potatoes (because they will crumble) and pick waxy potatoes instead. Yukon is the most popular kind, but there are dozens more. What’s the most popular waxy potato where you live?
We’ll also need baking soda since we’ll have to quickly boil or “Blanche” the potatoes to ensure they cook through in the air-fryer without getting soggy. Salt and pepper are a standard for French fries, but you can add anything to yours, from bacon bits to Cajun spices.
Think of air fryer French fries as regular fries, but better. This means they will play well with all the foods that generally come with fries. Burgers, hot dogs, wings, veal cutlets, steak or pork chops, you name it; these fries will rise to any occasion.
And since we’re not deep-frying these beauties, they’re somewhat healthy, so you can add them to your health-oriented diet knowing that you’re not eating excess oil. French fries don’t get healthier than this, but they’re still delicious!
Cut the potatoes into canes.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and dissolve the baking soda.
Boil the potatoes for 5 minutes until cooked halfway through; they should still be firm.
Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool. Pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels and place them in mixing bowl.
Spray the potatoes with cooking oil and season them with salt and pepper.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket and air-fry for 15 minutes.
Shake the air fryer basket halfway through.
Remove when golden brown and crispy.
Serve with ketchup and mayo as a snack or as a side for burgers and hot dogs.
