While you may not really need a recipe for air fryer frozen fries, the seasonings here take ordinary fries to something amazing!
Frozen French Fries in an Air Fryer
Want to know something? The ONLY reason I bought my first air fryer was because the air fryer makes it possible to have fantastic fries at home without the hassle or resulting odors that happen with deep frying potatoes.
French fries are as simple as chopping up a potato, right? Technically, yes, fries are just thinly sliced potatoes.
But sometimes, you want perfect fries without even a moment’s effort in the kitchen. And THAT is where these crispy, perfect air fryer frozen french fries come into play.
We love the spice blend for these fries so much, I keep a jar of the french fry seasoning in the pantry for seasoning potatoes almost every time I make them.
How to Cook Frozen French Fries in Air Fryer
The rules we typically follow when air frying, such as “don’t crowd the basket” and “only cook a single layer at a time” aren’t big factors here. Frozen french fries break the rules and THAT is another huge plus in their favor.
You have to follow those rules with fresh potatoes or you’ll wind up with a bunch of soggy, unappetizing fries, but with frozen? Crowding that basket isn’t a deal-breaker.
You don’t want to overfill it either, but a few layers? You’re good with that. Filling the basket about a third to half full still allows for plenty of shaking space and enough airflow for the frozen fries.
So, go ahead and upend that bag of fries into the air fryer and start them cooking. You’ll pause once or twice to give the basket a good shake, but that’s the extent of your effort here. Easy as can be and you’ll have plenty of piping hot fries to serve.
Typically, I have great results with about a pound of frozen fries at a time. You can do 24 ounces at a time as well, it just might require an extra shake and a few minutes longer in the air fryer.
Most of the frozen fries that I buy are 32 ounces though, so it’s easy enough to simply do two batches if it’s for the family – versus my own personal snacking.
Traditional deep-fried fries are seasoned after cooking, but you can easily spray your frozen fries with oil and season them generously before air-frying them. They’ll be ready to eat and immensely snackable as soon as they’re done cooking.
How Long to Cook Frozen French Fries in Air Fryer
The answer is: it depends. It depends on how thick the fries are, how many you put in the basket, how big the basket is, and of course the frying temperature. You can tell by the photos this is for the 24-ounce bag in a 5.8-quart air fryer.
So all things considered, 16 minutes in a preheated 400°F air fryer. Eight minutes to start. Then give it a good shake to reposition the french fries and go for another 8 minutes.
I use the COSORI Air Fryer pictured in these posts. I’m partial to a square basket air fryer as I find it easier to fit more food into the basket. This is a 5.8QT air fryer, one of the largest machines I’ve found that works effectively.
The machine is a bit retro with simple knob controls. It turns out that I really like the basic settings and ability to set the time and temp like a traditional appliance. I’ve used a few different air fryers with pre-programmed settings and I found I was still tweaking the times.
This machine is surprisingly easy to clean and the two-part basket locks together (it’s literally impossible for it to detach the way some do) until you open the latch and then push the button to release it. I simply wipe down the baskets with a sudsy dish scrub brush or sponge, rinse and let them air dry on the counter.
Air Fryer Frozen Fries
One batch of French Fry seasoning and a bag of frozen french fries are all you need, check your pantry for these items:
French Fry Seasoning Mix
- kosher salt
- smoked or plain paprika
- granulated garlic or garlic powder
- freshly ground black pepper
- dried parsley
- granulated onion or onion powder
- cayenne pepper
Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
- frozen French fries
- olive oil spray
Air Fryer Frozen Vegetables
Air fried vegetables with a simple seasoning or dipping sauce are my current favorite savory snack or easy dinner side dish.
Frozen vegetables are just fine on their own with a little time in the air fryer and light seasoning. Steamer bags are great but the vegetables are just a little more tasty when air fried or roasted. Broccoli, cauliflower or mixed vegetables are perfect choices.
Not to mention the leftovers are perfect to toss into soups or a stir fry the next day. I usually just toss any extras in the refrigerator right into the soup or stir fry whether the recipe calls for it or not. I love using them up in chicken pot pie.
Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
Ingredients
French Fry Seasoning Mix
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons smoked or plain paprika
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon granulated onion or onion powder
- ⅛-¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
- 24-36 ounces frozen French fries
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the frozen french fries in a large mixing bowl or on a large sheet pan. (This allows for plenty of space when coating them with oil and spices.)
- Spray the fries lightly with olive oil spray and sprinkle generously with all of the seasonings. Toss with your hands to coat.
- Transfer the seasoned fries to the air fryer basket. Air fry for 8 minutes. Shake the basket well and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes. Serve hot with the dipping sauce of your choice.
Nutrition
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