We love our air fryers and use them every week. They’re convenient, small, and easy to clean—and they cook food in half the time of a traditional oven or stovetop. But there are some things you should know before you start using your new gadget. One thing we’ve learned is that air-fryers don’t always work the same way with frozen foods as they do with fresh produce. In fact, if anything could go wrong when making frozen French fries at home in an air fryer, it would be overcooking them (which tastes terrible). So here’s everything you need to know about cooking frozen French fries in an air fryer:
Table of Contents
How to cook frozen french fries in an air fryer.
To cook frozen french fries in your air fryer, first set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once you’ve set the temperature, place your french fries in the basket of your air fryer and close it up! It’s best for them to be at least partially covered by oil or other fat if possible (which is why some recipes call for adding one tablespoon at a time). Make sure that all of your fries are coated with oil/fat so they can crisp evenly.
If you’re using an oven-safe pan (like cast iron) and want extra crispy fries, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to coat before placing them into the hot pan on medium high heat until golden brown then flipping over and repeating until both sides are crispy but not burnt. You can also use aluminum foil instead of a sheet pan if needed; just make sure not too much moisture gets between layers because then they’ll stick together instead of crisping up nicely like they should!(This works especially well when making baked chicken nuggets!)
Frozen French Fry Tips
If you’re an air fryer user who likes to keep things simple, frozen french fries are the way to go. They’ve got all the major components of homemade fries—crispy outside and fluffy inside—but they’re also fast! No need to peel and cut potatoes or wait for them to soak in water before cooking. Just toss them into your air fryer basket (and don’t forget to double-check that the basket can accommodate all those mini spuds) and watch them cook up golden brown in about 20 minutes (15 for thick cut).
If you’re not crazy about frozen fries or want a little more control over how your cooked ones turn out, try making your own from scratch with this recipe from The Kitchn. Just make sure not to overcrowd the basket when baking so they don’t steam instead of getting crispy on all sides. Also worth keeping in mind: Don’t use parchment paper when baking; it just makes it harder for heat circulation! Once out of the oven, let your homemade fries cool slightly before serving with ketchup or whatever dipping sauce floats your boat best.
It cannot be stressed enough — do not overcrowd your air fryer basket.
The one thing that cannot be stressed enough is this: Do not overcrowd the basket. When you do, your fries will steam instead of air fry. If that happens, they will be soggy and greasy. Furthermore, they won’t cook evenly — some will be done before others; some may even burn on the outside while remaining completely raw in the middle!
If you want to make sure your frozen french fries are cooked properly and evenly browned when air frying them, use a single layer of frozen fries in your basket. A double layer is okay too (and sometimes necessary), but no more than that please! Adjusting temperature down if using two layers is a good idea as well.
Adjusting the temperature
Let’s talk about the temperature.
The first thing you need to do is figure out what temperature works best for you, depending on how crispy (or not) you want your fries. When cooking in an air fryer, the higher the temperature goes, the faster fries will cook and crisp up—but it also means they’ll brown more quickly as well.
If you don’t mind a bit of charring around the edges, feel free to crank that dial all the way up! However if keeping them nice and golden brown isn’t important to you (or if they’re going into a salad or something), it might be better to keep things closer to 350°F/175°C instead of 450°F/230°C or higher so that they bake more evenly without burning too much while still getting some nice color on them over time.
You’ll also want to keep track of how long each batch takes by using either a timer or thermometer—if using a thermometer make sure it doesn’t touch anything but air so as not affect readings with heat transfer from another object touching its tip (like metal).
Parchment paper does not work in an air fryer.
You can air fry frozen french fries, but you have to do it on a wire rack. That’s because the hot air that circulates around your fries causes them to stick to the basket if you don’t have anything between them and the basket. It doesn’t matter what material your wire racks are made of—aluminum foil sheeting, silicone-coated metal racks or parchment paper sheets—so long as there is something there for them not to stick when cooking.
If you want to use parchment paper in your air fryer, use it at an angle so that air can get under it and cook both sides of each French fry evenly. If possible, set up two racks on either side of your machine so that they sandwich together when closed (this will prevent most drips from landing inside).
If this isn’t possible for any reason (space constraints or whatever), make sure that even though one side may be getting direct heat exposure for longer than others due its orientation toward heating element(s) inside unit/stand alone model being used then flip over midway through cooking process so every surface gets equal exposure time under same conditions (time) resulting in same degree level achieved by end result after approx 5 minutes max depending upon type variety brand purchased at least once per batch batching starts happening again! You’ll need something like this manual hand held rotary timer tool: https://www
Shake, shake, shake.
Shake the fries up in a variety of ways. Don’t limit yourself to just shaking them in the air fryer basket or in a paper bag. Shake ’em on a plate, in a bowl, and even on your lap! If you’re feeling extra adventurous (or just want to get out of washing dishes), try shaking them with cooking oil and spices or even eggs and flour—whatever it takes for you to enjoy those tasty frozen French fries!
You can also mix them with other frozen foods like chicken nuggets, hash browns or tater tots for some added flavor. This is especially fun if you have kids around who love playing with their food!
Serve up with your favorite dipping sauces.
Once you’re done making your air fryer french fries, serve them up with your favorite sauce. Ketchup, mayonnaise, ranch dressing and barbecue sauce are all great options for dipping. You could also have fun with salsa or even guacamole! Whatever you choose to dip the fries in is entirely up to you—just don’t forget the ketchup!
You can also let your friends and family experiment with their own favorite sauces on top of their air fried frozen french fries. This way everyone can customize their meal to fit their personal tastes without having to try every new dip out there themselves. And if someone does come up with an amazing combination of seasonings that makes everyone swoon? Share it with us! We love hearing from fellow foodies!
Air-frying is the perfect way to make frozen french fries since it produces crispy fries without the grease from frying in oil.
Air fryers are becoming increasingly popular because they provide a healthier alternative to conventional frying. In addition to offering less greasy food, air fryers use less oil than conventional frying, making them more energy efficient. This means that you won’t be eating foods that contain carcinogens produced by frying in oil or consuming extra calories with each meal.
You can also use your air fryer to cook meat and vegetables without adding any extra oil! While conventional frying requires fatty liquids like vegetable oils or lard, an air fryer uses hot air instead of liquid fats to cook your food. The result? Healthier meals made with less fat and fewer calories than traditional methods of cooking!
Conclusion
All in all, making frozen french fries in an air fryer is a great way to get the crispy goodness of your favorite fast food restaurant without having to go there. You can save money on gas, calories and even cholesterol while enjoying healthier alternatives at home. Although it may take some time getting used to this method, it’s so worth it!