Here’s the secret to perfect air fryer french fries
Disappointed in your fries? Change your ingredients.
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Love them or hate them, air fryers don't seem to be going away any time soon. To help you make the most of the trendy appliance, the kitchen team at Reviewed has been digging deep into the world of air frying, showing you how to make healthy snacks and learn air fryer best practices. Although we’ve gone above and beyond to find ways of making air fried food taste great, making crisp french fries has, admittedly, remained a challenge.
Our favorite Philips Air Fryer XXL makes crispy truffle fries.
When it comes to french fries, air frying can't really compete with the old-fashioned method of submerging potatoes in hot, sizzling oil. But there is hope—with a little experimenting, we figured out a way to make crispy, rich fries in our favorite air fryer. The trick? Some nice truffle oil, some freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and a can of Guinness stout.
Why Guinness? The intensity of the beer flavor will increase the flavor profile of the fries after soaking for an hour or two. But any beer will work, so don’t hesitate to use a hoppy IPA or summer lager. If you’re not a beer fan, you can soak potatoes in a water-vinegar solution pre-frying to help remove the excess starch that keeps fries from crisping up.
To make delicious truffle fries, you'll need some beer.
We put two batches to the test, one soaked in beer and one in the water-vinegar solution. Although both fries were delicious, the beer fries won the popular vote in our office—by a large margin. With some grated Parmesan cheese, a splash of truffle oil, and a sprinkle of dried parsley, the fries were melt-in-your-mouth perfection, with way fewer calories from fat than in regular french fries. If you want to recreate these fries using your own fryer, here's how.
Recipe: Air Fryer Parmesan Truffle Fries
Soak the fries in beer or water and vinegar before air frying.
Cut potatoes lengthwise into ¼ inch thick fries, leaving the skin on. Try to cut them all into the same sized pieces for even cooking. Soak the fries in a large bowl for one hour, fully submerged in any beer of your choice. Hoppy beers add more flavor to the fries. For no-beer preparation, fill a large bowl with water and add a few drops of white vinegar. Submerge fries in the mix.
2. Preheat the air fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 360°F. Since an air fryer is basically a compact convection oven, the preheating stage can help prevent food from over-cooking. In general, preheat at 360°F for two to three minutes, depending on the size of the fryer.
3. Mix the ingredients
Remove the fries from the beer and toss in salt, parmesan, and truffle oil in a large mixing bowl. Add paprika or any other spice you like in the bowl. Mix everything until the fries are evenly-coated with truffle oil and parmesan. Line the frying basket with parchment paper.
4. Place fries in the fryer
Lay the fries at the bottom of the frying basket evenly. Make sure the basket is not overly-crowded to ensure even frying. Separate the fries in batches if necessary. Cook the fries for 15 minutes until golden brown.
5. Remove and enjoy!
Toss in more grated Parmesan, parsley, and oregano to add flavor.
After 15 minutes of air-frying, remove the fries from the basket. Toss with more truffle oil and other spices to your taste while the fries are still hot. Let cool for five minutes and enjoy!
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