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Do air fryers cook frozen french fries? Yes, they do! This air fryer frozen french fries recipe makes perfectly crispy and delicious fries every time. With this easy recipe, you don’t need to defrost the fries before air frying. Stock your freezer with this healthy alternative to store-bought frozen fries that skips the additives and uses avocado oil. Three simple ingredients (plus your favorite ketchup) will get you crispy fries that your family will love.

fries and ketchup

Today we’re going to make frozen french fries in the air fryer.

This simple recipe is vegan, gluten-free, soy free, and dairy free. Since it’s free of the major food allergens, many people can enjoy this one.

🍟 Air Fryer Frozen French Fries Ingredients

To cook frozen fries in the air fryer, all you need is the following:

  • Russet potatoes
  • Avocado oil (or olive oil)
  • Sea salt
  • Cooking oil spray

If you want to make your fries more like store-bought frozen fries, peel them with a potato peeler. Peeling is also great if your potatoes have a ton of blemishes. This recipe is a wonderful way to bring new life to old potatoes.

I’d also have a sharp knife on hand for cutting the potatoes. You’ll also need a large pot for the parboiling step in the recipe and some quart-size freezer bags.

The other thing you must have for this recipe is an air fryer. Whatever air fryer you have can be used to air fry frozen french fries. Air fryer ovens, smaller air fryers with rotating baskets, Ninja air fryers, Cosori, etc. should all work.

Keep in mind that different air fryers may give different results. Don’t be afraid to modify recipes (shorten cooking times, etc.) to get the best results for your particular air fryer.

How to Air Fry Frozen French Fries

The first thing we need to do is cut our potatoes into fries and prepare them for freezing. I used two russet potatoes for this recipe. I peeled them and cut them into fries that are ½-¾ inch thick.

There are special french fry cutters that can cut potatoes into neat french fry shapes. If you make fries often, they may be worth looking into. Fries cut to an even thickness will cook more evenly.

As for me, I find that a sharp knife does the trick. The fries aren’t all perfectly identical, but potatoes aren’t perfect cubes, so that’s expected. I think it gives these french fries a bit of rustic charm.

After I cut the fries, I tested two methods to see which would result in the best frozen fries:

  • Soaking the potatoes in water for 20 minutes prior to freezing
  • Parboiling the potatoes for 3 minutes before freezing (i.e., partially cooking the potatoes in boiling water)

Both methods had good results, but the whole family decided the parboiled potatoes made the best fries. I often blanch or parboil fresh veggies before freezing, so I guess it makes sense that it works well for potatoes too. (Soaking the potatoes was a tip for making fries from my air fryer’s manual, so that’s why I tried that as well.)

To parboil the cut potatoes, put a large pot of water boiling over medium heat. Drop the uncooked fries in the pot and boil for three minutes. Drain them in a colander, rinse with cool water, then spread them out on clean paper towels.

You want the fries to be dry before freezing. Pat them with some clean paper towels to remove more moisture.

🥶 How to Freeze Uncooked French Fries

Line a large baking tray with freezer paper or parchment paper. Lay the cut potatoes out in a single layer on the tray.

hand cut potatoes for fries

Freeze the potatoes on the tray overnight. Freezing the potatoes in a single layer will prevent your fries from sticking together as they freeze. The next day, you can package the fries in quart-sized baggies and then put them back in the freezer.

Your frozen fries are now ready to use whenever you’d like to air fry them. There is no need to thaw them prior to cooking. With the preparation described above, your frozen french fries from scratch are now just as convenient to use as store-bought fries.

frozen fries in bag

🔥 Cooking Time and Temperature

Your air fryer frozen french fries will air fry for 25 minutes total at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. To prepare them, I misted both of my air fryer oven’s trays with cooking oil spray.

Next, I put the frozen fries in a bowl. For 12 ounces of cut potatoes, I added 2 tablespoons of avocado oil and mixed well. I also sprinkled the fries with a little sea salt.

The fries get spread in a single layer on the air fryer oven trays. We want lots of air to be able to circulate around the fries. That’s why I used both of my air fryer’s trays for this recipe.

If you have a small air fryer, I recommend cooking the fries in batches. Whatever you do, don’t crowd the fries!

After putting both trays in your air fryer oven, air fry for 10 minutes at 400F. Then flip the fries and switch the position of the trays in the air fryer. Air fry an additional 10 minutes at 400F.

Flip the fries again and switch the position of the trays in the air fryer once more. Air fry for 5 more minutes at 400F. That’s all there is to it for air fried frozen fries! (Don’t forget that you may need to modify the cooking time slightly if you use a different air fryer than I do!)

frozen fries cooked in air fryer

🥔 How many calories in air fryer frozen french fries?

One fairly generous serving of these fries (half the recipe) provides 258 calories. The calories in your fries will depend on the brand or recipe you use and the size of your portion.

Does air frying frozen french fries reduce the fat and calories?

Air frying frozen french fries does not dramatically reduce the fat and calories compared to oven baking frozen french fries. A little oil may drip away while air frying fries, but it is not enough to dramatically impact the nutrition information.

Watch How to Make It!

air fryer frozen fries with ketchup

Air Fryer Frozen French Fries (Healthy Recipe with Calories, Nutrition Info)

Summer Yule
Do air fryers cook frozen french fries? Yes, they do! This air fryer frozen french fries recipe makes perfectly crispy and delicious fries every time. 
5 from 2 votes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American, Belgian
Servings 2
Calories 258 kcal

Ingredients

Love this recipe? Please leave a comment below 😊

Instructions

  • Set a large pot of water to boil over medium heat.
  • Peel your potatoes using a potato peeler and cut them into ½-¾-inch (1.27-1.9 cm) thick fry shapes. Cutting them to an even thickness will help ensure more even cooking.
  • When the water in the pot is boiling, drop the fries in the pot and boil for 3 minutes. Then drain the fries and rinse them in cool water.
  • Spread the fries out on clean paper towels. Pat them dry with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible from their surfaces.
  • Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or freezer paper. Put the fries in a single layer on the tray. Freeze the fries on the tray overnight.
  • The next day, put the fries in a quart-sized baggie for long-term freezer storage. They are now ready to use whenever you want to make frozen fries in the air fryer.

How to Air Fry Frozen Fries:

  • Mist your air fryer baking trays with cooking oil spray.
  • Put the frozen fries in a medium-sized bowl. (Do not thaw the fries.) Stir in the avocado oil. Sprinkle with salt.
  • Spread the fries in a single layer on your air fryer trays. I used two trays for this recipe.
  • Air fry the fries for 10 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Then flip the fries over, switch the position of the trays in the air fryer, and air fry an additional 10 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Flip the fries again, and switch the position of the trays in the air fryer once more. Air fry for 5 more minutes at 400°F (200°C). (That's a total of 25 minutes of air frying.)
  • Serve immediately with your favorite ketchup or dipping sauce for fries. Enjoy!

Equipment

Notes

💭 Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule

This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). Fries, even baked or air fried fries, do not tend to be a low-calorie side dish. A reasonable portion of these fries (not the silly tiny portion listed on fry packaging) will set you back over 250 calories. 
You could create a low calorie meal with these using a lean protein (like white fish) and non-starchy veggies. However, most of us are going to pair fries with a burger, fried seafood, or steak. These classic pairings will likely add up to a meal that is quite high in calories.
One thing you could do for a lighter burger meal that includes fries is serve the burger in a lettuce wrap, not a bun. You’re already getting plenty of carbs from the fries. There’s really no need for most sedentary adults to add the bun on top of that.
Store-bought frozen fries don’t fit many special diets because of the assortment additives and flavorings included. (BTW, did you know that McDonald’s fries in the U.S. are not vegetarian-friendly due to beef flavoring?) As a result, many special diets (vegan, low-carb, soy free, etc.) automatically cut out many ultra-processed foods.
Cutting ultra-processed foods largely out of your diet may lead to positive health benefits, including weight loss. This may lead some to conclude that their special diet has some magical weight loss or curative powers. In truth, these diets are often beneficial because they force adherents to eliminate ultra-processed foods and some other less healthful choices.
Nutrition information below is for one serving of the recipe without ketchup or other dipping sauces.

🍟 Cook Frozen French Fries from Store in Air Fryer

frozen french fries
  • 12 ounces frozen french fries 340 grams (I used Great Value thin cut fries from Walmart)
  • Dipping sauce (ketchup, BBQ sauce, fry sauce, etc.)
Place the fries in your air fryer basket. It’s ok if they aren’t all in a single layer. Air fry for 9-10 minutes at 400F (200C). (No preheating necessary!)
frozen french fries in air fryer
Next, flip and shake the fries in the basket. Air fry for 5 minutes more, and then serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

📋 Frozen French Fries in Air Fryer Calories

One serving of store air fryer fries has 110 calories, 16 grams net carbs, and 1 gram protein. This is for a (tiny!) 3-ounce serving of fries (85 grams), as listed on the package.
air fryer frozen french fries

Frozen French Fries in Air Fryer Nutrition

Here is the nutrition info for air fryer fries from the store (per 3-ounce serving of Walmart thin cut fries):
  • Calories: 110
  • Total fat: 5g
  • Saturated fat: 0.5g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg
  • Sodium: 20mg
  • Total carbohydrate: 17g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Total sugar: <1g
  • Added sugar: 0g
  • Protein: 1g
  • Potassium: 260mg
  • Iron: 0% DV
  • Calcium: 0% DV
This nutrition information was correct at the time of writing, and is subject to change. Check the nutrition facts panel of the fries you buy for the most current information. Keep in mind that many of us eat a much larger serving than is listed on the packaging. 

 

nutrition info disclaimer

 

All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.

 

The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.

 

“To taste” means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don’t eat undercooked food x

Nutrition

Calories: 258kcalCarbohydrates: 30.7gProtein: 3.6gFat: 14.1gSaturated Fat: 1.7gSodium: 589.9mgPotassium: 709.4mgFiber: 2.2gVitamin C: 16.2% DVCalcium: 2.6% DVIron: 8.1% DV
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Burning your air fryer recipes?Here’s how to fix it!

🍔 What to Serve with Fries

Burgers and fries are a classic combination. Here are a few simple burger recipes that go great with fries:

👩‍🍳 Other Easy Air Fryer Recipes

If you love air fryer cooking because it is fast and convenient, I have TONS of super easy air fryer recipes for you. Start with these:

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Hi, Summer! Long time, huh? Once again, your page was ‘stranded’ in my browser, leading to concerns when you (seemingly) hadn’t posted for months. At least I assume this is a new post, as your articles are undated and I haven’t seen this one before.

    In any event, another excellence, these fries. Just looking at that beautiful golden hue makes me feel a satisfying crunch. Yes, your artistry is that evocative. Nice job!

    My own ‘version’ crisps potatoes on the grill. A stout flame replicates the oil’s heat the more traditional method brings, while a vigilant eye prevents them from burning. Sure, it is a challenge looking after a whole batch, but the results, like yours, are superlative. Plus, as you know, a guy will seize any excuse to fire up the grill, even in January!

    1. Hey Sir Amateur, it’s so great to see you here! Grilling fries sounds amazing, I’ll definitely have to try that sometime. I can imagine the smoky flavor the grilling imparts plus the visual appeal of the grill lines on the fries. Sounds perfect!

5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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