Can you put raw potatoes in an air fryer? Yes, potatoes cook well in an air fryer without deep frying. In this air fryer home fries recipe, we're air frying seasoned potatoes with peppers, onions, and olive oil. This air fryer breakfast potatoes side dish is perfect with eggs, sausage, bacon, or whatever you'd like. Get my tips and tricks for making the best home fries in the air fryer right here!
Oh, potatoes. You may be a white food, but you still definitely count as a vegetable. With vitamin C, potassium, and an assortment of other nutrients, you're in a different league than white flour and white sugar. Like flour and sugar, though, potatoes make things delicious.
When I was an undergraduate in college, I remember one of the dining halls on campus making the BEST home fries. This was a long time ago now, but I still remember them!
They were crispy along the edges of the potatoes and just a bit oily (not swimming in a pool of oil).
They were seasoned really well with a combination of spices. No plain potatoes, peppers and onions here. Nope.
And always (always!) there was a ketchup dispenser nearby for adding a little sweetness. I'm indifferent to ketchup with eggs, but good home fries need some good ketchup, IMVHO.
This recipe for air fryer breakfast home fries is my tribute to these home fries from my past. My son's going to be heading off to college soon. Hopefully, these will beat out any home fries served in the dining halls at his school!
Jump to:
- What are the benefits of making air fryer home fries?
- Ingredients for Home Fries in an Air Fryer
- How to Make Air Fryer Home Fries
- How to Make Crispy Home Fries
- Expert Tips from a Dietitian
- What do you serve with home fries?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Potato Recipes That You May Enjoy
- And now for the disclaimer…
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
What are the benefits of making air fryer home fries?
- This is a vegetable recipe your kids will want to eat. Picky eaters tend to be notorious for turning their noses up at vegetables. Lucky for us, potatoes are often one vegetable that is loved by even ardent veggie haters. Throw a little ketchup on there, and rest assured that the kids are getting some veggies in.
- You don't need tons of oil for crispy air fryer home fries. Classic home fries are typically cooked in a skillet with a large amount of oil or bacon grease. We can get away with using less oil with air frying. Additionally, some of the oil on our air fryer home fried potatoes will collect in the air fryer drip pan during cooking. You're getting a lower fat and lower calorie version of your favorite crispy potatoes.
- My air fryer home fries with onions and peppers are vegan and rich in phytonutrients. Are you looking to include more whole food plant based items in your diet? This delicious breakfast vegetable side dish should fit the bill.
- You'll save on your grocery bill with inexpensive ingredients. It's possible to get a 10-pound bag of potatoes for under $3 at certain stores in my area. All of that food will go a long way in feeding a crowd! The onions tend to be inexpensive as well, and the spices are common ones you're likely to already have.
- Air fryer home fries make a delicious addition to your weekend breakfast. When you have a little more time in the morning, making these air fried potatoes is such a treat. If you have a regular Monday through Friday work schedule, the weekend is the perfect time to make a hot breakfast.
Ingredients for Home Fries in an Air Fryer
So, what do you need to make air fryer home fries? This recipe is not very complicated at all. Sometimes it's nice to keep things simple.
- Baby potatoes (no need to peel them)
- Avocado oil, olive oil (or your favorite all-purpose cooking oil)
- Chopped onion
- Chopped red bell pepper (yup, these are my spin on air fryer potatoes O'Brien!)
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Sliced scallions (for garnish)
I use Yukon gold baby potatoes in this recipe. Since we're chopping the potatoes fairly small, using baby or fingerling potatoes will help save you time. Other types of potatoes, such as red potatoes, will work here as well.
In full disclosure, I haven't tested starchy russet potatoes in this recipe yet. However, I'm thinking they'll be fine for air fry home fries too.
The other thing that I would make sure to have on hand is ketchup! True Made Foods makes a no added sugar ketchup that tastes great. It's made entirely of vegetable purees, vinegar, and spices. We love it (and it happens to be low carb and keto friendly, if that's what you want).
The main piece of equipment that you need for this recipe is (of course) an air fryer. I use a 10-Quart Kalorik Digital Air Fryer Oven with two baking trays.
If you use a smaller air fryer with an air fryer basket, you may need to make this recipe in two batches. You may also need to slightly adjust the cooking time depending on the air fryer you use. Air fryer brands can vary a bit in regards to cooking times.
How to Make Air Fryer Home Fries
Ok, let's do this thing. Scrub and rinse your potatoes. If you are using thin skinned potatoes (such as new potatoes or fingerlings), there is no need to peel them. Chop your potatoes into 1 inch cubes.
Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water and add your potato pieces. Make sure the water is covering the potatoes. Let the potatoes soak for 15-20 minutes.
The soaking step was a tip from the manual that came with my air fryer. It will help your home fries to crisp up. However, I've forgotten to do the soaking step in the past, and the recipe still came out fine.
Next, drain your potatoes and spread them out on a paper towel. Pat them dry with a clean paper towel. After drying, put the potatoes in a large bowl.
Add a chopped onion and chopped bell pepper to the potatoes. Drizzle the vegetables with oil and give everything a good stir. Now add the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and stir again.
Spread this mixture out on two air fryer trays in a (mostly) single layer. There's no need to mist the air fryer trays with cooking spray since the potatoes already have oil on them.
Your potatoes will be air fried for a total of 35 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. You will need to flip the home fries and switch the position of the trays in the oven every 10 minutes. That would be after 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and 30 minutes of total cooking time.
If your fries on the top tray seem to be cooking too rapidly, try flipping the fries and switching the trays every 5 minutes instead of every 10. It's a bit more work but can help ensure more even cooking.
How to Make Crispy Home Fries
What to do if your home fries are not crisp and fork tender after 35 minutes of air frying? No worries. Simply flip the fries again, switch the position of the trays in the oven, and cook them for an additional 5 minutes at 400F.
You can extend the air frying time as needed to achieve your version of crispy home fry perfection. (Just make sure that your peppers and onions don't burn in the process!) The potatoes will have more difficulty getting crispy if you forgot to do the soaking step.
While your air fryer fries cook, you have time to prepare the rest of your breakfast. Now's the time to cook up some eggs, sausage, bacon, or whatever else you are having.
After your crispy air fryer home fries are cooked to your liking, it's time to serve! Divide the home fried potatoes between four plates. Garnish with scallions and finish with a squiggle of catsup on top. SO GOOD!
Expert Tips from a Dietitian
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). Plain boiled potatoes are considered to be one of the most satiating foods in the Satiety Index. However, few of us eat boiled potatoes alone.
Potatoes are usually paired with energy dense fats (think oils, bacon fat, butter, sour cream, etc.). The result is a high carb, high fat pile of potato deliciousness that is rather low in filling protein. This dish is indeed packed with healthful ingredients. However, I wouldn't say that it is the best option for those with a weight loss goal.
You could try making oil free air fryer home fries by skipping the oil and using (just a little!) cooking oil spray. The results won't be quite as good as my version, but it is a simple way to knock off 90 calories per serving.
Whatever your goals are, it's important to remember that this is a side. I would generally recommend adding more protein to this meal. An omelet, slice of frittata, fresh breakfast sausage, or (dairy) Greek yogurt would be some popular options.
To integrate these home fries into a low calorie meal (under 500 calories), add a two-egg scramble and two strips of bacon. Add some tomatoes or non-starchy veggies of your choice to the eggs, if you wish.
For a higher calorie meal, I'd include some whole grain toast and fruit with your home fries and chosen protein. It's easy to create a hearty breakfast around these tasty home fries.
What do you serve with home fries?
As I've mentioned above, these air fryer home fries are a side dish. A protein packed breakfast entrée would go well with home fries. Here are some protein breakfast ideas for main dishes you could try:
- Breakfast Frittata for One | Mini Frittata Recipe!
- Smoked Cheese Frittata with Brown Butter Shrimp
- Keto Crustless Quiche | High Protein Frittata
- Cooking Pork Sausage with Eggs
- Homemade Sausage with Chicken, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (slow food recipe)
- Make Your Own Cottage Cheese at Home (fun and not too difficult culinary project!)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do home fries have gluten?
This recipe for homemade home fries is naturally gluten free. However, store bought frozen home fries may contain gluten. If you won't be making home fries from scratch, check the package label to confirm the frozen mix you're buying is gluten-free.
How can I make low carb home fries?
For home fries that are low carb, try using chopped jicama in place of the potatoes. I've used jicama as a potato substitute before in air fryer recipes (remember the Air Fryer Jicama Fries?). They are quite wonderful!
Are fries healthy in an air fryer?
These air fryer American fries (another name for home fries) are similar nutritionally to potatoes roasted in the oven. We're using some added oil here but not as much as you would for deep fried french fries.
Whether something is "healthy" always depends on the context. This air fryer home fries recipe is a whole foods plant based dish that does provide some nutritional benefits. In general, I'd consider it a healthy choice, though that doesn't mean it's the best option for everyone.
How to make air fryer frozen home fries?
You can cook just about any frozen veggie in an air fryer, and that includes frozen home fried potatoes. If you are interested in making air fryer frozen home fries, check out my Air Fryer Frozen Vegetables post. The basic steps given in the post (oil, season, cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit) should apply.
More Potato Recipes That You May Enjoy
White potatoes, sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, gold potatoes, red potatoes…
There's a whole world of potato goodness out there just waiting for you! Here are more recipes using potatoes that you can try after making home fries in the air fryer:
- Gluten Free Toast made with Sweet Potatoes
- Kielbasa Salad Meal Prep with Potatoes and Mustard Vinaigrette
- Pumpkin Barbecue Meatloaf Recipe with Sweet Potatoes
Don't forget to subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter to be kept up-to-date on all of the latest and greatest recipes! You can follow me on Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram!
And now for the 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 wildly inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.
For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to my overnight oats with yogurt post. Let's get cooking!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Home Fries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 ounces potatoes (680 grams; baby gold potatoes are perfect for this)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped red pepper
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 scallions, sliced
- no added sugar ketchup (optional, but recommended)
Instructions
- Rinse and scrub your potatoes. If you are using thin-skinned potatoes, there is no need to peel them. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch (2.54 cm) pieces.
- Put the potatoes in a large bowl and cover with lukewarm water. Let the potatoes soak for 15-20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels. Put them in a large bowl and set aside.
- If you haven't already, chop your bell pepper into ½-inch (1.27 cm) pieces. Chop your onion as well.
- Add the bell pepper and onion to your bowl with the potatoes. Drizzle with avocado oil and give it a good stir. Now add the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and stir again.
- Spread the potato mixture out on two air fryer trays in a (mostly) single layer.
- Air fry the potatoes for a total of 35 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Flip the home fries and switch the position of the trays in the oven every 10 minutes. If your fries on the top tray are cooking too rapidly, try flipping the fries and switching the trays every 5 minutes instead of every 10.
- If the fries are not fork-tender after 35 minutes of air frying, flip the fries again, switch the position of the trays in the oven, and cook them for an additional 5 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
- When they are done cooking, divide the home fried potatoes between four plates. Garnish with scallions and finish with a squiggle of ketchup on top. Yum!
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