Low Calorie Air Fryer French Fries are a healthy option to indulge in your favorite french fries, using just a small fraction of the oil! They are crispy and delicious and easy to make whenever a craving hits!

French fries in a plastic basket.

Nothing compares to french fries. We could eat these all day, every day, and we certainly have on more than one occasion. Please don’t judge, we know this may not be the healthiest food in the world, but they sure are tasty! Learning to make fries at home was a game changer. No more late-night drive thrus or delivery fees for us! We always have russet potatoes in the house, which essentially means that we always have french fries in the house. In our fry obsession, we know how heavy all of that oil can feel. Enter: the air fryer. We still get our super crispy and flavorful fries, and no longer worry about the oil. These might be a lower calorie french fry, but they certainly don’t taste that way!

Potatoes:

Russet potatoes truly are the best choice for french fries of any kind. The flavor will be closest to anything you’ve had in restaurants, and they will just have a better texture and hold up to frying. 

Oil Options:

We know there are so many different types of oil to choose from, and everyone has their favorite! However, you might want to put down your preferred oil to ensure you are using the best oil for the job, paying close attention to smoke point. 

For air frying, you want to use a neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point. Using an oil with a lower smoke point means you are far more likely to burn your fries, which is a truly sad thing. Our favorite oils to use are peanut oil and vegetable oil. Unfortunately, oils like coconut and olive are just not practical in this recipe.

Herbs:

We love adding fresh herbs to our fries. Rosemary fries, anyone? Make sure to wait to add these until after your fries are cooked. Adding before they go into the air fryer will just result in burnt herbs.

Why aren’t my Air Fryer French Fries crispy?

If your fries aren’t crispy at the 12-15 minute mark, you can just keep cooking them until they are crispy. All air fryers are a little bit different, so suggested cook time may not be enough time for all air fryers. 

Finishing Tip:

If you are making a lot of french fries, you might worry about those first few batches of fries going cold before they are all ready to eat! To make sure all of your fries are hot to serve, add them all back into the air fryer basket once your last batch is finished, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to re-warm your earlier batches. Once they are crispy, you are ready to eat!

Baking Instructions: 

Don’t want to air fry? No problem, you can simply bake these in an oven preheated to 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown.

Overhead view looking into an air fryer basket filled with French fries.

Storage and Reheating Instructions: 

Air fryer French fries are best eaten fresh. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through. 

If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious potato based recipes: