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Crispy Air Fryer Roast Potatoes

Whip up these crispy air fryer roast potatoes for crunchy, golden roasties with next to no effort. They make an irresistible side dish for just about any meal, and are so quick to make you can have them any night of the week.

Crispy air fryer roast potatoes in a white serving dish.

Why you’ll love air fried roast potatoes

  • They are delicious! Air frying gets potatoes crispy and golden brown without cooking in oil like traditional roasting. The crunch makes them irresistible.
  • They’re versatile. Season them however you like, they are the perfect side dish for just about any meal.
  • They’re super quick. Air frying roast potatoes is much quicker to cook than oven-roasted, saving you time in the kitchen.

Scroll down for the printable card for this crispy air fryer roast potatoes recipe, or read on for all the details.

What do you need?

Flat lay of the ingredients for this recipe.

Roasting potatoes

If you like a soft, fluffy roast potato with a crispy exterior then you need to choose a starchy type of potato. Any of the following would be great:

  • Maris Piper (UK)
  • King Edward (UK)
  • Russet potatoes (US)
  • Yellow varieties
  • Vivaldi
  • Yukon gold

You will also find that all-purpose potatoes make good roast potatoes. You can also use waxy potatoes for this recipe, but you will find the texture is much firmer and they won’t get quite as crispy as a roasting variety.

Seasoning

This recipe uses traditional roasted potato seasoning of fresh rosemary and garlic, with a sprinkle of salt.

Simple seasoning really lets the flavor of the potatoes shine, however, you can season them any way you like to match the flavors of the dish you are serving them with. Try adding some garlic powder or onion powder, or some Italian seasoning.

Oil

The recipe below specifies light olive oil, but you can use any cooking oil with a neutral flavor and a high smoke point. Try vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.

Tip

Choose a cooking oil with a high smoke point to reduce the chance of your air fryer smoking.

The more oil you use, the crisper the potatoes will turn out. To make a calorie-lighter version of these roasted potatoes, you can use olive oil spray instead of regular oil.

Note: Choose an oil spray that spritzes rather than an aerosol, as aerosol sprays can damage the non-stick coating of your air fryer basket.

Air fryer roast potatoes in a serving dish.

How to cook roast potatoes in the air fryer

This recipe is very simple to make, but there are a few key steps to getting it just right:

  1. Prepare. Peel the potatoes (actually optional, but they will be crispier if you peel them), and cut them into 3-4 cm /1½ inch sized pieces. The smaller they are, the quicker they will cook.
  2. Soak the potatoes in cold water for at least 10 minutes. This is to remove the potato starch that forms on the outside of the potato pieces when they are peeled and cut, that can stop them getting really crispy.

Prep-ahead idea!

You can peel and cut the potatoes the day before, and soak them in water overnight in the fridge. Just ensure that the potatoes are completely covered by the water to prevent them turning grey.

  1. Drain and dry potatoes. The potatoes need to be dried thoroughly before air frying. This allows the cooking process to start straight away, without waiting for the surface moisture to dry out first. If you want really crisp roast potatoes, don’t skip this step!
Potato chunks on a wooden board.
Peel and cut potatoes. Place in a large bowl of cold water to soak for 20-30 minutes.
Cut potatoes on a dish towel and in a bowl.
Drain and dry potatoes, then place in a bowl with the seasoning and oil and mix to coat thoroughly.
  1. Preheat air fryer to 360°F / 180°C.
  2. Add oil and seasoning. Place dried potato chunks in a large bowl, add oil, salt, and pepper (or other seasoning you like), and toss potatoes to coat thoroughly in oil and seasoning.
  3. Place potatoes in the air fryer basket, and add rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves.
  4. Roast potatoes in the air fryer at 360°F / 180°C for 10 minutes, then give the basket a good shake to redistribute the potatoes. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy.
Prepared roast potatoes in air fryer basket.
Place prepared roast potatoes in air fryer basket. Add rosemary and garlic (if using).
Cooked roast potatoes in air fryer basket.
Air fry roast potatoes for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

How long to cook roast potatoes in the air fryer

The exact cooking times for roasting potatoes in the air fryer depend on a few factors, including how large you cut the potatoes, how powerful your air fryer is, and how full the air fryer basket is.

Roast potatoes will usually take around 25 minutes to cook in the air fryer, but you may need to adjust the times up or down depending on the factors mentioned above.

Monitor them closely towards the end of cooking time, and add an extra few minutes air frying time if required until they are cooked to your liking.

Air fried roast potatoes in a white bowl.
Super crispy!

Serving ideas

Roasted potatoes are delicious slathered with gravy, served alongside your Sunday roast. But they’re also versatile enough to be topped and seasoned for serving with all kinds of meals.

Beyond just pairing them with gravy, try one of these tasty serving ideas:

  • Serve them topped with melted herb butter. Divine!
  • Sprinkle shredded parmesan over the hot potatoes for a cheesy and savory flavor.
  • Sprinkle with fresh parsley, chives, rosemary or other minced herbs for an aromatic finish.
  • Top with crispy bacon pieces, grated cheese, and sliced spring onions/scallions for loaded roast potatoes.
  • Serve with aioli, chimichurri or harissa mayo for a flavored dipping sauce.

Storing and reheating roast potatoes

Store any leftover roast potatoes in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and use within 3 days.

You can reheat the potatoes in the air fryer, air fry for 3-4 minutes until warmed through (twice air-fried potatoes are the ultimate crispy potato dish!).

Freezing leftover roast potatoes

You can also store leftover roast potatoes in the freezer if you want to keep them for longer. Spread the leftover roast potatoes on a baking tray, and place in the freezer until they are frozen. Then transfer the frozen roast potatoes to freezer bags for storage.

You can air fry frozen roast potatoes from frozen to reheat them:

  • Place the frozen roast potatoes in the air fryer
  • Air fry at 360°F/ 180°C for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are heated through and crispy. Shake the basket every 5 minutes or so to redistribute the frozen potatoes and ensure they air fry evenly.

FAQ & Tips

Can I prep the potatoes ahead of time?

If you want to prepare them ahead of time do not leave them exposed to air for too long as the cut edges can start to go brown. This is easily fixed by storing them in a bowl of water and popping them in the fridge.

Do you parboil potatoes before air frying?

There is no need to parboil potatoes before air frying. You can if you want to, and you may get slightly crispier potatoes. However, I find that pre-soaking them is enough to get them crispy (without the added effort).

Crispy air fryer roast potatoes in a white serving dish.

Crispy Air Fryer Roast Potatoes

4.7 from 66 votes
These air fryer roast potatoes are a crowd-pleasing favorite – crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and the perfect match for any meal.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Serves4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 lb / 900 g potatoes [Note 1]
  • 3 tablespoons light olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (or kosher salt)
  • 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary (optional)
  • 6 garlic cloves – lightly bashed (optional)

Directions

  • Peel potatoes, and cut into chunks about 3-4 cm/ 1½-inches in size.
  • Place cut potato pieces into a large bowl filled with cold water, and leave to soak for 10 minutes.
  • Drain and dry potatoes thoroughly with paper towels or a clean teatowel.
  • Preheat air fryer to 360°F / 180°C.
  • Add potato chunks to a large bowl, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Gently toss to coat potatoes thoroughly.
  • Place prepared potatoes in air fryer basket. Add rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves.
  • Roast potatoes in air fryer for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Shake basket once or twice during cooking to ensure potatoes cook evenly.

Notes

  1. Choose a roasting variety like Maris Piper, King Edward, russet potatoes, yellow or gold varieties, or all-purpose potatoes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1  Calories: 330kcal  Carbohydrates: 55g  Protein: 7g  Fat: 11g  Saturated Fat: 2g  Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g  Sodium: 555mg  Fiber: 6g  Sugar: 3g

Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.

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