Whip up these dreamy 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.
Why you’ll love air fryer roasted 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 fried roast potatoes are 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?
Potatoes
If you like a soft, fluffy roast potato with a crispy exterior then you need to choose a roasting 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.
More air fryer potato recipes to try:
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.
When air frying, 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 (but also the less healthy they will be!). To make a healthier version of these roasted potatoes, you can use olive oil spray.
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.
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:
- 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.
- 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. This is important if you want to get really crispy potatoes.
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.
- 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!
- Preheat air fryer to 360°F / 180°C.
- 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.
- Place potatoes in the air fryer basket, and add rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves.
- 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.
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.
Serving ideas
These air fried roast 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 these flavorful ways to serve crispy, golden air fried roast potatoes:
- 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
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.
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
Ingredients
- 2 lb 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
- Choose a roasting variety like Maris Piper, King Edward, russet potatoes, yellow or gold varieties, or all-purpose potatoes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
Welcome to Love Food Not Cooking!
I’m Eliza, busy mom, home cook, and blogger. My goal is to help everyone cook good food. Whether you are short on time, skills, or motivation, there is something here for you! We have dozens of quick and easy recipes for dinner, lunch, side dishes, and more. Our recipes use everyday ingredients, for quick delicious meals your family will love! Read more…
