Air fryer potato wedges

Truly crispy with one tablespoon of oil. The secret is a quick soak first.

42 min
Total time: 42 min
Hands-on: 4 servings
Servings: 185 cal
Per serving: Easy
Difficulty: Air fryer
Method

Photo: Shixart1985 · CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Ingredients

4 servings

Nutrition facts

per serving

185cal

Protein: 4 g9 %
Carbs: 34 g72 %
Fat: 4 g19 %
Fiber: 4 g
Sugarstotal, including the natural sugars in fruit and dairy: 2 g

Approximate values, calculated from food composition tables. They vary with the brands and cuts you use.

Step by step

6 steps · turn the pages with the arrows or by swiping

Cover

Air fryer potato wedges

Truly crispy with one tablespoon of oil. The secret is a quick soak first.

1Step 1 of 6

Cut into even wedges

Scrub the potatoes well and cut them in half lengthwise, then each half into 3 or 4 wedges. No need to peel them: the skin gets crispy and holds the wedge together.

Tip: Wedges of the same thickness, or some will burn while others stay raw. It's what shows most in the final result.

2Step 2 of 6

Soak for 15 minutes

Cover them with cold water and leave them for 15 minutes. The water will turn cloudy: that's the starch coming out, exactly what we want.

15:0015 min · Soak for 15 minutes

3Step 3 of 6

Drying is mandatory

Drain them and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel until no moisture is left. A wet potato steams inside the air fryer instead of browning.

Tip: This step and the soak are the two that separate crispy wedges from soft ones. Don't skip either.

4Step 4 of 6

Season with your hands

In a bowl, toss the potatoes with the oil, paprika, garlic powder, oregano and salt. Mix with your hands until every wedge is lightly glossy.

5Step 5 of 6

Preheat the air fryer

3 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C) with the basket empty. Putting food in cold makes it take longer and leaves the potatoes less crispy.

03:003 min · Preheat the air fryer

6Step 6 of 6

22 minutes, shaking twice

Arrange the potatoes in a single layer (in two batches if needed) and cook for 22 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C), shaking the basket at 8 and 15 minutes.

Tip: Crowding is the number one air fryer mistake: without air flowing between the pieces, crispiness is impossible.

22:0022 min · 22 minutes, shaking twice

About this recipe

The air fryer does plenty of things well, but where it really shines is potatoes. With one tablespoon of oil you get a crispy outside that would take three times as long in the oven, or a pot of oil in a deep fryer.

The trick almost nobody uses is soaking: fifteen minutes in cold water removes the surface starch, and that starch is exactly what makes them stick together and turn gummy.

Twenty-two minutes at 400 °F, shaking the basket twice, and they beat plenty of restaurant fries.

Tips for getting it right

Older potatoes beat new potatoes: they have less water and more starch, and turn out much better.
Salt them when seasoning and a little more when they come out. The second pinch sticks to the crust.
If your basket is 3–4 quarts, make two batches of 14 oz (400 g). Crowding ruins the result.

Variations

Patatas bravas style

Double the paprika, half sweet and half hot, and top with a garlicky yogurt sauce.

With Parmesan

1 oz (30 g) of grated Parmesan and parsley in the last 3 minutes of cooking.

Storage

Best eaten right away. Reheated for 5 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C) they get back much of their crunch.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Why aren't my air fryer potatoes crispy?

Almost always one of three reasons: the basket is too full (air can't circulate), the potatoes were wet going in or the air fryer wasn't preheated. All three are easy to fix and all three make a huge difference.

How much oil do air fryer potato wedges need?

One tablespoon for 1¾ lb (800 g) is enough. With no oil at all they're dry and leathery; with more, they're not any crispier, just higher in calories.

Do I need to preheat the air fryer?

Yes, for three minutes. The food goes into an already hot chamber and sears immediately, instead of slowly drying out while the appliance heats up.

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