Cook amazingly crispy air fryer frozen french fries! Learn about the french fry history and all the different types of french fries too. Heck, we’ll add a loaded option too. Click the links below if you want to skip to a specific section.

1. Overview
2. French Fry History
3. Cooking Instructions
4. Sauces, Loaded Fries & Plating
5. Junkie Lifestyle Tip

Overview

People like what they like, whether it’s cars, clothing, movies, or food. Foodies just want their favorite foods to taste a certain way. And nothing is more polarizing than the french fry. The family debate starts with McDonald’s or Burger King and moves to Shake Shake or In & Out Burger. Then we start discussing the style. Do we want steak fries, waffle fries, sweet potato fries, curly fries, or shoestring fries? Whatever you crave, if you can’t afford to run to your favorite fast food joint, don’t fret. Air fryer frozen french fries will come to the rescue. They pack a crispy punch for such an easy side dish.

French fry history

Just like I stated in my last post about tater tots, I’m a full-blown junkie about many things, hence my blog title. Learning about food history helps us put things into perspective. Did you know Thomas Jefferson introduced fries to America or that the average American eats over 30 pounds of fries a year? These are just two fun facts about french fries, but entire posts have been written about this topic. Read 20 Things You Didn’t Know About French Fries at www.dailymeal.com here. It’s an interesting a fun article by Holly Van Hare. Now that the history lesson is over, it’s time to start cooking your air fryer frozen french fries.

Cooking air fryer frozen french fries

The days of throwing a pile of frozen french fries and dropping them in your oven for 45 minutes are over. The results were usually limp, oily piles of mush that needed to be drowned in ketchup. The best way to cook french fries is definitely in an air fryer.

It generates the high temperature you need for that crispy golden crunch. Furthermore, it eliminates the fat and the mess associated with a deep fryer. Just like my tater tots recipe which you can read here, you don’t need to spend hours in the grocery store. You just need your air fryer, your favorite cooking oil or spray, and your decision on what different types of fries you plan to cook.

Step 1: Spray

Spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray (or wipe with oil using a paper towel) to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Preheat the air fryer to 400 for 2-3 minutes

NOTE: You should preheat your air fryer for the best results. This will allow you to get a nice, even cook using the hot air from the machine.

Step 3: Load the basket

There is no wrong way to load your frozen french fries. Unlike other items that cook best in a single layer, you can pile your fries as high as you want. Just give the basket a shake a few times through the process and you’re good to go. This is a picture of a 6-quart fryer with a 2.5 lb bag of fries.

Step 4: Season

Spray the tops of your frozen french fries with some cooking spray to create that film for added crispiness. I prefer PAM Buttter Oil, but any cooking spray works here. Then season with some salt.

Step 5: Cooking Time

For this recipe, I’ll use the 7-7-7 methodology. That way I know I have to perform a task every 7 minutes to get that crispy texture.

Cook your air fryer frozen french fries for 7 minutes. Open the basket and give them a quick shake.

Cook for another 7 minutes and open the basket. Shake them again to ensure an even coat across all the fries. Give them a quick spray with your cooking oil and add some seasoning here.

Cook for a final 7 minutes. Once the timer expires, check it again. A little trick is to leave them in your basket for another 2-4 after the time expires. The air fryer will retain heat and continue to cook them for that perfect texture.

NOTE: The cooking time may vary 2-4 minutes based on the size of your basket.

Sauced, loaded, and ready

Sauces

Now that our frozen french fries are out of the air fryer, we need some dipping options before we go elbow deep into the pile of goodness. Here are my sauce suggestions: Ketchup, Ketchup/Mayo Mix, or a Siracha/Mayo Mix. It’s that easy. Don’t overcomplicate it.

Loaded French Fries

Now it’s time to play. Let’s turn this simple side dish into a full-blown meal. Since we have chili, we’ll use it two ways. First, in a traditional chili dog pictured here.

Second, we’ll make a loaded meal with the following ingredients:

• French Fries - Cooked
• Bush’s or Skyline Chili
• Scallions
• Creamy Queso
• Creamy Salsa Verda
• Ketchup
• Tattoo Hot Sauce
• Cilantro
• Bacon Bits

Plating

Find your favorite bowl and simply start adding these toppings in a fun, fluid motion.

Start with fries and scallions, then layer on the chili. Next, move to the condiments - queso, salsa verda, hot sauce, and ketchup. I would recommend buying squeeze bottles to allow for full control of the design and quantity. Then top off your creation with the cilantro and bacon bits. Oh, baby.

The junkie lifestyle

Just like I say in all my posts, air frying is a lifestyle. It’s quick, fun, and casual. Just fry, eat and repeat! French fries are more than a meal. Their history has mirrored our history and evolved with us. It’s the french fry that has connected generations and changed as change happens. When all else fails, we still have our fries!

Thanks for reading. If you like this recipe, check out my similar recipes for frozen corn dogs.

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