These air-fryer fries owe their crunch to three quick steps before they reach the basket: an ice-water soak that rinses off surface starch, a short microwave par-cook so the insides turn fluffy, and a shake in a jar with Italian herbs and mayonnaise. Mayo sounds odd on fries, but its fat and emulsifiers help every edge brown evenly with no pot of oil. Start at 160°C (325°F) for 5 minutes, shake the basket, then finish at 200°C (400°F) for about 10 minutes until the fries are deep golden with crisp skins. Salt while hot. No Italian herbs on hand? Thyme, rosemary, or garlic powder all work.
Instructions
- 1
Scrub the potatoes (leave skins on) and cut into even fries — a fry cutter gives the most uniform result.
- 2
Soak the fries in a bowl of ice water for 10–15 minutes to pull out starch. Drain and dry very thoroughly with paper towels.
15:00 - 3
Spread the fries on a plate in a single layer (uncovered) and microwave at 800–900 W for 3–5 minutes, flipping once. They should look dry and par-cooked but still firm.
04:00 - 4
Transfer to a clean glass jar, add 1 tsp Italian herbs and 2 tbsp mayonnaise. Close and shake well to coat.
- 5
Air fry at 160 °C (325°F) for 5 minutes to kick things off.
05:00 - 6
Shake the basket and crank the heat to 200 °C (400°F) for another 10 minutes, until deep golden and crunchy.
10:00 - 7
Finish with a generous sprinkle of salt. No ketchup required.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why soak the fries in ice water?
Soaking pulls out surface starch, which is what makes fries gummy. Rinsed and dried well, they crisp far better and turn deep golden instead of pale and soft.
Why microwave them first?
A quick microwave par-cooks the inside so the air fryer can focus on crisping the outside — fluffy centres and a crunchy shell without deep-frying.
Why toss with mayonnaise?
A little mayo coats each fry in a thin layer of fat and emulsifier, helping them brown evenly and crisp up — a neat trick when you are not deep-frying.