Oil-free, crispy steak fries are so easy to make! With a secret tip and any season variety, guilt-free french fries taste so wonderful, that you will want a second batch the minute you bite your first fry. It takes 15 minutes in less for fabulous steak fries.
What's my vice? French fries are my arch-nemesis. Even though I love french fries, I don't eat them because of the oil they fry in and the other added ingredients in restaurant french fries. On the other hand, air-fried steak fries, made oil-free, are incredibly easy to make. So after many failed attempts to make this air-fried steak fries recipe, I figured out the secret.
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Despite many failed attempts to use my air-fryer, I, unfortunately, couldn't get the french fries as crispy as I like them on the outside. Because the perfect steak fry is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, I was determined to make oil-free french fries.
And who doesn't love steak fries with a favorite Lentil, Grilled Mushroom, or tofu burger! My kids love fries with their carrot dogs loaded with coney chili sauce.
How to Cut the Potatoes
First, always cut the potatoes into equal sizes. One way to make the perfect cut is to use an apple cutter, which makes the perfect-sized wedges.
How to Parboil Potatoes
Next, parboiling the potatoes for 6 minutes allows for the seasoning you choose to stick. Contrary to the air-fryer cookbook, which suggests soaking the potatoes for 30 minutes before cooking, boiling for 6 minutes is perfect!
Secondly, the steak fries seem to cook more evenly when they are parboiled. So I parboil the potatoes and run them under cold water until they are at room temperature.
Then, I place them in a ziplock back with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt. Then, shake and bake.
Another bonus to parboiling is if you plan to marinate your fries with malt vinegar or another flavor, you can do it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator before cooking.
Of course, you don't need to marinate unless you prefer the steak fries have a specific flavor.
How to Cook in the Air Fryer
Once I figured out how to make the perfect air-fried steak fries, I love my Airfryer. I can have french fries whenever I want without any oil or added calories! And, air-frying steak fries is so easy!
- Air fry at 400 degrees for 15 minutes
- Remove the pan from the air fryer at 7 minutes.
- Shake the pan, and add any additional seasoning you may like, if any.
- Cook 8 more minutes
Other Great Seasoning Combinations
- Lemon and fresh dill
- Lemon pepper
- Everything seasoning
- Basil and lemon
- Chipotle and fresh lime juice
- Jerk seasoning
- Curry seasoning
- Rosemary and garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Italian seasoning
Recipe FAQs
No. You don't have to preheat your air fryer before cooking fries. The same holds for other food you wish to cook in an air fryer. But keep in mind, when you batch cook, the second and subsequent batches will cook quicker because it is then preheated after cooking the first batch.
Yes. You can open the air fryer and check the content even while it's cooking as long as it slides open from the front or side.
Working in batches if necessary, put the fries in an even layer in the air fryer basket with no overlapping and cook, turning them halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, 14 to 16 minutes.
Tips
- Cut fries in equal sizes to promote even cooking
- Leave the potato skins on for additional nutritional value
- Use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes
- Cook fries in a single layer in the base of the air fryer and cook in batches.
- Preheat an oven to 325 to keep fries warm while cooking in batches
- Marinate fries overnight, after parboiling, for additional flavors.
Suggested Recipe
I also use my air-fried steak fries to add yummy vegan chili and guacamole or your favorite toppings. For example, vegan-loaded fries are made with air-fried steak fries.
If you love french fries, without any oil, try these fabulous air-fried steak fries!
Other Great Air Fryer Recipes
Do you love our steak fries? If so, give us a 5-star review and comment below.
📖 Recipe
Air-Fried Steak Fries
Ingredients
- 4 Russet Potatoes washed, skin on, slice in half lengthwise, and the cut each half into 3 equal wedges.
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 3 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 3 teaspoons sea salt optional if following a salt-free diet
Sriracha Ketchup:
- ½ cup organic sugar free ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons Sriracha
Instructions
Cook/Prep Potatoes
- Cut each potato in half, then in 6 equal wedges, or use an apple cutter for even more precise measurement.
- Cover in cold water and 1 teaspoon salt in a pan
- Bring to a boil; boil for 6 minutes
- Drain potatoes in a colander and rinse in cold water until potatoes are room temperature.
- Combine spices in a large ziplock bag.
- Add drained potatoes
- Shake; place in the refrigerator in the sealed bag until ready to cook.
Air Fry
- Air fry at 400 degrees for 15 minutes total.
- Remove pan from the air fryer at 7 minutes.
- Shake the pan, and add any additional seasoning you may like, if any.
- Cook for 8 more minutes
Sriracha Ketchup
- Mix ketchup and sriracha.
Notes
- Cut fries in equal sizes to promote even cooking
- Leave the potato skins on for additional nutritional value
- Use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes
- Cook fries in a single layer in the base of the air fryer and cook in batches.
- Preheat an oven to 325 to keep fries warm while cooking in batches
- Marinate fries overnight, after parboiling, for additional flavors.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Nina
Hi Kathy, Thank you for your recipes, they look fabulous! I have not managed to find the perfect way to make fries without oil, so will be trying this. I'm a little confused by the air fryer timing though. You say air fry for 30 mins, but then remove 15 mins in to give a shake and then cook for a further 10 mins. That's only 25 mins. Is that right?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Nina, sorry for the confusion. Yes, only because I want you to check them at 25 minutes to see if they are crispy enough. Everyone cuts them in different sizes. You can always add more time if they are undercooked. I hope you enjoy the steak fries.
Ava Chapman
In one paragraph you state boiling for 15 minutes and other places 6 minutes. Which is it? Thank you.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Ava, 6 minutes. Thank you for pointing that out. I appreciate it. I don't know how that happened.
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