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Lemon Garlic Air Fryer French Fries – delicious crispy crunchy lemon garlic seasoned air fried french fries that use a fraction of the oil of deep fried french fries and are crunchier than baked!
Lemon and garlic are two of my favorite flavors – and when covering crispy, crunchy french fries, it can’t be beat! If you’re craving a great side dish, these Lemon Garlic Air Fryer French Fries can’t be beat!
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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
How to Make Air Fryer Lemon Garlic French Fries
These french fries are crispy, crunchy, and totally addictive… but you can feel a lot better about serving them to your family since they use a fraction of the oil of regular french fries.
Lemon Garlic Air Fryer Fry Ingredients
- Potatoes (2 lbs) – Serve as the crispy, fluffy base of these air fryer fries, soaking up all the bright lemon garlic flavors.
- Olive oil (3 tablespoons) – Helps the fries crisp up beautifully in the air fryer while adding a rich, smooth flavor.
- Italian Herb Seasoning (1 Tablespoon) – Brings a savory blend of herbs that adds depth and classic Mediterranean flavor.
- Lemon pepper (1 teaspoon) – Adds a zesty citrus kick with a hint of peppery heat.
- Himalayan Sea Salt (1/2 teaspoon) – Enhances all the flavors while adding a clean, balanced saltiness.
- Zest of lemon (1) – Infuses the fries with fresh, vibrant citrus aroma and bright flavor.
Steps To Make Air Fry French Fries in an Instant Pot
Once you have assembled the ingredients, use this method:
Prep Potatoes
Wash potatoes under cold water and scrub with a bristled brush to remove any dirt. Rinse under cold water. Slice potatoes into 1/4 inch strips. Dunk fries in large bowl with cold water and let sit 20 minutes. Drain water and refill with new cold water, let sit additional 40 minutes.
Mix Seasonings
In a small bowl combine the dry seasonings and whisk.
Dry Potatoes
Drain the potatoes and dry thoroughly between paper towels.
Coat Fries
In a large bowl, combine potatoes, oil, and seasonings. Mix well with your hands to ensure an even coating.
Air Fry
Pre-heat the Air Fryer to 400F. When ready, dump the fries into an even layer. Close and set the time for 20 minutes. I personally like more crunch, and set mine at 25 minutes.
Shake
Shake halfway through. The entire batch can be cooked at once. To do more than one batch, doubling is fine.
Finish
Simply keep the cooked fries on a baking sheet in the oven at 225F to remain warm until you’re ready to serve. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, parsley, and of course ketchup!
Tips and Tricks to Perfect Air Fryer Fries
These easy tips and tricks will help to ensure the best crunchy air fried french fries, every time – without the oil. Oil is easiest – but these will give you a fried crunch, without oil.
What Potatoes For French Fries. Russet potatoes give a classic french fry flavor. Leave skins on, but be sure to wash potatoes well and scrub off any excess dirt, remove any eyes or bruises.
Use Mandoline To Cut Fries. Cut potatoes with a mandoline for easy, perfect sticks that will crisp up well.
Soak Fries. Make sure your fries soak for at least one hour in a large bowl of cold water – preferably changing the water after 20 minutes or 30 minutes with fresh new cold water. Soaking in water helps remove some of the starch, which will help them crisp up better!
Dry Fries Completely. Make sure your fries are very very dry after soaking. Pat them with paper towels or a clean dish towel to be sure there is no residual moisture. Wet fries = soggy fries.
Other Easy Air Fryer Recipes
These fries are a spin off of my favorite easy side dish – my Easy Air Fryer French Fries recipe and my crunchy baked french fries recipe.
They are delicious on their own, or paired with Air Fryer Tri Tip Steak, Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin, Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs and Mushrooms!
Not convinced on grabbing an air fryer yet? These delicious, easy, and simple air fryer recipes will make you fall in love with this fabulous appliance!
Try these other air fryer recipes:
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Lemon Garlic Air Fried French Fries
Equipment
- 1 Ninja DZ201 Foodi 8 Quart 6-in-1 DualZone 2-Basket Air Fryer with 2 Independent Frying Baskets, Match Cook & Smart Finish to Roast, Broil, Dehydrate & More for Quick, Easy Meals, Grey
Ingredients
- 2 lbs potatoes, russets or Yukon golds are great options!
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Italian Herb Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan Sea Salt
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
Instructions
- Wash potatoes under cold water and scrub with a bristled brush to remove any dirt.
- Rinse under cold water.
- Slice potatoes into 1/4 inch strips.
- Dunk fries in large bowl with cold water and let sit 20 minutes.
- Drain water and refill with new cold water, let sit additional 40 minutes.
- In a small bowl combine the dry seasonings and whisk.
- Drain the potatoes and dry thoroughly between paper towels.
- In a large bowl, combine potatoes, oil, and seasonings.
- Mix well with your hands to ensure an even coating.
- Pre-heat the Air Fryer to 400F.
- When ready, dump the fries into an even layer.
- Close and set the time for 20 minutes. I personally like more crunch, and set mine at 25 minutes.
- Shake halfway through.
- The entire batch can be cooked at once.
- To do more than one batch, doubling is fine.
- Simply keep the cooked fries on a baking sheet in the oven at 225F to remain warm until you’re ready to serve.
- Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, parsley, and of course ketchup!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Lemon Garlic Air Fryer Fries FAQs
Yes—soaking the cut potatoes in cold water helps remove excess starch, which is key to getting fries crispy instead of soft.
For best results, soak the potatoes for at least 1 hour, changing the water once or twice if possible.
Absolutely—drying thoroughly is essential so the oil sticks properly and the fries crisp up instead of steaming.
Russet potatoes are ideal because their high starch content creates that classic crispy-outside, fluffy-inside fry texture.
Cook fries at around 375–400°F, or as hot as your air fryer allows, for the crispiest results.
Common reasons include skipping the soak, not drying the potatoes well, overcrowding the basket, or not using enough heat.
You can reduce the oil, but a small amount helps achieve that golden, crispy texture and enhances flavor.
Place cooked fries on a wire rack in a warm oven (around 200°F) to keep them crisp while finishing the rest.
Yes! Sweet potatoes work well, but you may need to slightly adjust the cooking time for best texture.
Definitely—this recipe is very customizable, so feel free to add parmesan, chili flakes, or extra herbs.
Yes—air fryer fries use significantly less oil while still delivering a crispy texture.
The step of thoroughly drying the potatoes between steps 6 and 7 is omitted in the recipe.
Thank you, fixed it!