There's nothing quite like the satisfying crunch of a perfectly cooked french fry, and these Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Fries take that experience to a whole new level. With just a handful of simple ingredients and the magic of the air fryer, you can create restaurant-quality fries in the comfort of your own home.

If you're a fan of crispy and flavorful fries, then you'll definitely want to try this air fryer garlic parmesan fries recipe! Made with just a handful of ingredients, these fries pack a punch of garlicky goodness and savory parmesan flavor in every bite.
We achieve this by tossing the fries with a generous amount of garlic butter, which infuses them with bold and savory flavor. And the addition of grated parmesan cheese brings a salty and nutty taste that complements the garlic perfectly.
Ready to enjoy some garlic parm fries? Let’s get started!
In this post, I'll walk you through the steps of making these mouth-watering air fryer fries at home. Whether you're serving them as a snack, a side dish, or a party appetizer, these garlic parmesan fries in the air fryer are sure to become a crowd-pleaser at any gathering.
Ingredients
- Potatoes: Medium to large russet potatoes are best for making fries. You want a starchy potato that will hold up to boiling and air frying.
- Salt: Add 2 tablespoons of sea salt during the parboiling process. This will give the fries a delicious flavor.
- Baking Soda: Adding baking soda to the water when parboiling fries helps to neutralize the natural acidity of potatoes and the water, and helps them to brown evenly and crisp up.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter and then add salt as needed, but you could use salted butter if this is what you have on hand. Just make sure that you take this into consideration when salting your fries. If you don’t want to use butter, you can use olive oil or omit and just toss with a garlic rosemary blend.
- Garlic: Freshly minced, frozen, or jarred garlic all work in this recipe.
- Rosemary: If you don't have fresh rosemary, a teaspoon of dried rosemary works.
- Parmesan: Use freshly shredded or refrigerated parmesan for the best flavor.
Step by Step Instructions
For the full recipe with measurements, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Tips for Making French Fries in the Air Fryer
- Make sure you use a high-starch potato like russet potatoes for this french fries recipe. This helps to make sure you get crispy fries that are fluffy on the inside.
- If you don't want to boil the fries, you can soak the potatoes in a bowl of water with the baking soda and salt for about an hour.
- Don't skip drying the potatoes! Wet potatoes will result in soggy fries.
- I recommend preheating your air fryer! I have seven different air fryers. Even those that say they don't need to be preheating make air fryer french fries crispier when I take the time to preheat.
- Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket! When your air fryer is overcrowded, the air can't circulate properly. This results in unevenly cooked fries.
- Fee free to serve these homemade garlic parmesan fries with your favorite sauces and dippers. You can go classic with ketchup, or serve with aioli or ranch dressing. A bit of truffle oil is a nice addition to the garlic butter.
FAQs
Can I make this recipe with frozen french fries?
Yes, you can make parmesan french fries with frozen fries.
Cook the frozen fries in your air fryer until they are crispy and golden brown. The total time will vary depending on how the fries are cut, but generally, I recommend 400° F for about 15 minutes. Toss with the garlic parmesan butter and serve.
Why do you pre-boil potatoes for homemade fries?
Parboiling the potatoes helps to ensure that they cook evenly and to remove some of the excess starch. This results in crispier fries that are still fluffy on the inside. It also helps with browning, as the parboiled potatoes will brown more quickly and evenly when fried.
Do you season fries before or after air frying?
I prefer to season my garlic parmesan french fries after air frying, as you can salt them more accurately this way. However, if you do choose to season them before air-frying, be sure to use less salt than normal (about half), since the potatoes will shrink while cooking and become saltier. You can always add more salt afterwards if you like.
Tools
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- Air Fryer
- Dutch Oven
- Mandoline, Food Processor, or Knife
- Baking Sheet or Try
- Large Bowl
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- For a simple way to elevate almost any meal, you will love these Air Fryer Tomatoes.
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Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Fries
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Garlic Parmesan Butter
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley and salt to taste
Instructions
- Use a mandoline, knife, or food processor to cut the potatoes into fries.
- Place the potatoes in a dutch oven filled with cold water.
- Bring the water to a boil and add the salt and baking soda.
- Return to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, until the potatoes are just cooked through but not mushy.
- Drain and place on a baking sheet. Dry with paper towels.
- Chill for an hour, or up to overnight.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375° F.
- Spray the potatoes well with oil and arrange in your air fryer in a single layer, cooking in batches if necessary.
- Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
- Place the fries in a 200° F oven while the remaining fries cook.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter and then add the garlic and rosemary.
- Drizzle the butter over the warm fries and gently toss to coat.
- Top with parmesan, parsley, and salt, and serve warm.
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