Red Potatoes Air Fryer

Subtly spiced, crispy on the outside, and buttery soft on the inside, these air fryer red potatoes make for an easy and nutritious side dish for any meal.

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Why You Will Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Step by Step
Video Instructions
Expert Tips
FAQs
Red Potatoes Air Fryer

Why You Will Love This Recipe

It's quick and easy. Compared to roasted potatoes, these red potatoes in the air fryer are ready in 20 minutes, and no pre-boiling is required. Even the prep doesn’t take too long, only about 5 minutes to cut up the potatoes and prepare the seasonings.
The flavor and texture are similar to roast potatoes, and if you follow the instructions in this recipe, you’ll be avoiding dry, overcooked potatoes.
It’s budget-friendly. Red potatoes are available all year round and are always affordable. Seasoned with easily-accessible spices you’re likely already have in the pantry, they are a real crowd favorite.
Healthy and nutritious, potatoes are loaded with vitamins and satiating fiber and carbohydrates while being low in calories (around 110 calories per serving without any added fats or other ingredients).
It’s one of the most versatile side dishes—you can serve it with any meat, chicken, or fish dish or as a vegetarian option with extra vegetables and salad. You can adapt the seasoning to suit most cuisines.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Red potatoes: I used medium red potatoes, which usually need a quick wash and dry before being sliced or diced. You can cut them into wedges or large cubes. White potatoes can also be used.
Olive oil: You need about a tablespoon to coat the potatoes before cooking. I recommend using an olive oil spray to mist the potatoes with a little more oil in the second half of cooking. You only need a light spray, which will help the potatoes from drying out and give them an extra crispy finish.
Seasoning: Salt and pepper are used during the first part of cooking. Garlic powder, mixed Italian herbs, and sweet paprika powder are added in the second half of air frying (mostly to prevent them from burning and turning bitter). Feel free to replace the herbs with thyme or rosemary or replace sweet paprika with a smoked version.

Step by Step

collage of steps how to air fry red potatoes

1. Cut the potatoes.

Wash and pat dry the potatoes, then cut them into quarter wedges.

2. Season the potatoes.

Drizzle potato wedges with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and rub all over.

3. Air fry potatoes.

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for about 3-4 minutes. Spray the basket with a little olive oil. Transfer the pre-seasoned potatoes to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Don’t worry if a few of them overlap, as we’ll be flipping them over halfway through, and the potatoes will shrink slightly while cooking.
Set the timer to 12 minutes, flipping potatoes halfway through.
After 12 minutes, remove the basket and season the potatoes with garlic powder, paprika, and herbs. Toss through to distribute the spices. Spray with a mist of olive oil and pop the basket back into the air fryer.
Set the timer for 8 more minutes at the same temperature. You can turn the potatoes over again. However, it’s optional.

4. Serve while hot.

Transfer air-fried red potatoes to a serving platter. Sprinkle with a little more salt and fresh parsley or chives if you wish.

Video Instructions

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Expert Tips

Red potatoes don’t need to be peeled. Cut away any blemished or spoilt skin, but otherwise, you can leave the skin on. It adds color contrast to cooked potatoes, which look great on the table.
Make sure to coat potatoes in oil. You don’t need much but it will give you a crispier finish and will help to keep them soft and fluffy.
Size matters. Potatoes come in different shapes and sizes. I used medium red potatoes cut into quarter wedges, which cooked perfectly in 20 minutes without drying out. If you cut potatoes into smaller cubes, you may need to shorten the cooking times. If using potato halves, you may need a couple more minutes.
Don’t overcook. Air-fried red potatoes can get dry if overcooked, so make sure to give them a test after about 20 minutes. I find that giving them an extra olive oil spray halfway through also helps.
If using garlic or onion powder or herbs, I recommend adding them in the second half of air frying to avoid burning.

FAQs

What to serve with air fryer potatoes?

Seasoned, air-fried red potatoes can be served in a few different ways. As finger food, serve them with aioli or ketchup for dipping. As a side dish, these are great with roast chicken, grilled steak, or baked salmon. As a main, serve them with a big salad or vegetables on the side.

How long do cooked red potatoes keep?

I’ve stored air-fried red potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They won’t stay crispy but are perfectly delicious the next day once reheated. I have reheated them directly in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes and in a frying pan, or you can use a microwave.

How to use up the leftovers?

Cooked red potatoes are great as leftovers. My favorite way is to pan-fry them with a little butter and garlic until crispy and browned again - so tasty! I have also diced them into a tuna salad, an omelet, or an egg scramble and added them to a sandwich or wrap.

Can I use different seasonings?

Yes, feel free to experiment. Try chicken salt, Greek seasoning, Tex-Mex taco spice blend, or Indian-inspired masala spices.

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Red Potatoes Air Fryer

Learn how to make delicious and easy roasted red potatoes in the air fryer. Seasoned with herbs, paprika and garlic, these tasty potatoes are perfect as a side dish, finger food or even as a main.

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Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Servings: people

Calories: 195kcal

Author: Irena Macri

Ingredients

2 pounds red potatoes, cut into quarter wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian mixed herbs (or dry thyme or rosemary)
Extra oil spray
Parsley or chives for garnish, optional

Instructions

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C), for about 3-4 minutes. Spray the basket with a little oil to prevent sticking.
Wash and pat dry the potatoes, then cut them into quarter wedges.
Drizzle potato wedges with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper and rub all over.
Transfer the pre-seasoned potatoes to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Don’t worry if a few of them overlap as we’ll be flipping them over half way through and the potatoes will shrink slightly while cooking.
Set the timer to 12 minutes, flipping potatoes halfway through.
After 12 minutes, remove the basket and season the potatoes with garlic powder, paprika and herbs. Toss through to distribute the spices. Spray with a misting of olive oil and pop the basket back into the air fryer.
Set the timer for 8 more minutes at the same temperature. You can turn the potatoes over again, however it’s optional.
Transfer air fried red potatoes to a serving platter. Sprinkle with a little more salt and fresh parsley or chives, if you wish. Serve while hot.

Video

Notes

Storing tips: Store in an air-tight container for up to 4-5 days. The crispy finish won’t last but you can easily pan-fry the cold potatoes until crispy again or reheat them in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes.

Seasoning: Feel free to swap out the spices and herbs depending on the flavor you’re after.