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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast

    Air Fryer Home Fries [Oil Free Option]

    Published: Jun 28, 2022 by Rosa · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

    824 shares
    JUMP TO RECIPE

    Crispy and delicious air fryer home fries are comfort food at their finest. Perfect for breakfast or dinner, this easy recipe makes the ultimate side dish. Prepare for LOVE at first bite.

    Close up of home fries in purple bowl with red pepper, onion and chives on top.

    This recipe was originally published in November 2020. It has been updated for content and photos.

    Bonus! It’s healthier than your classic version and can be made with no oil at all!

    Just like my crispy air-fried hash browns, these home fries are truly perfection. Crispy, with or without oil, incredibly flavourful, and absolutely delicious.

    Jump to:
    • Here’s why you’ll love these!
    • How to get crispy potatoes without oil?
    • Ingredients + Substitutions
    • Instructions
    • With Oil vs Oil-Free Comparison
    • Storage
    • What to serve with them
    • Equipment
    • Expert Tips
    • More amazing air-fried potato recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Here’s why you’ll love these!

    • They’re crispy, flavourful, and absolutely delicious.
    • Perfect for breakfast, but also a great side dish for lunch or dinner.
    • Delicious, with or without oil, so for those of you on a low-fat or fat-free diet, you can skip the oil with fabulous results! (See the comparison photos towards the bottom of this post.)
    • Just a few basic ingredients are required to make these incredibly good air fryer home fries.
    Fork piercing through a breakfast potato above bowl of more breakfast potatoes.

    How to get crispy potatoes without oil?

    The air fryer plays an important role here, but also, the preparation of your potatoes is key.

    Soaking potatoes in cold water releases excess starch. This prevents them from sticking to one another and results in crispier potatoes.

    Do I really need to soak them?

    Yes and no. 🙂

    If you’re in a hurry and just don’t have the time to soak the potatoes, you may skip this step. Your potatoes won’t be AS crispy and you’ll have to stir your potatoes while cooking a little more often to prevent them from sticking to one another.

    BUT, if you want to achieve maximum crispiness, I highly recommend soaking the potatoes, rinsing them, and drying off the excess water before air frying.

    Ingredients + Substitutions

    Here’s everything you’ll need for these wonderfully delicious air-fried home fries.

    Ingredients needed to make air fryer home fries.
    See recipe card for quantities.
    • Potatoes: I like yellow or Yukon Gold potatoes for their pleasant flavour and they have less starch than russet potatoes. Use a kitchen scale to weigh about 1 pound worth of potatoes. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, use approx. 2-3 medium or 4-5 small potatoes per batch.
    • Red pepper: You may use any colour bell pepper you have on hand.
    • Onion: I like yellow onion as they get nicely caramelized in the fryer, but any onion you have on hand will be fine.
    • Spices: Salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika make the perfect blend of seasoning for these potatoes.

    Instructions

    (This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

    Chopped potatoes on cutting board.

    Peel and chop your potatoes into approx half-inch pieces. (photo 1)

    Water being poured into bowl of chopped potatoes.

    Then place them in a bowl and cover them with cold water. (photo 2)

    NOTE: Let the potatoes soak for 20 minutes, or longer. Then drain them, rinse well, then lay them on a clean, dry dish towel and pat dry.

    Place the dried potatoes in a large mixing bowl with the peppers and onions. (photo 3)

    Then add all the seasoning and the optional oil, if using, and mix well. (photo 4)

    Transfer the coated potatoes to your fryer basket. (photo 5)

    Then air fry for 15-20 minutes, until crispy. (photo 6)

    Serve your air fryer home fries garnished with fresh chives, and sprinkle a little extra salt if needed.

    Bowl of breakfast potatoes with red pepper and onion on top.

    With Oil vs Oil-Free Comparison

    During my testing, the optional oil did make the potatoes a little crispier, as expected.

    However, I was pleasantly surprised that the oil-free version is also very crispy. The edges are crispy, with a fluffier texture inside.

    Here’s a comparison photo of both options. Both produce similar results.

    Side by side comparison of home fries with and without oil.

    Storage

    The home fries taste best when freshly made, but you may keep leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in a sealed container.

    To reheat, pop them back into your air fryer basket at 350 degrees until heated through. Or use a toaster oven. I don’t recommend microwaving these to prevent soggy potatoes.

    What to serve with them

    I could personally enjoy these crispy home fries as a meal on its own, but here are some great pairing options. 🙂

    • Fluffy pancakes or waffles, and some baked beans, and fresh fruit for breakfast.
    • Or serve them on the side of these veggie wraps or a chickpea salad sandwich for lunch.
    • Enjoy with this roast, vegan ham, or with these amazing burgers.

    Equipment

    I use a Ninja Foodi 8qt model, but any model, including toaster oven styles will work for these home fries.

    Just keep in mind that strength and cook times will vary from one model to another.

    So start checking on your potatoes around the 12-13 minute mark and keep going until cooked through and desired crispiness level is reached. My potatoes are perfect in about 20 minutes.

    Expert Tips

    • For best results, take the time to soak and rinse your potatoes before cooking. This will give you the crispiest air fryer home fries.
    • Cut your potatoes as evenly as possible for even cooking. Half-inch cubes work well for quick cooking and they will crisp up nicely.
    • Don’t dice the onion and pepper too small or they will burn and may fall through the holes of your basket. If you don’t want larger pieces, add them only once the potatoes are about halfway cooked.
    • Air fryers range in strength so always check on your potatoes while cooking. I use a Ninja Foodi 8qt and mine are perfect at the 20-minute mark. Smaller models may cook faster.
    • Play with the seasoning for added flavour. I’ve kept these simple, but if you want to change up the flavours, you may sub the paprika with smoked paprika, and/or add some onion powder, chili powder, cumin, or cayenne.

    More amazing air-fried potato recipes

    • potato wedges in white serving dish with bowl of ketchup.
      Crispy Air Fryer Potato Wedges [w/ Oil Free Option]
    • plate with large hash browns and fruit scattered around the dish
      Air Fryer Hash Browns From Scratch [Oil Free Option]
    • Smashed potatoes on white serving dish with parsley sprinkled on top.
      Garlicky Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
    • Two baked potatoes in plate, topped with vegan bacon and green onion.
      Air Fryer Baked Potato [No Oil]

    If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.

    Buon appetito

    Rosa

    📖 Recipe

    Air fried home fries inside purple serving bowl.

    Air Fryer Home Fries [Oil Free Option]

    Crispy and delicious air fryer home fries are comfort food at their finest. Healthier than deep fried, with an oil free option!
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, Canadian
    Servings: 3 Servings
    Calories: 134kcal
    Author: Rosa

    Equipment

    Ninja Foodi appliance on white background.
    Ninja Foodi Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb yellow potatoes peeled and cut into half inch pieces
    • ⅓ cup yellow onion thickly diced (about half of a small onion)
    • ½ cup red pepper thickly diced (about half of a medium pepper)
    • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other cooking oil optional

    Optional Garnishes

    • chives, parsley or extra salt, if needed
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Peel and chop your potatoes into roughly half inch pieces and place them in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and let them soak for 20 minutes. Then drain them, rinse with cold water and place them on a clean, dry dish towel and pat the potatoes dry. Wipe the bowl dry, and place the potatoes back inside.
    • Now add all remaining ingredients to the same bowl and mix well to evenly coat.
    • Place them in your basket and air fry at 400°F/204°C for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through and desired crispiness is reached. Shake your basket or stir the potatoes every 5 minutes for even cooking.

    Video

    Notes

    For best results, take the time to soak and rinse your potatoes before cooking. This will give you the crispiest air fryer home fries.
    Cut your potatoes as evenly as possible for even cooking. Half-inch cubes work well for quick cooking and they will crisp up nicely.
    Don’t dice the onion and pepper too small or they will burn and may fall through the holes of your basket. If you don’t want larger pieces, add them only once the potatoes are about halfway cooked.
    Air fryers range in strength so always check on your potatoes while cooking. I use a Ninja Foodi 8qt and mine are perfect at the 20-minute mark. Smaller models may cook faster.
    Play with the seasoning for added flavour. I’ve kept these simple, but if you want to change up the flavours, you may sub the paprika with smoked paprika, and/or add some onion powder, chili powder, cumin, or cayenne.
    These taste best when freshly made, but leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in a sealed container. Reheat in air frying basket or toaster oven.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 593mg | Potassium: 715mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 966IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
    DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?Mention @this.healthy.kitchen on IG and tag #thishealthykitchen!
    *Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools and does not include optional ingredients unless otherwise indicated.
    824 shares

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    1. Jody

      November 24, 2020 at 10:06 am

      5 stars
      Saw this and had to make them right away! So delicious and crispy and loved the flavor of the onion and pepper. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Rosa

        November 24, 2020 at 10:36 am

        Thanks so much for sharing Jody!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Rosa! Welcome to This Healthy Kitchen where you'll find tasty and nutritious, plant-based recipes. I'm an avid home cook who believes food is medicine. Each recipe is made using wholesome ingredients, and under 400 calories per serving with several gluten-free and oil-free options! Occasional cheat days included. 😉

    More about me →

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