Air Fryer Home Fries [Oil Free Option]

Crispy, delicious air fryer home fries is comfort food at its finest. Perfect for breakfast or dinner, this easy recipe makes the ultimate side dish. 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, flavourful and absolutely delicious.

How to get crispy potatoes without oil?

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

Soaking potatoes in cold water releases excess starch. This prevents them from sticking to one another, and also 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 them, you may skip this step. Your potatoes wont 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.

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

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 diet, you can skip the oil with fabulous results!
• Just a few basic ingredients required to make these incredibly good air fryer home fries.

How to make them

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

Gather your ingredients and weigh your potatoes to get about one pound worth. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, use about 2-3 medium yellow potatoes, or 4-5 small, per batch.

Peel and chop your potatoes into approx half inch pieces. Then place them in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let them soak for about 20 minutes, or longer. (photos 1-2)

Drain the potatoes and rinse well using cold water, then lay them on a clean, dry dish towel (or paper towels) and pat them dry. (photos 3-4)

Now wipe the same bowl dry and return the potatoes to the bowl. Add your onion, pepper and all the seasoning. Mix well to evenly coat the potato chunks. (photos 5-7)

Transfer the potatoes to your basket and cook at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through and crisped. (photos 8-9)

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

With Oil vs Oil Free

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

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

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

How long do they keep?

Home fries taste best when freshly made, but you may keep leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

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 breakfast potatoes?

These crispy home fries pair perfectly with pancakes or waffles, and some baked beans, and fresh fruit.

Which air fryer do I need?

These home fries can be made in virtually any model. Whether you have a basket style, or toaster oven style, you can get great results!

I use a Ninja Foodi 8qt model, but any model works for these. 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.

Mine were perfect in 20 minutes in the 8qt Ninja Foodie Fryer.

Expert Tips

• For best results, take the time to soak and rinse your potatoes before cooking. This will ensure the most crispness for your air fryer home fries.
• Cut your potatoes as evenly as possible for even cooking. Half inch cubes work best since smaller cubes will cook faster and 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 model and mine were perfect at the 20 minute mark. Smaller models may cook faster.
• Play with the seasoning for added flavour. I’ve kept these basic, but if you want to change up the flavours, sub the paprika for smoked paprika, add some onion powder, chili powder, cumin or cayenne for more flavour or heat.

More potato recipes

• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes No Drain!
• Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
• Crispy Potato Tacos w/ Black Beans & Slaw
• Healthy Broccoli Potato Soup
• Roasted Greek Potatoes with Lemon

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