Who doesn’t love a roast potato? however have you ever tried making them in an air fryer?
No have to parboil these beauties and the end result – crispy and scrumptious and carried out in 20 minutes, which suggests these airfryer roast potatoes make an awesome aspect to a speedy meal.

I’ve been experimenting with my air fryer to search out one of the best ways to make air fryer roast potatoes with out having to par boil them in water first.
I’ll soar to it with the three strategies I examined and the outcomes:
- Doing the parboiling/steaming stage within the air fryer in a foil parcel, then eradicating the foil and air frying with oil.
- FAIL – the potatoes didn’t steam within the foil, they simply stayed exhausting (and went a bit dry) with a thick chewy pores and skin.
- Air frying the potatoes straight within the air fryer basket, drizzled in oil (no parboiling/steaming stage).
- These had been OK. Not vastly crispy, however that they had a pleasant browned pores and skin, that was barely chewy. The inside was good and fluffy.
- Air frying the potatoes in a shallow tray insert within the air fryer basket, drizzled in oil (no parboiling/steaming stage).
- WINNER! – Fluffy inside, crunchier pores and skin. Not fairly as crunchy as my oven roast potatoes, however nonetheless acquired a pleasant little bit of crispness and an awesome swap while you’re brief on time.
📋 Components


Kind of Air Fryer
I exploit the Ninja Max (<– affiliate hyperlink) air fryer, however these directions apply to any drawer-style air fryer (not grill model or air fryers with a paddle. I haven’t examined with these. You probably have, please let me know within the feedback :-))


📺 Watch the right way to to cook dinner Roast Potatoes within the Air Fryer
***Full recipe with detailed steps within the recipe card on the finish of this submit***
- Peel and wash the potatoes. These is to take away extra starch, which might trigger the potatoes to brown too shortly (earlier than the inside is cooked) and make the potatoes extra more likely to persist with the tray. Pat them dry washing them.
- Add the potatoes to the air fryer basket in a shallow tray insert (see beneath for particulars) and drizzle on oil. Shake them to coat.
- Air fry for 20 minutes, checking a shaking a few instances – till golden brown.
- Serve topped with flaky salt and recent thyme.
Professional Tip
Use a shallow tray insert, so the potatoes are involved with the oil (as a substitute of the oil draining by the air fryer basket holes) – this can lead to crispier potatoes.
Tray Insert
I exploit the 8″ pizza pan insert from this equipment set (<– affiliate hyperlink) from Amazon. That is suitable with my Ninja Max.


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🍽️ What to serve them with


🍲 Extra unbelievable Potato Sides
? Often Requested Questions
Roasting potatoes within the oven requires you to roast the potatoes in a roasting tray with fats in. The potatoes are sitting within the scorching fats. That is what helps to provide the potatoes that ‘crunchy shell’.Should you attempt to roast potatoes in an air fryer within the common basket (with holes in) any extra fats you add will drain by the holes, so the potatoes aren’t involved with the new fats. They’ll solely have the small quantity of fats you poured on coating the pores and skin.It will lead to roast potatoes which are browned, with solely a very skinny pores and skin of crispness that’s additionally just a little chewy.In the event that they’re sitting within the scorching fats, you’ll get a thicker pores and skin of crunch, as the new oil absorbs deeper into the pores and skin.
Sure, in fact. The pores and skin might be much less crunchy, however the potatoes might be browned. They may also have absorbed much less fats, so that they’ll be decrease in energy and fats content material.
This recipe is about making fast roast potatoes. I’ve prioritised pace and ease over getting the final word crunch. You probably have extra time, then sure, you may parboil the potatoes. See the notes part of the recipe card beneath for data on this.
As long as the potatoes aren’t too huge, they need to cook dinner in about 20 minutes within the air fryer. They need to be crispy, golden and tender when squeezed. In the event that they’re not, shake the air fryer basket and fry for an additional couple of minutes.
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Elective for further crunch:
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Peel and chop potatoes into bite-size chunks – about 3-3.5cm (approx. 1+1/4 to 1+1/3 inches). Rinse underneath chilly water and pat dry.
700 g (1 1/2 lbs) floury potatoes
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Place a shallow tray insert into your air fryer basket. *see word 1
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Add the potatoes to the tray. Drizzle on the oil and provides shake or stir – so the potatoes are absolutely coated in oil.
2 tbsp impartial oil
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Prepare dinner for five minutes within the air fryer at 200C/400F, then flip or shake the potatoes and cook dinner for an additional 5 minutes.
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Flip or shake the potatoes once more and provides them a little bit of a bash with the again of a spoon – to ruffle the perimeters barely. Drizzle on an additional tbsp of oil.
1 tbsp impartial oil
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Prepare dinner for an additional 10 minutes (so it will likely be 20 minutes cooking time altogether), till the potatoes are crisp and golden.
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Sprinkle with salt and thyme earlier than serving.
1 tsp Maldon salt, 1 tbsp recent thyme leaves
Word 1: Why use a tray insert for air fryer roast potatoes?
Roasting potatoes within the oven requires you to roast the potatoes in a roasting tray with fats in. The potatoes are sitting within the scorching fats. That is what helps to provide the potatoes that ‘crunchy shell’.
Should you attempt to roast potatoes in an air fryer within the common basket (with holes in) any extra fats you add will drain by the holes, so the potatoes aren’t involved with the new fats. They’ll solely have the small quantity of fats you poured on coating the pores and skin.
It will lead to roast potatoes which are browned, with solely a very skinny pores and skin of crispness that’s additionally just a little chewy.
In the event that they’re sitting within the scorching fats, you’ll get a thicker pores and skin of crunch, as the new oil absorbs deeper into the pores and skin.
Can I skip the tray insert and add on to the air fryer basket?
Sure, in fact. The pores and skin might be much less crunchy, however the potatoes might be browned. They may also have absorbed much less fats, so that they’ll be decrease in energy and fats content material.
Shouldn’t you par-boil the potatoes first?
This recipe is about making fast roast potatoes. I’ve prioritised pace and ease over getting the final word crunch. You probably have extra time, then sure, you may parboil the potatoes.
- Par-boil the peeled and chopped potatoes for 8-9 minutes – till softened on the edges.
- Drain and provides good shake to fluff up the perimeters additional.
- Add to the air fryer tray insert and place within the airfryer with the oil. Prepare dinner as per the recipe above, however cut back the cooking time by 5 minutes.
Dietary data is per serving – this recipe serve 4.
Energy: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fats: 11g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g | Monounsaturated Fats: 7g | Trans Fats: 0.04g | Sodium: 645mg | Potassium: 842mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 33715IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2mg
Vitamin data is routinely calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
This recipe was first revealed in September 2023. Up to date February 2025 with new photos, recipe video and just a little housekeeping.
A few of the hyperlinks on this submit could also be affiliate hyperlinks – which suggests if you happen to purchase the product I get a small fee (at no further price to you). Should you do purchase, then thanks! That’s what helps us to maintain Kitchen Sanctuary working. The dietary data supplied is approximate and might range relying on a number of elements. For extra data please see our Phrases & Circumstances.