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How To Make the Perfect Air Fryer Roast Potatoes

Are you ready to make perfectly crispy and fluffy roast potatoes in an air fryer?

Look no further; with this simple step-by-step guide, you will soon know how to make air fryer roast potatoes, and you won’t be cooking them any other way 😉

roast potatoes in air fryer

How To Cook Roast Potatoes In An Air Fryer

I have made roast potatoes in so many different air fryers so many times over the years; I feel like I have perfected the steps and techniques to confidently say these are my favourite way to make roast potatoes.

And that’s quite the claim!

What You Need To Air Fry Roast Potatoes

The amounts below are enough to serve 4 people. Feel free to adjust the number of potatoes depending on how many people you are serving.

  • 4 large, or 8 medium sized potatoes – you can use a different type of potato, but my favourite for potato for making roast potatoes are Maris Pipers
  • 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil – if you want crispy roast potatoes (who doesn’t?!) you need to add some oil. You can choose a different oil, I just prefer olive oil.
  • Seasoning – I tend to use a little salt and pepper to season, sometimes a bit of season-all.
  • Air fryer – I have made these roast potatoes in most popular air fryer brands: Philips, Ninja, Cosori and Proscenic. They all had similar results.

Making Air Fryer Roast Potatoes

I used 2 medium-sized potatoes per person (Maris Piper), so 8 in total. I used just 1 tbsp of olive oil, which was enough to crisp them up to taste like the roasties we know and love!

British Maris Piper Potatoes in a bag

Peel each potato and depending on its size, either cut it in half or quarters.

peeling potatoes for air fryer roast potatoes

Do You Parboil Potatoes Before Air Frying?

If you want crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside, parboiling potatoes before adding them to an air fryer is recommended. It’s essentially the same process for making roasted potatoes in an oven.

roast potatoes in an air fryer with parboiling first
Roast potatoes in an air fryer after par boiling

Once you’ve peeled the potatoes and cut them up, add them to a saucepan and fill them with water. Add a little salt to the water and bring to a boil before simmering for around 7 to 10 minutes. Different sized potatoes, and saucepans, will cook the potatoes at different rates.

boiling potatoes for air fryer roast potatoes

Check that they are done by inserting a sharp knife into one of the potatoes; it should be easy to insert with the potato being soft on the inside. The outside of the potatoes should be very slightly beginning to flake, but don’t let them cook for too long, or they will start to fall apart.

par boiled potatoes in colander

Once they are ready, drain them in a colander and then give them a good shake about – you want the outsides to become a little fluffy, with the potatoes flaking a little.

Drizzle (or spray) 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil as evenly as possible over the potatoes, and if you want to, season with some salt and pepper.

par boiled potatoes in air fryer to roast
Par boiled potatoes in a Cosori air fryer basket before roasting them

Transfer to the air fryer basket and set the temperature to 200C and the time to 20 minutes. Keep checking on the potatoes every 5 minutes or so, and give them a really good shake each time. This will help ensure the roasties are crisp all over.

Making Air Fryer Roast Potatoes Without Boiling

It’s perfectly possible to make roast potatoes in an air fryer without boiling them first. I have made them this way plenty of times. The difference will be that the outsides are not as crispy as when they are parboiled. But they still taste great, just with a different texture.

Air fryer roast potatoes no boiling in Philips air fryer
Roast potatoes in a Philips air fryer without boiling them first

Prepare the potatoes in the same way, peeling and cutting them into halves or quarters, depending on their size.

Drizzle or spray 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil over them and optionally add some seasoning. Transfer to the air fryer basket and air fryer at 200C for 25 to 30 minutes. Check on them every 5 to 10 minutes and give the basket a good shake – this will help to crisp up the outside and ensure each potato is evenly cooked.

You might also like Air Fryer Recipes – What Can You Cook In An Air Fryer? 

How Long To Cook Roast Potatoes In Air Fryer

How long it takes to cook air fryer roast potatoes will depend on which method you are using, either parboil and air fryer or just air fryer (no boiling).

  • Parboil + air fryer: boil in a saucepan for 7 to 10 minutes, air fry at 200°C/400°F for 20 minutes, shaking at regular intervals.
  • Just air fryer: at 200°C/400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, shaking regularly.

Remember: different air fryer models cook at different times, so check on them regularly. The size of the potatoes and how many you are cooking will also affect the cooking time.

roast potatoes in air fryer recipe

Did you like this recipe? Do you want some more? If so, please head over to my Air Fryer page on Facebook where I share some more recipes.

More Air Fryer Recipes

Are you looking for more air fryer potato recipes? Try these ones out!

roast potatoes in air fryer

Simply The Best Air Fryer Roast Potatoes!

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Are you ready to make perfectly crispy and fluffy roast potatoes in an air fryer?
Look no further; with this simple step-by-step guide, you will soon know how to make air fryer roast potatoes, and you won’t be cooking them any other way 😉

Ingredients

  • 8 medium potatoes (Maris Piper)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Peel and chop up potatoes.
  2. Option 1: par boil potatoes for 7 to 10 minutes, until you can insert a sharp knife in the potato and the outsides are starting to flake a little. Drain in a colander and give the potatoes a good shake to rough up the outside. Proceed to step 4 below. Option 2: Don't parboil and go straight to step 4. The roast potatoes will still taste great but the outsides might not be as crispy compared to if you parboiled them first. See pictures above for comparisons.
  3. Spray/brush with 1 to 2 tbsp of oil - make sure they are all coated and season according to taste.
  4. Put potatoes in air fryer basket and cook at 200°C/400°F for 20 minutes if you have parboiled, or 25 minutes if you have added them straight to the air fryer.
  5. Check on them at regular intervals and give them a good shake about. Remember you may need to cook for a longer or shorter time depending on the size of the potatoes and your model of air fryer.

Did you make this recipe?

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Paul Pearson

Tuesday 19th of December 2023

Any turkey curry recipes for the inevitable leftovers ? Happy Christmas.

Liana Green

Wednesday 20th of December 2023

Happy Christmas to you too Paul! I don't have any on the blog yet but I will try to get one up very soon :)

Dorset Vinney

Sunday 17th of December 2023

I followed the instructions for all elements of the Sunday dinner. With a little tweaking used crisper to finish off the roast tatties. Carrots and parsnips as per. Roast beef as per. All elements were were cooked to your liking. Thank you

Ann. Colby

Monday 30th of January 2023

I have just lost my husband after 69 years so I bought a small conventional oven with an air fryer. Makers name Kalorik . It has a rotating basket that fits into the oven I have not used that yet as I am not sure what to do with it, I mainly use it as a small oven to save my fuel bills. I am a vegan as am allergic to all dairy. Can you please advise me Thanks Ann

Jan

Saturday 28th of January 2023

Your recipes look lovely,my first ever air fryer is coming tomorrow can’t wait to try it out, I’m not a very good cook but maybe that’s about to change 👨‍🍳🤞

Paul kelly

Sunday 6th of November 2022

Just about to try this today! Fingers crossed they turn out nice as I’m quite new to air fryer cooking 😊

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