Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, Air Fryer Red Potatoes make the perfect side dish for just about every dinner! This easy recipe for red potatoes in the air fryer is ready in just 30 minutes using simple ingredients.
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You can't go wrong with a good plate of roasted potatoes, it's true. But you can improve upon your favorite red skin potatoes recipe by making it in the air fryer instead of the oven or stove!
These delicious crispy air fryer potatoes are perfectly fork-tender on the inside with a blend of seasonings that pairs well with every protein. Other methods of cooking potatoes are slower and less efficient than air frying, and often use more oil.
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Why air fry red potatoes?
- It cuts the cooking time nearly in half: When you bake red potatoes in the oven, they can take more than an hour to be ready to eat, and generally never take less than 45 minutes. This method is faster than baking and boiling, taking a total time of only 30 minutes from start to finish.
- The prep is super easy: There is hardly any prep time required for these potatoes. All you're doing is cutting them and mixing them with seasoning.
- No soaking: There is no need to soak potatoes to get rid of excess starch for this recipe. The air fryer red potatoes will come out crispy without soaking.
- It's easy to make in batches: You don't have to worry too much about overcrowding the air fryer with potatoes, so you can make a fairly big batch of them easily. This recipe makes enough for about four servings. Because the cooking time itself is only about 20 minutes, it's easy to make a huge batch of potatoes to feed a crowd, if necessary, in less than 1 hour!
Ingredients
- Red Potatoes: These waxy potatoes provide a creamy texture and a slightly sweet, earthy flavor. Make sure to get the full size red potatoes and not small red potatoes.
- Oil: Light olive oil or avocado oil adds a necessary element of crispiness. You won't have to use as much oil as some other cooking methods. Learn more: Air Frying Oils.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances the potato's natural flavor. We always recommend using kosher salt rather than table salt, as table salt can add an unwanted metallic flavor to food.
- Garlic Powder: Infuses a delightful garlic aroma and taste without the risk of burning. Want to roast garlic in the air fryer? We have a recipe for that: Roasted Garlic.
- Dried Italian Seasoning: Offers a balanced blend of herbs and spices. Feel free to use fresh herbs like a little fresh rosemary, too.
- Black Pepper: Adds a touch of warmth and depth. If you want, you can also use red pepper flakes for spice.
- Chives and Garlic Butter (Optional): Elevate the dish with fresh chives for a burst of color and garlic butter for extra indulgence.
Other Seasonings for Red Potatoes
- Chili Seasoning: Another great choice for seasoning red potatoes is to use Chili seasoning. We have a homemade blend we use, but you can also use store-bought.
- Ranch Seasoning: This tastes so good! If you love the flavor of ranch seasoning, definitely try it with these potatoes.
- Make it Spicy: Feel free to add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to add spice to your potatoes, if desired.
- Curry Powder: Curry potatoes are absolutely delicious, and we recommend giving it a try with these red potato wedges!
- Add Onion Powder: You can simply add onion powder to the mix for additional complexity. Onion powder pairs well with garlic powder.
- Add Parmesan Cheese: A little Parmesan goes a long way for flavor. Sprinkle some on at the end for amazing cheesy potatoes.
How to Air Fry Red Potatoes
Step 1 - Wash and cut your red potatoes into 1-inch pieces. You will need about 8 medium red potatoes for this; make sure not to get baby potatoes.
Then, preheat the air fryer to 400°F. While it preheats, mix the cut potatoes with oil, salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and a sprinkle of pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
Step 2 - Once preheated, open the air fryer basket and pour the potatoes into the basket. Don't worry about it if they're overlapping, since you'll be shaking the basket to redistribute the potatoes.
Step 3 - Air fry at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until fork-tender on the inside and golden brown on the outside. Shake the basket every 5 minutes while air frying to toss the potatoes around and ensure crispiness. We recommend setting a timer for this purpose. Serve garnished with chopped chives and a drizzle of garlic butter or extra-virgin olive oil if desired, and enjoy!
Toaster Oven Style Air Fryer Instructions
The following instructions are for toaster-oven style air fryers with a tray, such as the Breville Smart Oven Air. Note that these models take longer to cook than air fryers with a basket.
- Wash and cut red potatoes into 1-inch pieces.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. While the air fryer preheats, place the cut red potatoes into a medium mixing bowl and add oil, salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Mix to coat the potatoes with the seasoning completely.
- Once preheated, open the air fryer and spread the potatoes in a single layer onto the air fryer tray set on the middle oven rack. Make sure to use oven mitts when handling.
- Air fry at 400°F for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown and fork-tender. Use a wooden spoon to push the potatoes around at 5 minute intervals while air frying to ensure crispiness on all sides.
- Remove the potatoes from the air fryer to a serving dish. Garnish with chopped chives and a drizzle of garlic butter, if desired, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- We leave the skin on the potatoes, so be sure to scrub them well. Otherwise, you could peel the potatoes if you prefer.
- If your potatoes are larger than pictured, then you will likely need to add more time to cook them to a crispy outside with a soft center. If they're smaller baby potatoes, you may need to cook for less. What's most important is that they are fork-tender.
- We use garlic powder in this recipe instead of fresh garlic. Fresh garlic tends to burn in the amount of time needed to air fry the potatoes.
- You can use your preferred oil. We recommend light olive oil or avocado oil.
- Cook time may vary depending on your specific air fryer model; all brands tend to have slight differences in timing.
- If cooking in multiple batches, be sure to check on the remaining batches early, as they may cook more quickly.
Storage Instructions
- If you have any leftovers (though they tend to disappear quickly!), store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 400°F to regain that crispy texture.
Can I use other types of potatoes?
Yes, you can absolutely cook other types of potatoes in the air fryer! For russet potatoes, try our Breakfast Potatoes. For Yukon gold potatoes, try our Smashed Potatoes. You can also use this recipe to cook Yukon gold potatoes as long as they are relatively the same 1-inch wedge size. Try all of our Air Fryer Potato Recipes!
Air Fryer Side Dishes
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Air Fryer Potatoes and Onions
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- See all of our Air Fryer Side Dishes!
Leave a comment and review for us below if you enjoyed this recipe, or if you have questions about any of our air fryer recipes!
Air Fryer Red Potatoes
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 lbs red potatoes washed and cut into 1” pieces (about 8 medium red potatoes)
- 2 tablespoons oil olive oil or avocado oil work best
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Chives chopped for garnish (optional)
- Garlic butter melted (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F. While it preheats, place the cut red potatoes in a medium mixing bowl and add 2 tablespoons oil with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix to coat the potatoes.
- Open the air fryer and pour potatoes into the preheated air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 400°F for 20-25 minutes until potatoes are golden brown and fork tender, shaking the basket at 5 minute intervals while air frying.
- Remove the potatoes from the air fryer to a serving dish and garnish with chopped chives and a drizzle of garlic butter if you like. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- We leave the skin on the potatoes, so be sure to scrub them well. Otherwise, you could peel the potatoes if you prefer.
- If your potatoes are larger than pictured, then you will likely need to add more time to cook them to a crispy outside with a soft center. If they're smaller baby potatoes, you may need to cook for less. What's most important is that they are fork-tender.
- We use garlic powder in this recipe instead of fresh garlic. Fresh garlic tends to burn in the amount of time needed to air fry the potatoes.
- You can use your preferred oil. We recommend olive oil or avocado oil.
- Cook time may vary depending on your specific air fryer model; all brands tend to have slight differences in timing.
- If cooking in multiple batches, be sure to check on the remaining batches early, as they may cook more quickly.
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