These air fryer roasted potatoes are the perfect example of side dish simplicity. Golden and crackling on the outside, fluffy and tender on the inside, they strike that irresistible balance of salty, smoky flavor that makes them impossible to stop eating. They're fuss-free with just minutes of prep and have virtually unlimited pairing options. I love this healthier alternative to traditional fried potatoes, and it's become my weeknight sidedish MVP!
These are perfect to serve alongside grilled meats like my lemon chicken, some roasted chicken breasts, or soft scrambled eggs in the morning. They're great for busy weeknights when you need something that comes together quickly, or "easy like Sunday morning" breakfast when the coffee hasn't quite yet kicked in.
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Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make these:
- yellow creamer potatoes: They're great in this recipe because they're small and tender, which helps the potatoes become soft inside and crispy on the outside. Baby potatoes will also work, but choose creamer if you can.
- avocado oil: this will get those potatoes nice and crispy. I prefer avocado oil for its healthy fats and higher smoke point, but a good olive oil can also be used.
- salt: because you can't have potatoes without salt. I like a good kosher salt.
- garlic and onion powder: to help give the potatoes their savory flavor.
- smoked paprika: the star of the show, in my opinion. This gives the potatoes their slightly smoky, robust flavor that makes them so addictively delicious.
- fresh parsley: adds a pop of color and some fresh herby flavor.
How to make roasted air fryer potatoes
There are only three simple steps to make these potatoes: slice, season, and air fry. It only takes about 5 minutes to get them in the fryer, and they cook for about 20 minutes while you work on the rest of the meal.
Step 1: Clean your potatoes and slice them in half. Dry them well.
Step 2: Season your potatoes with the salt, spices, and oil.
Step 3: Roast your potatoes for 20 minutes, turning halfway through.
Step 4: Garnish with parsley and enjoy!
Tips
- Make sure your potatoes are 100% dry after you rinse them. This will help them crisp up.
- Don't crowd your potatoes in the fryer basket. You want to allow room for the air to circulate properly. This is what helps them get nice and crispy!
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few variations of these potatoes that I've also tried:
- Italian Seasoning - substitute the smoked paprika for ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning for a more herbaceous flavor.
- Kid-friendly - if you're worried about the kids liking the smokiness of these, you can omit the paprika and substitute it with ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Or, mix your garlic, onion, and salt. Then divide the mixture in half and add ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika to one of the halves. Now you can make half smoky potatoes for the adults, and half nonsmoky for the kiddos. Add half of the potatoes to the bowl, season with the spice mixture without the paprika, and spread them on one side of your fryer basket. Then, repeat with the rest of the potatoes and the paprika spice mix and spread on the other half of your fryer basket.
- If you can't find yellow creamer potatoes: try baby potatoes (Yukon gold or Dutch), new potatoes, Yukon gold, or fingerling potatoes. Just be sure they're cut into pieces about ¾ of an inch.
Air Fryer Recommendations
Air fryers are available in all shapes and sizes, and this can impact your cook time. The air fryer that I use to make this recipe is the Cuisinart Compact Air Fryer Toaster Oven. I love the versatility of this fryer and it does an amazing job getting the potatoes nice and crispy. However, I recently became aware that the inside of this fryer may be coated with a nonstick material that contains Teflon, so I'm considering changing to Our Place Wonder Oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Smoked paprika has more of a smoky, sweet flavor and is not spicy.
We're using yellow creamer potatoes in this recipe, which are thin-skinned and become soft and crispy without needing to soak or boil them.
What To Eat With Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
Here are some of my favorite dishes to serve with these potatoes:
Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds yellow creamer potatoes baby potatoes also work
- 1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- a few turns of fresh cracked pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
- Slice your potatoes in half and put them in a large mixing bowl.
- To your bowl, add the remaining ingredients except for the parsley.
- Give everything a good mix until the potatoes are covered well with the spices and oil.
- Add your potatoes to the basket of your air fryer in a single layer. You want some space around them to allow the air to circulate, which will help them get crispy.
- Air fry for ten minutes then flip them.
- Air fry for ten more minutes, or until the potatoes are soft and crispy.
- Garnish with the parsley and enjoy!
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