Why These Potatoes Work
Preheat air fryer to 400°F and you get even cube cut pieces that crisp up fast. The basket-style air fryer circulates heat around each potato half.
Shake basket halfway through for golden edges on all sides. Takes 20 minutes total.
- Ready in 20 minutes flat
- Crispy air fryer red potatoes without soaking
- Perfect weeknight side dish
- Uses basic pantry seasonings
- Less oil than roasting
Lily helps me shake the basket at the 10-minute mark every time. Let’s get into what you need
What Makes Air Fryer Red Potatoes Crispy
Air fryer red potatoes need just a few ingredients to get that golden crispy texture. Keep it simple with what’s already in your pantry.
✔ Baby red potatoes: grab them from Hornbacher’s, look for ones about 1.5 inches wide for even cooking
✔ Extra-virgin olive oil: helps with browning and keeps them from sticking
✔ Garlic powder: adds that savory depth without burning like fresh garlic would
✔ Italian seasoning: mix of herbs that works with everything
Even cube cut matters more than you’d think for consistent cooking time.
How to Cook Air Fryer Red Potatoes
Getting air fryer red potatoes right is all about temp control and that halfway shake. Treat it like setting up a system for consistent results.
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes
- Cut potatoes in half, keep sizes consistent
- Toss with olive oil spray and seasonings in bowl
- Arrange in single layer in basket, don’t overcrowd
- Cook 10 minutes, shake basket hard
- Continue another 10 minutes at 400 degrees F until golden
First batch I skipped the shake and one side stayed pale. Learned fast.
Plenty of ways to switch up the seasoning or adjust cooking time based on your air fryer.
Different Ways to Make Air Fryer Red Potatoes
What temperature for air fryer red potatoes depends on how crispy you want them. I’ve tested these variations multiple times during Sunday meal prep.
Spicy Cajun Version
Add Cajun seasoning instead of Italian herbs. Gets you that Louisiana-style kick without takeout prices.
Jessica loves this version with grilled chicken. The paprika in Cajun blends caramelizes nicely at 400°F.
Herb Garlic Style
Double the garlic powder, add fresh chopped parsley after cooking. Simple but works every time.
My father said these reminded him of the roasted potatoes from his favorite dim sum spot. That’s high praise.
Extra Crispy Method
Bump temp to 420°F, cook 18 minutes instead of 20. Shake basket twice instead of once.
Air fryer red baby potatoes recipe gets crispier edges this way. Just watch them close at the end.
These keep well in the fridge for meal prep all week.
Getting That Golden Crispy Texture
Air fryer red potatoes cook best when you nail the temperature and basket space. The rack insert for airflow helps if your model has one.
Set to 400 degrees F and you’ll see edges start browning around the 8-minute mark. Look for golden brown color on multiple sides.
Kosher salt goes on after cooking to keep the exterior crispy. If you salt before, moisture pulls out and they steam instead of crisp.
Common mistake: packing the basket too full. Potatoes touching each other won’t get crispy where they overlap.
Shake basket at exactly 10 minutes. Not 9, not 11. Makes a difference for even browning.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Red Potatoes
Are red potatoes good in an air fryer paired with protein? Absolutely. I make these three times a week minimum.
Grilled chicken is the obvious pairing but it works. The crispy potato texture contrasts with tender meat perfectly. Jessica makes this combo every Tuesday for quick dinners.
Pan-seared salmon gets elevated when you add these potatoes on the side. The lemon wedge from the recipe works for both the fish and potatoes.
Roasted vegetables might seem like carb overload but the textures are different enough. Brussels sprouts and these potatoes together is Lily’s favorite (she picks around the sprouts but still).
Steak nights need a solid potato side and these beat baked potatoes for speed. Twenty minutes versus an hour in the oven makes weeknight steak dinners actually possible.
Store leftovers properly and they reheat almost as crispy as fresh.
Storing Air Fryer Red Potatoes
Air fryer red potatoes with skin on store better than you’d expect for meal prep batches. Made a double batch last Sunday and they lasted all week.
Storage
- At room temperature: 2 hours max, don’t push it
- In the fridge: airtight container, 5 days easy
- In the freezer: 3 months in freezer bags, texture changes slightly
Reheating
Back in the air fryer at 375°F for 5 minutes brings back most of the crisp. Shake basket once halfway through.
Microwave works if you’re desperate but they’ll be soft. Not terrible, just different.
Olive oil spray before reheating helps restore that golden exterior texture.
Anti-waste tip
Chop up leftover potatoes and toss them into breakfast hash with eggs and peppers. The crispy bits add texture even when reheated twice.
Got timing questions? Check below for the details.
Complete Air Fryer Red Potatoes Recipe
This is the method I use every week for meal prep. Air fryer red potatoes come out golden and crispy on the outside, tender inside, with just enough garlic powder and Italian seasoning to make them interesting without overpowering. Perfect weeknight side dish that takes less time than waiting for the oven to preheat.
Air Fryer Red Potatoes
Equipment
- Air Fryer (basket style)
- Mixing bowl
- Kitchen knife
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby red potatoes cut in half
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning optional
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Freshly chopped parsley for sprinkling
- Lemon wedge to serve alongside
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
- Cut baby potatoes in half, keeping sizes as consistent as possible.
- Toss potatoes in a mixing bowl with olive oil, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
- Arrange potato halves in a single layer in the air fryer basket, cut side down; do not overcrowd.
- Cook at 400°F for 10 minutes without opening the basket.
- Shake the basket vigorously to flip and redistribute the potatoes.
- Cook another 10 minutes at 400°F until edges are golden and crispy.
- Season with kosher salt and black pepper immediately after removing from the air fryer.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with a lemon wedge.
Notes
- Cook at 400°F for a total of 20 minutes, shaking once at the 10-minute mark for even browning.
- If potatoes are larger than about 1.5 inches, add 3–5 minutes to the total cook time.
- Olive oil spray can replace the tablespoon of oil; spray the basket and potatoes lightly.
- Salt after cooking to help keep the exterior crisp.
- Arrange potatoes in a single layer and avoid overcrowding for best airflow and crisping.
Questions About Air Fryer Red Potatoes
Made these potatoes dozens of times before I got the timing and temp dialed in perfectly. Here’s what actually matters.
How long to air fry red potatoes?
Twenty minutes at 400°F with one shake at the 10-minute mark. Tested multiple times, this timing gives you golden crispy edges every batch.
What temperature for air fryer red potatoes?
Set it to 400°F. Lower temps take forever and don’t crisp right. Higher than 420°F burns the garlic powder before the insides cook through.
Are red potatoes good in an air fryer?
Better than in the oven. The skin gets crispy, insides stay creamy, and you save 20 minutes compared to roasting.
Can you make air fryer red potatoes with skin on?
Keep the skin on always. That’s where the crispy texture comes from and it saves prep time anyway.
Make These Crispy Potatoes
Air fryer red potatoes became my most-made side dish this year. Rate this if the timing worked for your air fryer model.
Comment with what seasonings you tried. Other readers need to know what combinations actually work.
Tag your potato pics with #AirFryerPlates so I can see how yours turned out compared to mine.
