Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Fries Recipe

Air fryer garlic Parmesan fries are crispy fries that are cooked to perfection in the air fryer and topped with garlic and loads of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese when they come out. The result is a truly gooey, cheesy, garlicky fest of flavor!

Most of us think of fries as a guilty pleasure, as noted by food blogger and photographer Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table. But what if we here at Mashed told you there was a way to have fries that felt not only guilt-free, but downright meal-worthy? Well, these air fryer garlic Parmesan fries would certainly be it.

Whether you are looking for a delicious, cheesy side dish to go along with your barbecue fare or roasted chicken, or you're simply craving an evening snack to substitute dinner, these garlic Parmesan fries are here to fit the bill. Cooked to a crisp with little oil in the air fryer, they are then topped with a mix of cheeses and freshly minced parsley. This creates a layered, flavorful side or snack that anyone would be proud to serve to family and friends.

First off, our approach to making fries at home is that you can easily go one of two ways. You can cut your own spuds, or you can buy ready-made, frozen fries. The former will feel more virtuous and save on some nitrates — however, it will take a bit longer to achieve the perfect fry texture. The latter will save you time and effort, but you'll end up with a meal that's a mix of store-bought and homemade. But there's certainly no shame in that, as long as the final result is tasty, so we're here to say, you do you.

The ingredients you'll need will depend on which route you take: the homemade fries or the frozen fries. You will have to choose between buying 2 russet potatoes, or 1 pound of your favorite frozen fries. The rest of the ingredients will stay the same, regardless of your starting point. For our air fryer garlic Parmesan fries, you'll want to grab the shredded cheese of your choice (Tex-Mex mix is delicious, as is plain mozzarella or a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella.), as well as grated Parmesan cheese. Then, from the produce section, help yourself to garlic cloves and some fresh parsley. And that's it! You're well on your way to making delicious homemade fries.

If you're working with raw potatoes, slice the russet potatoes into shoestring fries. (Do not worry about uniformity.) The easiest way to do this is to slice the potatoes lengthwise into a few layers, then cut each layer into thin sticks. Transfer the freshly cut fries to cold water to soak for at least 30 minutes. This helps release some of the starch, which will make the fries crispier while cooking. After soaking, drain the fries, and pat them dry with paper towels.

If you decided to go with frozen fries, all you need to do is grab a pound of frozen fries. That's it.

Spray the air fryer basket with oil. If you don't have an oil spray, you can also brush it lightly with the oil of your choice. Then, grab the fries, and transfer them to the air fryer basket. Give them a shake so they are distributed evenly. The less overlap, the better! If your air fryer is small, you can work in batches.

Cook fries in the air fryer at 400 F for 10 to 15 minutes, taking the basket out and shaking it at least once in the process. (Every 5 minutes is best for perfectly crispy fries.) Pre-cut, frozen fries will cook faster, and fries made from raw potatoes may need longer.

Once they're ready, turn the fries onto a baking sheet coated with parchment paper. Season the fries with salt and pepper. Transfer into a 200 F oven to stay warm. Repeat with remaining fries.

After all the fries are done cooking, coat the air fryer basket with aluminum foil. This helps prevent the cheese from burning onto your fryer basket and resulting in half an hour of soaking, plus more annoying scrubbing. You can skip this stage for aesthetic purposes, but it really will make the cleanup process much easier!

Transfer all of the air-fryer-crisped fries back to the air fryer basket. Top the fries with shredded mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese. Then, top with minced garlic. You can even alternate the fries and cheese in two layers, thus maximizing the gooey cheese melting on as much surface area as possible.

Now, your fries are ready for their last visit to the air fryer. The truth is, we should have called these twice-baked air fryer garlic Parmesan fries, but that seemed like a mouthful.

Return the cheese and garlic-topped fries to the air fryer, and set them to 375 F for three to five minutes, just long enough for the cheese to melt. If you prefer, you can also do this last step in the broil setting of your oven — just be careful to check often and not burn the cheese! We find the air fryer to be easier and simpler.

Your delicious, restaurant-worthy garlic Parmesan fries are officially done! With minimal effort, few basic ingredients, and just a bit of patience, you got yourself a dish worthy of being in the appetizer section of any great gastropub.

Transfer the cheese-covered air fryer garlic Parmesan fries onto a serving platter. The cheese should be melted and gooey with a nice browning on top. Finish the fries with the remaining grated Parmesan cheese, pepper, and fresh parsley.

Serve the fries immediately, preferably with a side of cold beer. Leftover fries will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four days, though they will not retain their crispness. They can be reheated in the microwave.