Air Fryer Béchamel Fries Recipe

These air fryer béchamel fries are topped with loads of Parmesan cheese, béchamel sauce, and a lovely sprinkling of fresh chives. This creamy, loaded treat is a late-night meal you won't want to pass up on.

When you think of French fries, you likely don't think of pairing them with something as exquisite and aristocratic as béchamel sauce. But this delicious recipe brought to you by food blogger and photographer Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table is about to change that. One of the four grand sauces of French cuisine is a glorious revelation atop a crispy serving of French fries — especially when accompanied by seemingly high-end ingredients like fresh chives and Parmesan cheese. The truth is, the whole dish can be made for less than $4, but it will feel like a million bucks when you're digging into it with a fork and knife.

Enjoy our luxe version of a late-night treat with these air fryer béchamel fries. They go excellent with a glass of bubbly or an artisanal cocktail.

To start making these delectable fries, you'll first have to decide if you're making homemade French fries or if you're heading to the grocery store for a bag of the frozen stuff. Frozen fries are faster and easier to source, but they sometimes come with some extra ingredients you may not expect in your fries. They also crisp better than homemade fries. There's no judgement here, so make the choice that's right for you. Or better yet, try both, and see what you prefer!

If you are making your own fries, you will need 2 russet potatoes. For frying store-bought frozen fries, just grab 1 pound of the brand you prefer. As for the béchamel sauce, you will need butter, flour, and milk. Parmesan cheese, chives, and black pepper are the last remaining ingredients.

Depending on whether you are making your own fries or buying them, you will have more or less to do in this stage of the game. But don't worry, because even making your own fries is not that much of a process, as you will soon see.

If you are starting out with raw potatoes, slice the russet potatoes into shoestring fries. (Do not worry about uniformity.) Shoestring fries are thinner and a bit more artisan-like, which works well for this more elevated recipe. The reason we recommend using russet potatoes is because they tend to crisp very well while still staying creamy in the center. However, you can use any potatoes you have on hand! You'll then transfer the cut fries into a bowl with cold water to soak for at least 30 minutes. After soaking, drain the fries, and pat them dry with paper towels.

If using frozen fries, then simply take them out of the freezer, and proceed to the next step.

Spray the air fryer basket with oil. Whether you are using frozen or homemade fries, take your prepared fries, and place them in the air fryer basket. Give them a few sprays of oil, or drizzle a bit of olive oil on top. Mix them with your hands to coat. Then, give the fries a shake within the fryer basket so they are distributed evenly. If your air fryer is small, you can work in batches to avoid a pile of undercooked fries.

Cook the fries in the air fryer at 400 F for 10 to 15 minutes, taking the basket out and shaking it every five minutes. This helps all the fries cook evenly, and is especially crucial for home-cut fries, which tend to be thicker and may need up to five to 10 minutes longer to cook.

Transfer the prepared fries onto a baking sheet coated with parchment paper. Season the fries with salt and pepper. If you are working in batches, transfer the prepared fries into a 200 F oven to stay warm. Repeat with remaining fries.

While the fries are cooking, prepare the béchamel sauce. Add butter to a small saucepan set on medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until a paste forms and starts to bubble. Cook the flour paste for about one to two minutes on low-medium heat, but don't let it brown or burn. Burnt béchamel tastes horrendous, so if this happens to you, throw it out, and start anew.

Once your flour paste starts to thicken and turn golden, add warm milk, and continue to whisk constantly as the sauce thickens. Bring the béchamel sauce to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, whisking constantly, for two to three minutes. Remove the béchamel sauce from the heat.

Transfer the cooked fries onto a serving platter or bowl. Try to spread them out as much as possible to maximize the contact with the creamy sauce and cheese. However, if you prefer to keep some of your fries crispy, then piling them is fine, as it will prevent the sauce from forming a blanket on everything.

Top the fries with béchamel sauce, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh chives, and black pepper. The chives and pepper should look like a gentle sprinkling on a blanket of fresh snow — we're going for elegant but mouthwatering here!

Serve the air fryer béchamel fries immediately upon dressing. You should have a mix of crispy and loaded fries, with those spuds that were directly underneath the béchamel becoming creamy and luxurious, but the ones at the bottom still retaining their heat and crispiness.

Do yourself a favor, and use a knife and fork to eat these fries. This will allow for maximum scoops of sauce and cheese in every single bite. You can also replenish the chives and black pepper as you go, or sprinkle on more Parmesan cheese. These fries go excellent with a glass of white wine, a brute sparkling wine, or an artisanal cocktail, so go all-out when enjoying these babies, because you've earned it.

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.