Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, these crispy air fryer diced potatoes are the perfect side dish! Make them in the air fryer with a handful of budget-friendly pantry ingredients in just 20 minutes!
If you're looking for a hassle-free side dish that's both crispy and full of flavor, you're gonna love these air fryer diced potatoes! Perfectly seasoned and cooked to golden brown perfection, these air fryer potatoes are sure to become a favorite in your kitchen.
It's the perfect side dish for any protein or veggie and is a much healthier option than French fries. You can even serve this dish at breakfast alongside eggs or pancakes.
Plus, these potatoes are so easy to make in the air fryer! In just about 20 minutes, you can whip up the perfect dish. That's a fraction of the cooking time you would need to bake them in the oven. And they get a whole lot crispier in the air fryer while still remaining soft and buttery in the center.
Want to learn more about the pros and cons of air frying? Read my post on why you need an air fryer in your life.
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Why You'll Love This Dish
- Crispy Texture: The air fryer's circulating hot air cooks the potatoes to crispy perfection while maintaining a soft and creamy center.
- Time-Saving: With the air fryer, you can achieve crispy potatoes in a fraction of the time it takes to oven-roast them. It's the perfect recipe for busy weeknights.
- Versatility: These crispy air fryer potatoes are incredibly versatile and are a delicious side dish for a wide range of main dishes. They're even great for breakfast.
- Healthier Option: Using the air fryer requires less oil compared to traditional deep frying methods, making these potatoes a healthier alternative.
- Family-friendly: The whole family will love these crispy potatoes!
Doctor's Tip
Although sweet potatoes often steal the spotlight for their health benefits, regular potatoes also provide important nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, and fiber. The skin contains a good amount of these nutrients so try to leave them on when you can.
The Secret To Crispy Potatoes
One of the best-kept secrets to achieving irresistibly crispy potatoes is a simple yet effective step: soaking them in water before cooking. This pre-cooking technique may seem counterintuitive, but it works wonders in enhancing the texture and crispiness of your potatoes.
Soaking the diced potatoes in cold water helps to remove excess starch from the surface, which is one of the culprits behind soggy and limp potatoes. As the potatoes soak, the starches leach out into the water, resulting in a crisper exterior when cooked.
To soak your diced potatoes, simply place them in a large bowl of cold water and let them sit for at least 10 minutes, or up to several hours if time allows. During this time, you'll notice the water becoming cloudy as the starches are released from the potatoes.
After soaking, be sure to drain and thoroughly pat dry the diced potatoes with paper towels before seasoning and cooking them in the air fryer. Removing excess moisture ensures that the potatoes crisp up evenly and develop a golden brown crust when cooked.
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions. See recipe card at the end of the post for full ingredient list and amounts.
- Potatoes- I like to use either red potatoes or Yukon golds and leave the skin on. You can also use white potatoes, yellow potatoes, Russet potatoes or even sweet potatoes. They get nice and crispy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. If you leave the skin on, make sure to scrub them well.
- Olive oil- I like to cook with olive oil because it's rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. You can use other types of oil like avocado oil. To learn more, read my post on the best oils for the air fryer.
- Garlic powder- I use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic cloves because fresh garlic tends to burn. If you want to use fresh, I would suggest adding it just a few minutes before the potatoes are done. You can season the potatoes with any spices that you like such as onion powder, paprika, thyme, rosemary or Italian seasoning. Check out the "Recipe Variations" section below for more ideas.
- Parsley- nothing beats a sprinkling of bright, fresh parsley just before serving. However, if you don’t have any, you can use dried parsley and toss it with the potatoes along with the salt and garlic powder.
Equipment
Best Air Fryer
Looking for an air fryer? I love the Ninja Max XL 5.5 quart Air Fryer. The large basket is perfect for a family of four.
How To Make Air Fryer Diced Potatoes Step-By-Step
- Step 1- Scrub the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces or cubes.
- Step 2- Soak them in cold water for 10 minutes.
- Step 3- Drain the potatoes and dry them off well with a kitchen towel or paper towel. Toss them in a large bowl with oil, salt, and garlic powder. If using dried parsley, add it at this point. If using fresh parsley, you’ll add it at the end.
- Step 4- Preheat your air fryer to 370°F. Place the seasoned cubed potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Step 5- Cook potatoes 14-15 minutes, giving the basket a good shake to toss the potatoes halfway through cooking.
- Step 6- Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh parsley.
Chef's Tips
- Cut the potatoes into uniform bite-sized pieces to ensure that they cook quickly and evenly.
- Soak the potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch- this will help them crisp up nicely. Be sure to dry the potatoes well before tossing them with the oil and spices.
- Preheat your air fryer- this will help jumpstart the cooking process and give you a crispier texture.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket or the potatoes will steam and won’t get crispy. Cook them in batches if needed.
- Shake the basket halfway through cooking so that they brown evenly on all sides.
- The final cook time will depend on the make and model of your air fryer. I recommend checking on the potatoes during the last few minutes to make sure they're not browning too quickly.
- Leftover potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recommended Air Fryer Accessories
You can line your air fryer basket with one-time-use perforated parchment sheets. They come in different shapes, sizes and colors- white or brown (unbleached).
You can also line the basket with these reusable perforated silicone mats. You can buy square or round mats. The holes allow hot air to circulate around the food prevent it from sticking.
Recipe Variations
These diced potatoes are so versatile and can be spiced up to your liking! Use this recipe as a guideline and add your favorite seasonings.
Here are a few ideas:
- Mediterranean- Rosemary, thyme, oregano, herbs de Provence
- Cajun- paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne
- Tex Mex- chili powder, cumin
- Indian- curry powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala
- Garlic parmesan- garlic powder, and fresh parmesan cheese sprinkled on at the end
What to Serve with These Potatoes
You can enjoy these easy air fryer roasted potatoes for breakfast along with eggs, pancakes or waffles. You can even add them to breakfast burritos.
Try adding them to burrito bowls or salads at lunchtime.
You can also serve them as a delicious side dish at dinner. It's a great accompaniment to chicken, turkey, meat or seafood dishes. Since you'll have the air fryer on, you can make some air fryer chicken legs or chicken wings.
They're a healthy alternative to French fries served with some ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce. I like to serve them with burgers like my juicy air fryer turkey burgers, air fryer beyond burgers or grilled salmon burgers with dill yogurt sauce. You can also try my air fryer zucchini fries.
Recipe FAQs
I like to cook potatoes at moderate temperature, around 370°F. Potatoes take some time to cook so if you set the temperature too high, they'll brown too quickly on the outside and will remain undercooked on the inside.
Yes, you can cook frozen diced potatoes or hash brown potatoes in the air fryer. I recommend cooking them at 360°F for 15-20 minutes, and tossing the potatoes 1 or 2 times during cooking. Cooking times will vary depending on your air fryer model. Potatoes are done when they are fork tender.
You can reheat these potatoes in the air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F. Add the potatoes to the basket and cook 3-5 minutes until heated through.
Soaking the potatoes in cold water removes excess starch. This helps them crisp up nicely as they cook. Be sure to dry the potatoes off well before tossing them with the oil and spices.
Learn how to adapt any recipe to cook in your air fryer! Read my Easy Oven to Air Fryer Conversion Guide and get my helpful conversion chart!
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Recipe
Crispy Air Fryer Diced Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds (4-5 medium) red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried parsley)
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces (¾ inch). Soak them in cold water for at least 10 minutes. Rinse and dry the potatoes.
- Toss the potatoes in a large bowl with the olive oil, salt, and garlic powder. If using dried parsley, add it at this point. If using fresh parsley, you’ll add it at the end.
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F for 2-3 minutes. Add the potatoes in a single layer to the air fryer basket. Don’t overcrowd the basket- cook the potatoes in two batches if needed.
- Cook potatoes 14-15 minutes, shaking the basket to toss them halfway through. Potatoes are done when they are easily pierced with a fork. Cooking time will vary depending on how large the pieces of potatoes are.
- Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Peeling the potatoes is optional. I prefer to use red potatoes or Yukon gold and keep the skin on for more nutrients.Cut the potatoes into uniform bite-sized pieces to ensure that they cook quickly and evenly.
- Soak the potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch- this will help them crisp up nicely. Be sure to dry the potatoes well before tossing them with the oil and spices.
- Preheat your air fryer- this will help jumpstart the cooking process and give you a crispier texture.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket or the potatoes will steam and won’t get crispy. Cook them in batches if needed.
- Shake the basket halfway through cooking so that they brown evenly on all sides.
- The final cook time will depend on the make and model of your air fryer. I recommend checking on the potatoes during the last few minutes to make sure they're not browning too quickly.
- Leftover potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
About the author
Dr. Sonali Ruder
Meet Dr. Sonali Ruder aka The Foodie Physician- ER doctor, chef, culinary creator & mom.
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