Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, air fryer red potatoes with garlic and fresh herbs are irresistible comfort food. Make them in about 15 minutes. They are sure to become a go-to dinner side dish for weekdays and holidays. No airy fryer? No problem. I've included oven directions as well. Simple dishes are a great way to feed your family.
I’ve made these crispy potatoes a hundred times if I’ve made them once because it's such a tasty easy recipe. While they don't take long in the oven, they are even faster in an air fryer and destined to become a regular part of your side dish recipes collection.
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- Crispy air fryer potatoes are so easy!
- Make them in about 15 minutes or a few minutes more for extra crispy.
- Versatile side dish with roasted and grilled meats or as a breakfast side dish with eggs.
Love potatoes? Try this buttery baby dutch yellow potatoes recipe too.
Recipe Ingredients
What kind of potatoes are the best potatoes for air frying? All kinds of potatoes work in this terrific little device but for this recipe I'm using red baby potatoes.
- Red potatoes: I prefer small red skinned potatoes called baby red potatoes. They are about the size of a golfball. They're about 1 ¼ ounces each and 1 ½" in diameter. Larger red potatoes work as long as you cut them in smaller pieces.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil for it's wonderful taste and healthy profile. Avocado oil works too.
- Herbs: Fresh rosemary is my first choice, but fresh thyme works too, and the combination is nice.
- Seasonings: Sea salt, ground black pepper, onion powder, and granulated garlic or garlic powder. Here is one time fresh garlic is not the best choice as it tends to burn in the air fryer.
Please see the recipe card for measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
Try these ideas to change up air fryer red potatoes:
- For more color toss with a little chopped fresh
parsley before serving. - Toss with finely grated parmesan cheese before serving.
- Skip the herbs and garlic and use my Ultimate Dry Rub recipe for more of a barbecue-style or southwestern flavor.
- No fresh herbs? Try a dried Italian seasoning blend.
Chef's tip for bigger flavor: Toss the hot potatoes with a teaspoon of a flavored olive oil such as rosemary, basil, or lemon olive oil. This family owned business in California produce my favorite flavored olive oils (no affiliate links, just love their oils!).
Air Fryer Red Potato Instructions
Start by scrubbing your potatoes clean and drying them well. Wet potatoes do not air fry well. For red potatoes there is no need to soak to reduce starch. Set up your air fryer for 400°F and timer for 12 minutes. Give the rack a quick spray of oil such as avocado oil.
Note: Different air fryers may have slightly different timing so on your first batch, watch your potatoes and test them at the end.
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Step 4: Finish the potatoes. When the air fryer cycle is complete, potatoes are ready to serve. If you don't need them immediately, turn off the air fryer and allow them to hold warm for a few minutes. Potatoes will continue to crisp and brown a bit.
Chef's tip for air fryers: When you have to open the air fryer to stir or turn ingredients, do it as quickly as possible as every moment the air fryer is open you're losing heat. Same for larger, standard ovens, except with ovens you have a door to close to preserve the heat and temperature.
Roasted Red Potatoes in an Oven
No air fryer? No problem. Make oven roasted red potatoes instead. This is how I originally made them until I got my air fryer. Follow the same directions as if prepping potatoes for the air fryer.
Place potatoes cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 400°F for approximately 25-30 minutes or until they are crusty, crisp and golden on the outside and tender on the inside when pierced with the tip of a paring knife.
Chef's tip on doubling the recipe for a crowd: How many red potatoes you can air fry at once depends on the size and capacity of your air fryer. My 6-quart air fryer holds 1 to 1 ½ pounds at once. The good thing is as red potatoes air fry so quickly it's easy to do multiple batches back to back in a short amount of time. Keep batches hot in a warm (200°F) oven or warming drawer.
Serving Suggestions
Air fryer red potatoes are a perfect side dish with roast chicken breasts, grilled lemon chicken breasts, sour cream pork chops, or roast classic roast beef tenderloin.
They are also terrific served for a hearty breakfast or brunch with scrambled eggs or omelets. Another nice addition is a seasonal fresh fruit salad to round out the menu.
Leftover air fryer red potatoes keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Be sure to label and date.
Looking for more air fryer recipes? I'm working on a bunch of new recipes for an air fryer dedicated category so please stay tuned! Please subscribe in the box above to get them in your inbox along with a free welcome-book recipe series.
Air Fryer Red Potato FAQs
Red potatoes can be part of a healthy, nutritious diet. They contain an impressive amount of vitamins and minerals with vitamin C, more potassium than a banana, and fiber when you keep the skin on. And since you eat red potatoes with the skin on, the answer is yes!
Depending on what food you are air frying, it's a good idea to shake the basket half way through or turn (flip) the food for even roasting or air frying. It helps food brown and cook more evenly. But do so quickly as the longer you have the air fryer open, the more heat you are losing. If you lose a lot of heat, you may need to add a couple of minutes to the cooking time.
It depends on the size of the potatoes. For baby red potatoes that are approximately the size of a golf ball, simply cutting them in half is perfect. For medium red potatoes, try quartering them. For larger red potatoes, you may need to cut them in eighths. The goal is red potato pieces that are about the same size for even air frying or roasting.
More Potato Recipes!
Whether red potatoes, yukon gold potatoes, russet potatoes, or sweet potatoes, there are many delicious ways of preparing them. Try this herbed potato salad with Mediterranean flavors, a summer favorite.
⭐️Did You Make This?
If you make these air fryer red potatoes, please comment and let me know. I enjoy hearing from you. If you loved it, please give it a 5 star rating! They really help other readers.
This recipe was originally posted as Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary on 7/31/2012, now updated for the air fryer.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Red Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pounds baby red potatoes, scrubbed clean or small to medium size red potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil divided use
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or fresh chopped thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
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Instructions
- Pre-heat the air fryer to 400°F and set to 12 minutes. Give the rack a small spray of non-stick such as avocado oil.
- Halve the baby red potatoes. For medium red potatoes, quarter them. In a medium bowl, toss potatoes with the olive oil, herbs, salt, pepper, and garlic until well coated. Add the potatoes cut side down and air fry set. At the 6 minute mark, shake the basket well or stir potatoes with a wooden spoon. Complete the air fryer cycle.
- At the end of the cycle, remove one potato and test. They should be lightly crisped and browned, and tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife. if you want them crisper and more browned, add 2-3 minutes to the air fryer cycle. When done, serve hot or warm.For extra flavor, toss the hot potatoes in the same bowl you started with that had the oil and herbs in it, and add the extra 1 teaspoon of olive oil for more flavor. For more color, add some fresh chopped parsley. A little finely grated parmesan cheese is good too if you enjoy it.
Debbie says
Hi Sally, I made the air fryer red potatoes tonight for the first time. They were so good!!
I was glad that in your narrative for this recipe, you said you prefer to use the baby red potatoes and you said they are about 1 1/2" in diameter. This was useful because I could see when I quartered my potatoes they were too big so I cut them again to be closer in size to your baby reds.
My oven has an air fryer setting, which I've used several times. I have a special rack with a basket type thing for air frying. The potatoes came out wonderfully!!!! My complaint is that I haven't figured out how to keep the smoke alarm from sounding. This time I tried a perforated very thin parchment type paper that I laid the potatoes on. I also had a foil covered cookie sheet on a lower rack to catch any drips. Your recipe uses very little oil so I was hopeful the smoke detectors would be silent. Nope...
If you have any suggestions, I'm ready to hear.
The potatoes are wonderful!!!! I think that possibly with the air fryer appliance, the smoke detector isn't a problem because any drips are contained. I so appreciate and enjoy your recipes and the thoroughness of your instructions!!!!! Thanks Sally!!!!!!!!
Sally Cameron says
Oh my gosh Debbie! Crazy! Is it possible to move your oven (portable?) to a more well ventilated place? What kind of oven do you have? Do you have a small fan you can put near it? Just thinking out loud. At least I am glad you liked them and they worked! Yes, very little oil so I am not sure why there would be smoke. It helps me write recipes knowing that all of these details help! More air fryer recipes coming. I've been making air fryer, salmon, mahi mahi, sweet potatoes, turkey burgers.... just got to get the recipes written and photographed for publishing.
Maureen says
I love these potaotes and I make them all the time
I am having a party outside and wanted to know if these potaotes can be made ahead of time
Should they be par cooked or cooked through. I have to make time the day before. Any tips would be helpful
Thanks you
Sally Cameron says
Hi Maureen. Think I would cook them as usual, maybe not quite as crisp. Then the day of your party, heat them on a metal rimmed baking sheet in a pre-heated hot oven (pre-heat the pan too) until crisp and hot. If they need any moisture, toss with a little olive oil and fresh herbs. That should work. Please let me know what you do and how it works. Everyone will love to know! To keep them hot outside, use a chafer.
Jill says
How far in advance can I cook the potatoes and then reheat in the oven? I am having Easter and would like to make these, but the ham is in the oven at a very low temp.
Thanks
Sally says
Hi Jill. Sounds like you only have one oven. A couple of ideas. When the ham is hot, remove it from the oven and cover with foil to stay warm, crank the heat up to about 425 with a metal rimmed baking sheet in the oven. Place your already roasted, room temperature potatoes on the hot metal rimmed baking sheet to heat and crisp up. It should just take a few minutes. Maybe 15? In terms of how far in advance you can roast them, I'd do them about 1-2 hours ahead and allow them to stand at room temperature uncovered until you re-heat them. You could actually do them a day ahead, cool, and refrigerate covered, but they will be better the day of.
If you are cooking Easter for a crowd, you might consider doing mashed potatoes (with white truffle butter) and keeping them warm in a crock pot until dinner time. That works great.
erin says
So simple and tasty! It was very much enjoyed by all at dinner tonight!
I really like how the cooking time is only half of that for a baked potato!
Jane Kametani says
Hi Sally,
I met you and your husband were in the Vineyard photography workshop last weekweend. You helped me get the shot while holding the reflector and flash over grape clusters. You were very generous in sharing that shot with me!
I'm glad I remember your food blog, its wonderful and so is the photography! You said your husband did the food photography, what a great combination to bring together to make a successful venture. Maybe your husband can teach a food photography class. I want to be a better cook so I will keep checking your blog OFTEN!!!
thanks,
Jane
Michelle K says
Making tonight with our pork ribs and corn - summer, summer meal! I agree - Rosemary is incredibly easy to grow, love it.
The Wimpy Vegetarian says
Rosemary and potatoes are the perfect marriage! I steep fresh rosemary in olive oil and drizzle it over roasted, smashed potatoes. Thanks for a great idea to make with dinner tonight!
Madonna says
These are delicious.