How to Make Air Fryer Mini Potatoes
Air fryer mini potatoes combine the crispy goodness of roasted potatoes, with the convenience of air frying. With minimal prep and clean up (yay!), these easy and delicious potatoes make a great weeknight dinner side dish, or a fun addition to weekend brunch.
Why I Love Making Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
Figuring out a main dish is the easy part. Coming up with a side dish that compliments it, can be tricky. And sometimes, side dishes are more complicated, or take longer to make than the entree does.
Potatoes are a “go-to” side dish option in our house. They are a good source of vitamins and minerals, and they can be prepared several different ways.
Using the air fryer to prepare them reduces the need for excess oil, so it makes them a relatively healthy option. Plus the crispy exterior, and fluffy interior is a hit with my kids as it reminds them of French fries.
I love this air fryer recipe because it basically cooks itself. It only requires a couple of minutes of prep, then I dump them into the air fryer basket, turn it on, and forget about them. This saves me time, and frees up my hands to focus on the rest of the meal.
What’s the Difference Between Mini Potatoes and Baby Potatoes?
The only real difference between mini potatoes and baby potatoes is the size.
Both are simply potatoes that are picked before they reach full size, so they are just much smaller versions of a potato.
Baby potatoes have thinner, more tender skins than full size potatoes, so they are easier to cut into, making it common to leave the skins on to serve and eat. Because of their smaller size, cook much faster than full size potatoes as well.
Mini potatoes are about 50% smaller than baby potatoes making them even more delicate. These are slightly sweeter and are great to toss into salads, soup and other dishes since they are naturally bite sized.
Both are typically sold by the pound and come in a mesh bag or a plastic bag with holes so the potatoes can still “breathe”. Uncooked potatoes stored in an airtight container will start to mold, so its essential to keep the air circulating around them. Thus, they are sold in bags that allow for air flow.
For this recipe, I typically use the mini sized potatoes, but baby potatoes work too. Can’t find either one? Just grab larger Yukon gold potatoes, and dice them up to bite sized pieces.
Ingredients
- mini yellow potatoes (like these)
- olive oil or olive oil spray (I love this sprayer)
- garlic powder
- ranch seasoning
- salt
Instructions
Rinse the potatoes (skin on) with a fruit and veggie wash. I love this one from Trader Joes. Rinse thoroughly in a colander and pat with paper towels to try.
Use a sharp knife to cut potatoes in half lengthwise. This will ensure that they cook evenly.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the halved potatoes with 1 tsp olive oil or about 10 sprays of if using an olive oil sprayer. I use this one. Toss with1 T ranch seasoning, 1/2 t garlic powder, and 1/2 salt (I use coarse salt, if using table salt, use less) until evenly coated.
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. If you don’t have an air fryer setting, simply run for 5 minutes at that temp.
Transfer the seasoned potatoes from your bowl to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 10 minutes, then open the basket and give potatoes a good shake. Add another 1/2 t of olive oil (or 5 sprays), and dust with remining 1/2T ranch seasoning. Close air fryer and cook for another 5 mins or until potatoes reach your desired crispiness.
Remove the potatoes from the air fryer and serve hot. Sprinkle with fresh herbs (optional).
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F 5-7 minutes. This will help them crisp back up. For softer potatoes, you can reheat in microwave.
Tips for Perfect Air Fryer Potatoes
- Don’t Overcrowd: Ensure the potatoes are in a single layer in the air fryer basket to allow for proper air circulation and even cooking.
- Shake Halfway Through, and Add More Seasoning: Shaking the basket halfway through cooking helps achieve an even crispiness on all sides, while adding a second coat of seasoning gives them an even greater flavor punch
- Cut Uniformly: Ensuring your potatoes are all around the same size will help them cook at the same rate.
Seasoning Variations
Try playing with different seasoning combinations to create different flavored potatoes that will work alongside your main dish. Here are some ideas…
Garlic Herb
What to use: Garlic powder, dried thyme, rosemary, parsley, olive oil
Smoky
What to use: Smoked paprika, onion powder, black pepper, olive oil
Italian
What to use: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, grated Parmesan, olive oil
Mexican
What to use: Cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, a pinch of cayenne
Lemon Pepper
What to use: Lemon zest, black pepper, garlic powder, olive oil
Soaking potatoes in water will remove access starch and help them crisp up, but you can skip this step for this recipe since we are rinsing them in water during the cleaning process. Be sure to dry potatoes well so they don’t steam in air fryer instead of crisping up.
For dinner, air fryer mini potatoes are a versatile side dish that pairs well with grilled chicken, steak, fish, or burgers. They also make a great addition to breakfast plates alongside eggs and toast.
Generally, mini potatoes take about 15-20 minutes at 400°F with a shake of the basket halfway through cooking.
Several factors can affect the crispiness of air-fried potatoes:
Overcrowding: Too many potatoes in the basket can prevent proper air circulation.
Insufficient Drying: Make sure the potatoes are thoroughly dried after washing to avoid steaming.
Lack of Oil: A small amount of oil helps achieve a crispy exterior.
Not Preheating: Preheating the air fryer ensures the potatoes cook at the correct temperature the whole time.
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How to Make Air Fryer Mini Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 bowl
- 1 large spoon
- 1 oil sprayer optional
Ingredients
- 1 lb mini yellow potatoes like these
- 1 t olive oil or 10 sprays if using a sprayer like this one
- 1½ T ranch seasoning divided
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt I use coarse salt, if using table salt, use less
Instructions
- Rinse the potatoes (skin on) with a fruit and veggie wash. I love this one from Trader Joes. Rinse thoroughly in a colander and pat with paper towels to try.
- Use a sharp knife to cut potatoes in half lengthwise. This will ensure that the cook evenly.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the halved potatoes with 1 tsp olive oil or about 10 sprays of if using an olive oil sprayer. I use this one. Toss with1 T ranch seasoning, 1/2 t garlic powder, and 1/2 salt (i use coarse salt, if using table salt, use less) until evenly coated.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. If you don't have an air fryer setting, simply run for 5 minutes at that temp.
- Transfer the seasoned potatoes from your bowl to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 10 minutes, then open the basket and give potatoes a good shake. Add another 1/2t of olive oil (or 5 sprays), and dust with remining 1/2T ranch seasoning. Close air fryer and cook for another 5 mins or until potatoes reach your desired crispiness.
- Remove the potatoes from the air fryer and serve hot. Sprinkle with fresh herbs (optional).
