Air Fryer French Fries vs Deep Fried: Which Is the Best?

Posted On March 19, 2023

French Fries are a beloved side dish that many people enjoy. They are found in nearly every restaurant, fast food chain, and even in households around the world.

However, the cooking method used to make them can greatly affect their taste, texture, and overall nutritional value. In recent years, air fryers have become a popular alternative to deep frying, but are they really the best option?  

With that said, we will dive into the two methods of cooking french fries and see which comes as the better alternative in the air fryer french fries vs deep fried debate.

Air Fryer French Fries

In recent years, air fryers have quickly changed the game when it comes to fried food. Their versatility with fried food has made them a healthier and some might say, tastier alternative to deep frying. 

Air fryers work by circulating hot air throughout its basket without the need for oil. This makes it a better and healthier method of cooking french fries rather than submerging the fries in a big pot of oil.

With no oil, you have french fries with fewer calories than their counterparts.

Pros:

• Cooking with air fryers produces healthier food with less oil, calories, and fat (an average serving of air-fried french fries has 176 calories)
• Not messy as deep frying
• Cooks faster

Cons:

• Die-hard fans will be able to differentiate between the texture of air-fried and deep-fried french fries as it is not as fluffy and succulent
• Just like the latter, the taste will not be up to par with deep-fried french fries as there is little to no oil used 
• Air fryers have limited space inside so you will have to cook in small batches 

Deep Fried French Fries

The traditional method of cooking french fries is deep frying. While some say that this is not a healthier option available, plenty of people say that only deep frying produces french fries with the classic texture and taste.

When compared to air-fried french fries, there is no denying that the deep-fried fries have that crispy golden brown exterior. 

Along with the texture, the air-fried french fries do not have the traditional taste that comes with deep frying.  

Pros:

• The golden brown exterior is only achievable through deep frying
• Fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside are the common traits of the texture of french fries that come with deep frying 
• With deep frying, you can cook french fries in large batches; perfect for big families

Cons:

• Lots of calories and fats that can cause weight gain (an average serving of deep-fried french fries has 471 calories)
• Time-consuming as the oil has to heat up and reach the optimal temperature
• Deep frying french fries is quite messy as the oil can splatter
• Continuing the latter, the splattering oil can cause burns and harms

How to Cook the Best Air-Fried French Fries

Some argue that air-fried french fries are not as crispy as deep-fried french fries. The trick with air-fried french fries is to: 

• Use Russet potatoes as they have low moisture 
• Make sure the potatoes are completely dried and have no moisture
• Not crowd them in the air fryer basket (will result in uneven cooking)
• Spray a little bit of oil on the basket and spread it around or coat the french fries with a little bit of oil before cooking them

To Sum Up

Both air-fried and deep-fried french fries have their pros and cons but it all matters on your preference. 

If you prefer a healthier snack, you should opt for air frying your french fries but if the taste and texture are your main priority, you should stay with deep frying.

So which one is better? Comment down below!