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Air Fryer Baby Potatoes

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These crispy air fryer baby potatoes are a quick and easy recipe that is sure to be a hit! Whole baby potatoes are tossed with a little oil and salt and air fried until the insides are soft and fluffy and the skin is crispy. These bite sized potatoes are ready in about 15 minutes!

air fryer baby potatoes with salt and thyme

Potatoes are one of my favorite things to make in the air fryer! Roasted potatoes, baked potatoes, twice baked potatoes or french fries – I end up cooking potatoes in the air fryer a few times a week.

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And this recipe for air fryer baby potatoes is one of my favorite because it is so quick and easy. There is no dicing or soaking and it is ready in about 15 minutes.

This is the perfect side dish for a busy weeknight when I don’t have the time or energy to make something complicated. The simplicity of air fryer whole baby potatoes makes it a perfect side dish.

These whole baby potatoes have a crispy skin with a soft and fluffy insides. They are bite sized and delicious and require almost no prep and no effort.

baby potatoes before cooking

Key Ingredients

Whole baby potatoes – As far as I am concerned the smaller the potatoes the better. I always check the bags of baby potatoes at the store carefully to pick the bag with the tiniest potatoes. For these pictures I used a bag of mixed yellow and red potatoes. The directions are the same no matter what color the baby potatoes are.

Olive oil – You don’t have to use oil on the baby potato skins. But if you want the skins to be crispy, like I do, oil is necessary. The amount of oil added to the potatoes is small and the taste difference is large. Melted butter will also work, but I prefer olive oil.

Seasoning – Coarse salt is my preferred way to season these potatoes. It makes them taste almost like round French fries! If I have fresh herbs on hand I like to sprinkle them on the potatoes after cooking.

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preparation

Wash and dry the baby potatoes. If the potatoes aren’t dry they will steam not crisp, so make sure you dry them off well.

baby potatoes in a bowl before cooking

Put the potatoes in a bowl and drizzle them with the olive oil. Stir so that the oil coats the potato skins. Then add the salt and to the bowl and stir again.

2. Air Fry

Put the potatoes in the air fryer basket. Don’t crowd the potatoes, the air needs to be able to circulate around to cook the potatoes.

whole baby potatoes in an air fryer basket

I find that 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes fits well in my 5.8 quart air fryer. Set the air fryer to 400 degrees F and set it for 14 minutes. Pull the basket out once during the cooking time and shake it to redistribute the potatoes.

testing potatoes by sticking them with a fork

Once the cooking time is over stick a fork into one of the potatoes. If it goes in easily the potatoes are done. Make sure you check one of the largest potatoes in the basket.

How to Serve

I like to toss these potatoes with fresh herbs, like thyme, rosemary or chopped sage. The herbs add a nice burst of flavor on top of the crispy baby potatoes.

cooked baby potatoes

You can also serve the potatoes with bowls of melted butter. These potatoes are great with sous vide sirloin steak, Mediterranean chicken casserole, or any time you want a fast and delicious side dish.

How to Reheat Baby Potatoes

These air fryer baby potatoes are easy to reheat too! If you have leftovers toss them back in the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 3-4 minutes. They will be hot and delicious!

Variations

You can add more seasonings in addition to salt to the potatoes for some flavor variations. Some great suggestions are:

  • garlic powder
  • Old Bay
  • Cajun seasoning
  • Italian seasoning

Air Fryer Baby Potatoes vs Salt Potatoes

I’ve seen people on social media describe air fried baby potatoes as salt potatoes. As someone who has lived in Syracuse for 30+ years and eaten pounds and pounds of salt potatoes in that time I just want to say – these aren’t salt potatoes!

Authentic Syracuse salt potatoes need to be boiled, not air fried, because the taste is obtained by using the salt to raise the temperature of the boiling water. Just coating these baby potatoes in salt doesn’t make them salt potatoes, it just makes them salty.

Additionally salt potatoes don’t have a crispy skin, which in my opinion is the distinctive characteristic of these air fryer baby potatoes. But I actually think these taste just as good as if not better than salt potatoes.

top view of air fryer baby potatoes

FAQ

Should I peel the baby potatoes?

There is no reason to peel these baby potatoes before cooking. In fact I can only imagine how tedious it would be to peel these tiny potatoes!
In addition the potato skins add lots of vitamins and fiber, so don’t peel them.

Are air fried potatoes healthy?

Air fried potatoes cooked with just a little bit of oil and seasonings are a healthy vegetable side dish. They are low in calories and provide vitamins and fiber.

Do I need to preheat the air fryer?

I don’t preheat the air fryer for baby potatoes. But air fryers vary, so if you usually preheat yours do it in this recipe too.

close up of baby potatoes on a plate

Find More Air Fryer Vegetables

top view of air fryer baby potatoes
4.50 from 16 votes

Air Fryer Baby Potatoes

Published By Anne
These crispy air fryer baby potatoes are a quick and easy recipe that is sure to be a hit!
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time14 minutes
Total Time16 minutes
Servings: 6
Print Save Rate Pin

Ingredients
 

  • 1 1/2 pounds whole baby potatoes
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 – 4 teaspoons kosher salt depending on preference (see notes)
  • fresh herbs thyme, rosemary or sage, optional

Instructions

  • Wash and dry the potatoes. Make sure they are dry so that the skins get crispy.
  • Put the potatoes in a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Stir to coat the skins with oil. Add the salt and stir again.
  • Put the potatoes in the air fryer, making sure not to crowd the basket. Set it for 400 degrees F and cook for 14 minutes. Halfway through pull the basket out and shake to redistribute the potatoes.
  • Test the potatoes by inserting a fork into one of the larger ones. They are done when the fork goes in easily.
  • Cooking time will vary depending on what size your potatoes actually are. If they need more time cook them longer, testing every 3 minutes.
  • Toss with fresh herbs before serving if desired.

Notes

Amount of Salt

I like my baby potatoes salty and use 4 teaspoons of kosher salt for this recipe. But you might want to reduce the amount of salt. Additionally if using regular table salt only use 1-2 teaspoons on the potatoes.

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Nutrition Information

Serving: 1g | Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1069mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g

Nutrition facts are estimates.

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platter full of whole baby potatoes with thyme
collage pin of air fryer whole baby potatoes
anne

Hi, I’m Anne!

I love to cook and I want to share my recipes with you. I believe cooking should be approachable and fun, not a chore. I want to make simple recipes using everyday ingredients that you can make again and again, whether it is for a busy weeknight, a summer cookout or a special dessert. Read more...

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