Reheating fries in the air fryer is a great way to get crispy delicious fries! You can warm up takeout or use up leftovers without sacrificing taste and texture. Soggy fries will be a thing of the past once you learn how to use an air fryer to reheat fries.
I enjoy cooking, but I don’t enjoy cooking every single day! Sometimes I just want to buy food and let someone else handle the planning, preparing and cleanup.
And it is super disappointing to get take out or food delivery and find out that I have a big bag of cold, soggy fries. I can’t be the only one who has wondered, “How do I make my fries crispy again?“
Luckily it turns out the best way to reheat fries is using an air fryer, which means I never have to eat lukewarm fries again!
Why Use an Air Fryer to Reheat Fries?
An air fryer will make fries hot and crispy, even if they start out soggy, without adding any extra oil. The high heat of the air fryer and circulating air dries up any moisture and crisps the outside.
I have tried to heat up leftover fries in the oven before and it is just disappointing. Sure, they get hot, but they are mushy, not crispy.
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A few months ago my husband and I ordered take out fish fry from a local restaurant. They packed the fries on top of the fish and sealed up the container.
By the time we got dinner home the fries were covered in condensation! It was not appetizing at all. But rather than throw them out I decided to try reheating them in the air fryer.
And the air fryer worked wonders. It dried up the condensation and made the fries taste good! Which was pretty remarkable considering how inedible they looked when we got home.
Now that I know how well reheating fries in the air fryer works my family and I have been ordering extra fries if we are eating out. We know we can refrigerate them and enjoy hot, delicious fries the next day.
How To Reheat Fries in the Air Fryer
1. Preheat the Air Fryer
I don’t always preheat my air fryer before using it. But when you are cooking something for a short amount of time preheating makes a difference and helps ensure even cooking. So preheat the air fryer for 2 minutes at 360 degrees F.
2. Heat the Fries
Spread the fries in the air fryer basket. In order for the air fryer to cook it needs to be able to circulate air. So don’t overcrowd the basket and keep the fries in a single layer.
Cook the fries in batches if you need to! My 5.8 quart air fryer will easily fit 2 large servings of fries in the basket.
Spread the fries out evenly and then cook them at 360 degrees F. There is no need to add any extra oil when using the air fryer.
How Long Does it Take to Reheat Fries?
The amount of time it takes to reheat fries will vary depending on the size of the fries. Here is a handy table that tells you what time to start with.
Type of Fry | Time at 360 F |
Shoestring | 1 minute |
Thin (McDonalds) | 2 minutes |
Waffle (Chick-fil-a) | 3 minutes |
Steak Fries | 4 minutes |
Potato wedges | 4 minutes |
The times above assume you are just trying to perk up fries that are slightly warm. If the fries are leftovers that are completely cold and coming from the refrigerator they will need about a minute longer.
3. Test the Fries
The times above are just the starting point! The times will vary based on the amount of power your air fryer has and how full the basket is.
After the time is up take the air fryer basket out, shake it and taste one of fries. Decide whether or not it is hot and crispy enough, or if it needs a bit more time.
If the fries need more time put them back in for another minute and check them again. It is best to go in one minute intervals at this point so you don’t accidentally burn them.
In just a few minutes you will have your fries restored to crispy, golden goodness. They won’t taste quite as amazing as fresh out of a deep fat fryer, but they are pretty close!
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Why Do Fries Get Soggy?
Fries get soggy because the potato starch on the inside of the fries releases moisture as the fries cool. This makes the outside of the fries soft and not nearly as tasty.
It is possible to make this process even worse by poorly packaging the fries. If you are getting fries for carryout they should always be served in an open box.
If they are in a sealed box the steam from the fries and whatever else is in the box will condense as it cools and you will end up with water droplets all over the fries.
Curious about how food really works and the chemistry behind things like French fries? Check out one of my favorite books on food science, How to Read a French Fry!
What Temperature is Best for Reheating Fries?
I set my air fryer to 360 degrees F to reheat my fries. I have tried higher heat, up to 400 degrees F, but they cook so quickly that it is easier to burn them at higher temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
The timing and instructions will be the same, just base the amount of time on the size of the sweet potato fries.
The process and timing will be the same whether the fries are homemade or restaurant produced. Homemade air fryer fries will not be quite as crispy the first time you make them, and they still won’t be quite as crispy when reheated. But they still taste amazing!
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How to Reheat Fries in Air Fryer
Equipment
Ingredients
- leftover fries
Instructions
- Preheat the air for 2 minutes at 360 degrees F.
- Add the fries to the air fryer. Scatter them evenly over the basket in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd the basket, work in batches if you need to.
- Cook the fries at 360 F for following times:
- After cooking the fries for the given amount of time pull the basket out and shake it. Check the fries by sampling one.
- If the fries aren’t crispy enough return the basket to the air fryer and cook in 1 minute increments until you are satisfied with the fries.
This worked like a charm. Reheated Wendy’s Fries Delicious!!