Crispy Breakfast Potatoes in the Air Fryer
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Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes are the ultimate side dish to complement eggs, waffles, or any of your favorite breakfast dishes.
With just 2 teaspoons of olive oil, these potatoes cook up irresistibly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
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Original Recipe: September 2022 | Updated: July 2024
This site is all about Midwest comfort food. Here you’ll find easy-to-prepare, homemade recipes using simple, easy-to-find ingredients. From hearty potluck casseroles to kid-friendly meals, this site is all about creating dishes that bring the whole family together, with everyone asking for seconds. If you want to make mouthwatering comfort food at home with confidence, you’re in the right place! New here? Learn more about me and my love for Midwest comfort food here.
How does an air fryer work?
An air fryer is much like a convection oven. It cooks by blowing hot air around the food, making it crispy without needing a ton of oil. If you don’t have an air fryer yet, check out 9-Top Rated Air Fryers before you buy.
If you want more air fryer recipes, try my air Fryer cheese sticks, air fryer boneless buffalo chicken wings, or my air fryer meatloaf recipe.
Why you’ll love air fried breakfast potatoes
They cook perfectly: The air fryer is an easy way to get the potatoes crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Air frying saves stove top space: Making a big breakfast in the air fryer frees up a spot on the stovetop. Say you’re cooking Biscuits & Gravy, crispy potatoes and eggs, things get hectic. Air frying the potatoes is so simple and they come out perfect in just 12 minutes.
These potatoes go with everything: These potatoes create a hearty breakfast and they go good with everything from steak, chicken, pork, eggs and pancakes! Don’t reserve these potatoes for just Sunday brunch, they are great at dinner time too!
Air fryer equals no guilt: My favorite part about air frying potatoes is the extra fat is eliminated, leaving you will no guilt associated with eating fried potatoes.
Easy recipe: Did I mention they are SO EASY!
Simple ingredients make the perfect seasoned breakfast potatoes
A complete list of ingredients and measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Potatoes – Yukon Gold are my favorite, but russet potatoes will work as well.
- Paprika – Add a little cayenne pepper if you want spicy breakfast potatoes.
- Onion Powder
- Hot Sauce – optional
How to make the best breakfast potatoes
Step 1: There’s no need to peel the potatoes. Wash and dry the potatoes, then dice them into 1/4 in pieces. I prefer Yukon Gold potatoes for this recipe and I cut them small to shorten the cook time.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, toss the diced potatoes with olive oil.
Step 3: Add salt, black pepper, paprika, and onion powder. Combine until all potatoes are evenly coated with the spices. Play around with the different flavors combinations. Add rosemary, garlic powder, or turmeric, my new favorite spice!
Step 4: Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees.
Step 5: Place potatoes in the air fryer basket and cook at 400 degrees for 6 minutes.
Step 6: For best results, give the potatoes a good shake at this point and bake another 6 minutes.
Step 7: Potatoes should be crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. If the potatoes aren’t crispy enough for your liking, cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. (Cooking time may vary depending upon the air fryer model.)
Add more salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Tips for making breakfast potatoes
Choose the Right Potatoes: Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes work best for breakfast potatoes. They hold their shape well and get nice and crispy.
Uniform Size: Cut the potatoes into even-sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly. Aim for about 1-inch cubes or wedges.
Season Well: Toss the potatoes with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and any other favorite spices. This adds great flavor and helps them crisp up.
Don’t Overcrowd the Basket: Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Overcrowding can lead to uneven cooking and less crispy potatoes. Cook in batches if necessary.
Shake Halfway Through: Give the basket a good shake about halfway through the cooking time to ensure all sides get crispy and evenly cooked.
Check for Doneness: Potatoes are done when they are golden brown and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Cooking times may vary depending on your air fryer, but generally, it takes about 15-20 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
Add Fresh Herbs at the End: For a burst of freshness, toss the cooked potatoes with fresh herbs like parsley or chives just before serving.
Serve Immediately: Air fryer potatoes are best enjoyed right away while they’re hot and crispy. If you need to reheat them, the air fryer is the best method to maintain their crispiness.
Ways to serve diced breakfast potatoes
- Pair them with my Asparagus Sausage Quiche for breakfast or Cast-Iron Burgers for a quick fun weeknight dinner.
- How about potato nachos? Add chili powder and cumin to the potatoes before cooking. When they have finished in the air fryer, layer on a baking sheet with taco meat and cheese and bake until the cheese is melted. Garnish with salsa, sour cream, and cilantro. Yum!
- Make a batch of breakfast burritos. The potatoes will go great with egg, onions, green bell peppers, cheese, and a touch of salsa, all wrapped in a tortilla.
- Load the top of the potatoes with cheese, bacon bits and green onions.
- Try this Caramelized Onion and Bacon Quiche Recipe to go with your potatoes. It’s absolutely delicious!
FAQ
Home fries or country potatoes are another name for breakfast potatoes.
If you use too much oil they will get soggy. Also, avoid over crowding. It’s best to have the fries in a single layer, with little to no touching, so the air can reach all the sides of the potato.
No, there is no need to soak the potatoes for this air fryer recipe. Some believe that soaking for 30 minutes creates a crispier potato, but I do not soak my potatoes and I think they turn out great.
How to store breakfast potatoes:
Fridge: Let the potatoes cool completely, then place them in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating in the air fryer: For the best results, reheat the potatoes in the air fryer. No additional oil needed! Simply heat in 3-minute increments until the potatoes are hot and crispy.
Reheat in the microwave: Place the leftover breakfast potatoes in a microwave-safe dish and reheat for 1 to 3 minutes. Quick and easy!
More of my favorite air fryer recipes
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Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 cup Diced Potatoes (Approximately 1.5 pounds)
- 2 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce Optional
Instructions
- Toss diced potatoes with 2 tsp Olive Oil. Add salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder. Combine until all potatoes are evenly coated with spices.3 cup Diced Potatoes, 2 teaspoon Olive Oil, 1/2 teaspoon Salt, 1/4 teaspoon Pepper, 1/4 teaspoon Paprika, 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder, 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
- Place potatoes in air fryer basket. Cook at 400 degrees for 6 minutes.
- At this point, give the potatoes a good shake and bake another 6 minutes.
- Potatoes should be crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. If the potatoes aren't crispy enough cook for an additional 3- 5 minutes. (Cooking time may vary depending upon the air fryer model and the size of the cut potatoes.)
- Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
I love the simplicity of this recipe – and that you can put this in the air fryer and forget about it for 15 min while putting the rest of brunch/breakfast together. I always have too many pans going while preparing a big breakfast and this helps a lot!
Potatoes – any way you cook them is a hit in my book. But these breakfast potatoes in the air fryer are such a great idea for convenience, simplicity and deliciousness. And heck, I would make these any other time of the day as well. Thanks so much Jill for sharing.
I just got my air fryer & trying new recipes, .I love potatoes so I will definitely be trying this.
Thank you for sharing.
P.S. I’ll let you know how I did at making them.
Thank you Judy! I can’t wait to hear how they come out.