Air fryer breakfast potatoes (air fryer home fries) in under 30 minutes. They’re super crispy outside and fluffy and tender in the middle. Perfect for serving with breakfast or practically any meal – optionally with onions and peppers!
If you love a savory breakfast, breakfast potatoes are a must-know recipe. These air fryer breakfast potatoes are super crispy on the outside, tender and fluffy in the middle, and cook in just 15-20 minutes. Perfect for serving as part of a “fry up,” with baked beans, toast, eggs, etc.
I’ve already shared methods for homemade home fries using an oven, skillet, or deep fryer. However, if you’ve got an air fryer, I highly recommend this method. These air fryer breakfast potatoes cook in less time than the baked version (and are crispier).
Plus they require a tiny fraction of the oil in deep-fried versions, and require no hovering, unlike skillet versions. Even better, unlike pan-fried potatoes, there’s no need to par-boil these before sticking them in the air fryer.
Want to discover more tasty air fryer recipes? You might enjoy air fryer zucchini fries, homemade pita chips, or air fryer cauliflower and broccoli!
The Ingredients
- Potatoes: I recommend using russet potatoes as my top choice. Yukon gold potatoes would also work.
What type of potatoes is best for breakfast potatoes?
I don’t like using waxy potatoes (like red potatoes), but feel free to experiment. They will be denser and creamier inside rather than light and fluffy.
I highly recommend using starchy potatoes. These will have the fluffy center while still crisping up outside. Russet potatoes are my top choice.
- Olive oil: Or another neutral oil.
- Seasoning: All you need for this very base, easy breakfast potatoes recipe is just salt (and pepper if wanted). Keep reading for my favorite seasoning options.
How to Make Breakfast Potatoes In an Air Fryer?
Prepare the Potatoes
First, wash the potatoes. You can optionally peel them too, which I did this time, but isn’t necessary.
Then, chop small slices off opposite sides (lengthwise, not the ends) of the potato, so it lays flat on your chopping board.
Cut slices lengthwise across the potato every ¾-1 inch apart. Then, cut those down into ¾-1 inch batons/sticks before making the final chop to make them into cubes. Transfer them to a large container of cold water as you chop.
Save time by using a food chopper if you have one. It will evenly dice the potatoes for you.
How to Season Breakfast Potatoes
At this point, if needed, you can preheat your air fryer to 400ºF/200ºC.
Transfer the cubed potato pieces from the water to a clean kitchen towel and thoroughly pat them dry.
Then, move them to a large bowl and toss them with the oil and salt.
Air Fry the Breakfast Potatoes
Spread the seasoned potatoes in the air fryer basket, leaving space in between (cook in batches if necessary).
Cook for 15-18 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC, until golden brown and crispy. Shake the basket every 5 minutes to ensure they cook evenly all the way around.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Home Fries?
These delicious air fryer breakfast potatoes are the perfect addition to breakfast and brunch but also as a side dish to many other meals.
- Sauces: Ketchup, mayonnaise, garlic mayonnaise, garlic aioli (vegan), sriracha/ hot sauce, etc. They are great with spices too, like smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Eggs: fried, poached, soft-boiled, and scrambled will pair well with these air fryer breakfast potatoes. Use scrambled tofu for a vegan option. You could also serve them alongside an omelet or quiche.
- Breakfast/brunch: Pair any of the above eggs with toast, beans, and sausage/bacon, or even make a Full English breakfast. Enjoy alongside some fresh fruit. They’ll also work alongside pancakes, English muffins, French toast, avocado toast, etc.
- Burgers and Protein: These crispy breakfast potatoes pair with most cooked patties, chicken, steak, and fish mains or meat-free alternatives like tofu.
- Wraps: Enjoy these homemade breakfast potatoes in burritos, wraps, tacos, and quesadillas.
- Salads: Add the air fries to salad, grain, and buddha bowls.
Storage Instructions
Make ahead: Prepare and store the cubed potatoes in a container filled with water in the fridge for up to a day in advance.
Store: The crispy texture is best immediately from the air fryer. However, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freeze: The crisp texture will disappear upon thawing. However, if you want to freeze the air fryer breakfast potatoes, you can do so for up to 3 months. They are great for meal prep breakfast.
Reheating: Throw the home fries in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes or in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Or warm them in a skillet with a small amount of oil. Don’t microwave them unless you don’t mind them being soft.
FAQs
Not only are air fryer sweet potato cubes delicious too. They even have a similar cooking time (around 15 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC, shaking the basket every 4-5 minutes).
Yes, it helps to draw out excess starch from the middle of the potatoes. This makes the piece sturdier, can help them cook evenly, and stops them from sticking to one another.
However, this step isn’t necessary for this air fryer breakfast potatoes recipe. The short time they’re in the water while chopping seems to do the trick!
This could be for a few reasons. You may not have dried them well enough or you’ve overcrowded the basket. Both will cause the cubed potatoes to steam instead of becoming crispy.
I also don’t recommend completely omitting the oil in the recipe as that will affect the crispiness, too.
Air frying than deep-frying, absolutely. These air fryer home fries use just a fraction of the oil as deep fryer versions. In terms of baked versions, you can use similar amounts of oil.
However, the air fryer version yields crispier results in less time!
More Potato Side Dishes
- How to Make Home Fries (3 Ways)
- Rosemary Garlic Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Gluten-free Potato Bread
- Best Oven-Roasted New Red Potatoes
If you try this easy air fryer breakfast potatoes recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d really appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
Ingredients
- 12.5 oz potatoes 2 cups chopped; Russet or Yukon Gold
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil or another neutral oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper optional
Suggested Equipment
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Potatoes
- Wash the potatoes. You can optionally peel them too.
- Chop small slices off opposite sides (lengthwise, not the ends) of the potato, so it lays flat on your chopping board.
- Cut slices lengthwise across the potato every ¾-1 inch apart. Then, cut those down into ¾-1 inch batons/sticks before making the final chop to make them into cubes. Transfer them to a large container of cold water as you chop.Save time by using a food chopped if you have one. It will evenly dice the potatoes for you.
Step 2: Season Them
- At this point, if needed, you can preheat your air fryer to 400ºF/200ºC.
- Transfer the cubed potato pieces from the water to a clean kitchen towel and thoroughly pat them dry.
- Move them to a large bowl and toss them with the oil and salt.
Step 3: Air Fry the Breakfast Potatoes
- Spread the seasoned potatoes in the air fryer basket, leaving space in between (cook in batches if necessary).
- Cook for 15-18 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC., until golden-brown and crispy. Shake the basket every 5 minutes to ensure they cook evenly all the way around.
Storage Instructions
- Make ahead: Prepare and store the cubed potatoes in a container filled with water in the fridge for up to a day in advance.Store: The crispy texture is best immediately from the air fryer. However, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.Freeze: The crisp texture will disappear upon thawing. However, if you want to freeze the air fryer breakfast potatoes, you can do so for up to 3 months.Reheating: Throw them back into the air fryer for 3-5 minutes, in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or even in a skillet with a small amount of oil. Don’t microwave them unless you don’t mind them being soft.
Notes
- Slice even pieces: So they cook evenly.
- Make sure they’re dry: Otherwise, the potatoes will steam rather than become crispy.
- Season right before cooking: If you salt the potatoes in advance, they’ll draw moisture from the potatoes and affect how crispy they become.
- Avoid overcrowding: Place the cubed potatoes in a single row in your air fryer basket, with space in between for air to circulate. Cook them in batches if necessary.
- Cooking time will vary: Based on your individual air fryer, the size of the cubed potato, and how much are in the machine.
- Seasoning blend: a combination of smoked paprika (and optionally chili powder) with garlic powder and onion powder. Add to taste. Start with ¼ teaspoon of each and increase to taste.
- Other seasonings: Feel free to play around with different flavors for the breakfast potatoes recipe. Cumin, garam masala/curry powder, tajin, Cajun seasoning, red pepper flakes, etc. You could also experiment with herbs like rosemary or thyme.
- Cheese: Sprinkle over some shredded cheese (like cheddar) in the last minute or two of air frying, so it melts over the air fryer diced potatoes.
- Lemon: Squeeze some lemon over the air fryer home fries when serving for extra ‘brightness’ and depth.
- Fresh herbs: Garnish them with parsley, green onions, chives, or cilantro.
- Onion & Bell peppers: Thinly slice or dice one or both options and throw them into the air fryer with the cubed potatoes.
Gordon Wiebe
Hi,
I don’t see a temperature in the recipe. My guess is 350-400 degrees?
Gord
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Gordon,
Thanks for spotting this – it’s updated now. I recommend cooking them at 400ºF for about 15 minutes.