There is no Sunday roast without roast potatoes. Ask anyone in Britain what makes or breaks the meal and the answer is almost always the same: the roasties. They need to be golden and shatteringly crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and seasoned just enough that you keep reaching back for one more.
For years, that meant a hot oven, a tray of smoking fat and a good hour of waiting. The air fryer has changed all of that. It gives you the same crackling crust and fluffy middle in about half the time, using far less fat, and it frees up the oven for everything else on the table. This guide walks you through the whole thing, step by step, so you can make proper roast potatoes in the air fryer every single time.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 1 kg Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or goose fat, for extra flavour)
- 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra to taste
- Black pepper, freshly ground
Method
- Peel and cut the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut them into even chunks, about the size of a golf ball. Even pieces cook evenly, so take a moment to match them up — a big chunk next to a small one means one will be perfect and the other will be burnt or underdone. If a potato is very large, cut it into quarters rather than halves.
- Parboil for 10 to 12 minutes. Put the potatoes in a large pan, cover them with cold water and add a good pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. You want the edges to be just starting to soften and the outside to look slightly fluffy when you press a piece with a fork. The centres should still be firm — they will finish cooking in the air fryer.
- Drain and rough up the edges. Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave them to steam for a minute or two. Then give the colander a good shake, or two, so the edges get roughed up and fluffy. This step is the whole secret of a great roast potato: those rough, floury edges are what turn crisp and golden in the hot air. Leave them to dry for a few minutes — wet potatoes never crisp properly.
- Toss with oil, garlic and rosemary. Tip the potatoes into a large bowl. Pour over the olive oil or melted goose fat, add the crushed garlic cloves, the rosemary sprigs, sea salt and a generous grind of black pepper, then toss everything together until every piece is coated. If you are using goose fat, warm it first so it pours easily.
- Air fry at 190–200°C for 20 to 30 minutes. Preheat the air fryer for a few minutes, then arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the basket. Give them space — if they are piled on top of each other they will steam instead of crisp, so cook in two batches if you need to. Air fry for 20 to 30 minutes, shaking the basket or turning the potatoes halfway through, until they are deep golden, crisp on the outside and fluffy inside. Serve straight away, while the crust is at its best.
Tips for Perfect Air Fryer Roast Potatoes
Choose the right potato. Floury potatoes are the key. Maris Piper is the first choice in Britain for a reason — it goes beautifully fluffy inside and crisps up well. King Edward is a close second. Avoid waxy salad potatoes: they hold their shape too well and never turn properly fluffy inside.
Don’t overcrowd the basket. This is the most common mistake. The air fryer works by circulating hot air around the food, and that only happens if the air can reach every piece. One even layer, with a little space between the potatoes, will always beat a full basket. Cook in batches if you have to — it is worth the extra few minutes.
Parboiling really matters. It might feel like an extra step you could skip, but it is what makes the inside fluffy. Without it, the middles can stay hard while the outsides burn. Ten to twelve minutes is the sweet spot: long enough to soften the edges, short enough that the potatoes hold their shape.
Dry them well. After draining, let the steam rise off the potatoes for a minute or two before you add the oil. Water on the surface turns to steam in the basket and works against the crisp crust you are trying to build.
Serving Suggestions
Roast potatoes belong next to a Sunday roast — chicken, beef or lamb, with plenty of gravy — but they are far too good to save for Sundays. Serve them with a fried egg and baked beans for a quick supper, alongside sausages and onion gravy, or simply on their own with a pot of garlic mayonnaise or ketchup for dipping. Leftovers are rare, but if you do have any, they reheat beautifully: five minutes in the air fryer at 180°C brings the crispness straight back.
FAQs
Do I have to parboil the potatoes first? Yes, if you want the best result. Parboiling softens the edges so they go fluffy and crisp in the air fryer, while the centres cook through. Skip it and the outsides can burn before the insides are done.
Can I use other potatoes? Maris Piper and King Edward give the best results because they are floury. Rooster works well too. Waxy varieties such as Charlotte or new potatoes will cook, but they stay firm inside and never get the same fluffy middle.
Why aren’t my roast potatoes crispy? Usually it is one of three things: the basket is too full, the potatoes were still wet when they went in, or the air fryer was not hot enough. Cook in a single layer, dry the potatoes well after parboiling, and make sure the air fryer is preheated.
Can I make them ahead of time? Yes. Parboil the potatoes a few hours ahead and leave them to cool, then toss with oil and air fry just before serving. Cooked leftovers keep in the fridge for two days and crisp up again in five minutes at 180°C.
