Crispy Baby Potatoes

Picture golden baby potatoes coming out of your air fryer with crispy, well-seasoned outer shells and fluffy, soft middles. Each tiny potato gives you that awesome mix of crunchy outside and creamy inside, with the cool pine smell of fresh rosemary and just the right spice combo. Your air fryer turns these simple spuds into must-eat treats that can make any regular meal feel fancy, and they're done in under 20 minutes.

I tried making these so many times and found out that getting the potatoes completely dry before adding seasoning is what creates those addictive crispy edges everyone loves.

Key Potato Ingredients

• Baby Potatoes (1.5 pounds): Pick potatoes smaller than golf balls with clean, unspotted skin. Try getting different kinds - reds are a bit sweet and creamy; golds taste buttery and rich; purples look amazing and have a nutty flavor. Make sure they feel solid when you squeeze them gently, without soft spots or green areas
• Fresh Rosemary (3-4 large sprigs): Go for bright green, fragrant sprigs with flexible needles that don't fall off. Don't use any that look brown or dried out. Good rosemary will smell strongly when you touch it. Pull the leaves off and chop them up right before cooking
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2-3 tablespoons): Use cold pressed, early harvest oil with a zingy, peppery finish. It should smell fresh and grassy with a slight bitter kick which means it's packed with good stuff. Buy oils in dark bottles to keep them fresh
• Garlic Powder (1 tablespoon): Get pure garlic powder without added salt or clumping agents. Fresh powder has a strong smell and smooth, even texture. Keep it in a sealed container away from heat and sunlight
• Sweet Paprika (1 teaspoon): Hungarian paprika gives the best color and sweet pepper taste. Look for bright red color and a fresh, sweet smell with no mustiness. Good paprika is slightly moist and will clump a little when pressed
• Kosher Salt (1.5 teaspoons): Diamond Crystal kosher salt works best because its big, flat crystals stick well to potatoes. The larger pieces spread flavor better and help pull moisture from the potato surface so they crisp up nicely
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper (1 teaspoon): Grind Tellicherry peppercorns fresh for the most interesting, aromatic pepper flavor. Good pepper will show different colors and release a sharp, spicy smell when ground
• Extra Flavor Boosters: You might want to add 2-3 whole fresh garlic cloves (pick firm, heavy heads with tight skin), fresh thyme sprigs (look for bright green, soft stems), or 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (aged 24-36 months for best taste)

Making Potato Magic Happen

Prep Work:

Wash your potatoes really well and dry them completely so all the tasty stuff sticks to them properly.

Adding Flavors:

Mix potatoes with oil first, then sprinkle seasonings bit by bit while continuing to toss so everything gets coated evenly.

Air Fryer Setup:

Put potatoes cut side down without crowding them so air can move around each piece.

Heat Control Tricks

Heat Control Tricks:

Keep your air fryer at 400°F the whole time, checking if they're done by seeing if a fork slides in easily.

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I've learned from trying this out in my kitchen that if you let the seasoned potatoes sit for 5 minutes before air frying, the flavors sink in much better.

Delicious Food Partners

Make awesome meal combos by serving these with herb-coated salmon, stuffing them in breakfast wraps, or offering them as fancy snacks with garlic mayo dip.

Fun Flavor Changes

Try different herb mixes, add a crunchy Parmesan layer, or mix in some roasted garlic for extra flavor depth.

Keeping Leftovers Fresh

Store any extra potatoes in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Heat them again at 375°F for 3-4 minutes to bring back their crispiness.

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After trying this recipe tons of times, I've found that amazing roasted potatoes come down to three main things: getting them ready right, using the right temperature, and watching your timing carefully. You'll end up with a side dish that works for both comfort food nights and fancy dinners.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Do I need to pre-boil the potatoes?

Nope! Just clean, season, and the air fryer does the rest.

→ What spices can I switch up?

Feel free to use thyme, oregano, or any spice blend to pair with your meal!

→ Why cut them before cooking?

Cutting exposes more surface to crisp up and lets them cook evenly and faster.

→ Can larger potatoes work too?

Absolutely, just chop them into smaller chunks for consistent cooking.

→ How do I make them crispy again later?

Pop them in the air fryer at 350°F for a few minutes to bring back the crunch.