Your taste buds need to be satisfied to keep you happy throughout the day. While most of us are conscious about our diets, it is also good to opt for foods that are scrumptious as well as healthy.
Potatoes are a staple in kitchens all over the world. From kids to adults, everyone loves spuds in a variety of forms. If you are bored with conventional potato dishes, you should explore the magical world of smashed potatoes in the air fryer.
The irresistible crunch on the outside and the soft, fluffy inside are certainly a treat for your taste buds. The smashed potatoes air fryer version is a recent culinary creation that has sparked interest among many people. After all, who doesn’t love devouring a dish that’s a cross between a potato chip and a culinary cloud?
The process is quite interesting and quirky. Imagine taking a humble potato, boiling it to perfection, then giving it a gentle yet firm squish with a utensil (or your hands). Next, you air-fry it into a crispy, golden masterpiece, and ta-da!
A potato that’s so perfectly mashed is waiting for you to dive in!
Is the idea making your mouth water? Well, I am going to help you become a pro at this potato artistry. Get ready for a potato-tastic journey that’s as captivating as it is delicious.
Why Are Smashed Potatoes for Air Fryer a Hit in the Culinary World?
What I love the most about air fryers is their healthiness – they help make healthy, hygienic, and crispy food. This appliance resembles conventional ovens in many ways. Many people have started replacing ovens with air fryers due to their speed and health factors.
Hot air circulates the food that is placed on a rack. This helps prepare crispy food without the excessive added oil and calories associated with deep-frying. All you need is a small amount of olive oil to enhance the flavor and nutritional profile.
In addition to helping you make healthy smashed potatoes, an air fryer can help you cook a variety of foods such as vegetables, fish, meats, and even delicious vegan dishes. In addition, they come with a timer to let you know when your food is ready. They have a non-stick surface, and some parts can be cleaned in the dishwasher, which makes cleaning up super simple!
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Why Should You Soak Potatoes Before Air-Frying?
Soaking potatoes before air-frying or even frying is a popular practice. Some of the benefits of doing this include:
Removes Excess Starch
Potatoes contain a lot of starch, and when they are cut into pieces (as with fries), the starch on the outside can affect the color and texture when air-fried. Soaking them helps remove some excess starch, which results in a better texture (4).
Promotes Even Cooking
Soaking can help ensure the potatoes cook more evenly. Removing some of the starch will prevent the outer layer from becoming too dark or burnt before the inside is thoroughly cooked.
Enhances Crispy Texture
Soaking and drying the potatoes helps create a crispier exterior. The moisture on the surface of the potato turns into steam when it is heated in the air fryer, which contributes to a crispier crust.
Prevents Browning
Soaking also helps prevent the potatoes turning brown, which can occur when the starch on the surface oxidizes (3).
Soaking potatoes is done as follows: cut the potatoes into the desired shape, immerse them in cold water for approximately 30 minutes, and then drain and pat them dry with a clean paper towel. These steps can improve the results when air-frying smashed potatoes.
Are Potatoes Better in an Oven or an Air Fryer?
Increasing health awareness has increased the demand for air fryers. However, we cannot forget the age-old way of baking potatoes in an oven. The conventional oven has been our best friend for decades.
Determining if potatoes are better in an air fryer or oven is entirely dependent on your taste. Both methods yield delicious results while offering slightly different textures and cooking times. We mention some of the advantages of cooking using each apparatus below:
Air Fryer
- Speed: Air fryers are faster than ovens. They cook potatoes more quickly due to their small size and the circulation of hot air.
- Energy Efficiency: Air fryers use less energy than ovens, which makes them more cost-effective for smaller portions.
- Crispy Texture: Air fryers create a crispy exterior, which makes them great for dishes such as French fries or potato wedges.
Oven
- Versatile: Ovens are more versatile and can accommodate larger batches of food. You can bake, roast, broil, or make casseroles at the same time you cook your potatoes.
- Hands-Off Cooking: Oven cooking often requires less attention and moving of the food (such as needing to turn it over halfway through cooking).
- Uniform Cooking: Ovens provide even heat distribution, which can result in uniformly cooked potatoes with a crispy exterior and tender interior.
The choice between oven and air fryer is dependent on your specific needs, available kitchen space, and desired texture for your smashed potatoes.
Remember, no rocket science is involved when making smashed potatoes in an air fryer. In fact, air fryers are an excellent choice if you want crispy potatoes quickly. You should just make sure you follow all the steps of your chosen recipe correctly. If you don’t have an air fryer, the oven works just as well.
How Do I Cook Smashed Potatoes in an Air Fryer?
Air fryer smashed potatoes are often made using small, baby potatoes. You can also use other types of potatoes, but this may change the outcome.
To keep the fat content at its lowest, the recipe calls for washing and drying the potatoes before putting them in an air fryer. Here are a couple of smashed potato recipes that can spice up your regular meals and provide a flavorful twist to your potato diet:
Crispy Garlic Parmesan Smashed Potatoes Air Fryer Recipe
Here is a quick and simple recipe for making crispy garlic parmesan smashed potatoes in an air fryer:
Ingredients
- 1 pound (approximately 450g) baby potatoes
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Your Air Fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C). If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat function, simply allow it to run for a few minutes to get it hot.
- Prepare the Potatoes
- Wash the baby potatoes thoroughly and place them in a large pot.
- Fill the pot with enough water to cover the potatoes and add a pinch of salt.
- Bring the water to the boil and simmer the potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until they are fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool slightly.
- Smash the Potatoes
- Place the boiled potatoes on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
- Using a potato masher, the bottom of a glass, or your hand, gently smash each potato until it’s approximately half an inch thick.
- Season and Coat
- Mix the minced garlic and olive oil in a bowl.
- Brush the smashed potatoes on both sides with the garlic-infused olive oil.
- Season the potatoes with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Air-Fry
- Place the smashed potatoes in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Air fry the potatoes at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes or until they become golden brown and crispy.
- Add Parmesan Cheese
- Approximately 5 minutes before the potatoes are done, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the potatoes.
- Continue cooking until the cheese melts and becomes slightly crispy.
- Serve
- Carefully remove the crispy garlic parmesan smashed potatoes from the air fryer.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
- Serve them hot as a delicious side dish or snack.
These crispy garlic parmesan smashed potatoes make a wonderful addition to any meal or a delightful snack. Enjoy!
Read more: 4 Of The Best Mung Bean Recipes To Try.
Loaded Smashed Potatoes Air Fryer Recipe
Loaded smashed potatoes in an air fryer are a great treat. Here is how you can make them:
Ingredients
- 1 pound (approximately 450g) baby potatoes
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4-6 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat Your Air Fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C). If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat function, just allow it to run for a few minutes to get it hot.
- Prepare the Potatoes
- Wash the baby potatoes thoroughly and place them in a large pot.
- Fill the pot with enough water to cover the potatoes and add a pinch of salt.
- Bring the water to the boil and simmer the potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until they are fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool slightly.
- Smash the Potatoes
- Place the boiled potatoes on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
- Using a potato masher, the bottom of a glass, or your hand, gently smash each potato until it’s approximately half an inch thick.
- Season and Coat
- Mix the minced garlic and olive oil in a bowl.
- Brush the smashed potatoes on both sides with the garlic-infused olive oil.
- Season the potatoes with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Air-Fry
- Place the smashed potatoes in a single layer in the basket of your air fryer. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Air fry the potatoes at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes or until they become golden brown and crispy.
- Add Toppings
- Once the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the air fryer.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the potatoes.
- Place the potatoes back into the air fryer and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve
- Carefully remove the loaded smashed potatoes from the air fryer.
- Top them with crumbled bacon, sour cream, and sliced green onions.
Savor your air fryer cheesy smashed potatoes as a delicious side dish or tasty snack. They’re full of flavor and perfect for sharing!
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How Long Does it Take for a Potato to Get Soft in the Air Fryer?
Initially, it may be challenging to understand how long you need to cook potatoes in the air fryer. They may end up too soft or too hard, but you will gradually get used to the process over time.
Try checking the potatoes after 30 minutes. If they are fork-tender, then they are done. However, if they provide some resistance when you poke them, flip them, and cook them for an additional 5 to 8 minutes. Also, if you are switching from the oven to air fryer smashed potatoes, don’t forget to lower the temperature by 20ºC – 30ºC, and cook them for 20% less time than you would in the oven.
How Do You Know When Potatoes Are Done in an Air Fryer?
You should take notice of our tips before cooking smashed potatoes in an air fryer. For example, before you put potatoes in an air fryer, you need to make sure you allow them to dry. Wet potatoes won’t crisp up well. All you need to do is leave them in a colander for a few minutes so they become dry. Once this is done, you’re good to go.
When potatoes are kept in the air fryer for 20 – 30 minutes, you should check whether they are completely cooked. Your potatoes are cooked if the knife you insert into their center easily pierces the vegetables. If it does not, you should continue cooking them in the air fryer.
Try not to poke the potatoes with a fork as this can pop them open, making a mess inside the fryer. Also, you shouldn’t overcrowd the pan inside the fryer so the air will circulate evenly inside the fryer.
Don’t fret or regret your purchase if you don’t get perfectly soft potatoes at first. It may take some time to get used to the new appliance and learn the tricks. You can learn all of this over time and savor incredible spuds that will make your taste buds dance!
Why Should You Soak Potatoes Before Frying?
One of the main reasons for soaking potatoes before you fry them is to prevent their exposure to air. This can cause dehydration, oxidation, and discoloration (3). Immersing them in water can also help rinse off starch (4).
If you don’t soak them, they may be edible the next day, but their color may change. The chemical reaction that is caused by exposure to oxygen can turn the spuds a weird brownish shade, and although there is nothing wrong with this color, the majority of people prefer white and fluffy smashed potatoes.
Furthermore, the smashed potatoes air fryer recipes often mention soaking potatoes in water. They recommend this because it helps make the potatoes crispier. A 30-minute soak may do the trick, but you can leave them for longer if you wish. You should keep them immersed until they are required for frying.
It is best to add a tablespoon of concentrated lemon juice or vinegar to each gallon of clean water as this can prevent oxidation (2). The rule of soaking isn’t only limited to smashed potatoes and also applies when making easy vegan recipes for beginners or French fries.
Read more: 7 Types of Salad to Add Color and Crunch to Your Plateau.
The Bottom Line
Potatoes are one of the most filling and low-calorie foods you can eat and the different ways of cooking them are what makes them quite popular all over the world. In addition, the way they entice our taste buds is simply mind-blowing!
Those who are looking to build muscle are always looking for new recipes to spice up their diet plans. Smashed potatoes cooked in air fryers are often categorized as the best foods for gaining muscle and they also provide a delicious twist to ordinary salads.
Air fryers provide a quick and convenient way of transforming conventional smashed potato recipes into a crispy delight. Whether opting for a savory twist with garlic and parmesan or loading them with your preferred toppings, smashed potato air fryer versions never fail to delight a crowd!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can you put tin foil in an air fryer?
Yes, you can put foil in an air fryer, but you should follow some precautions such as using perforated foil and preventing overlapping. You should always allow proper airflow and adhere to the safety rules to avoid any issues during cooking.
Do you need to pierce a potato before baking it in an air fryer?
Yes, it is a good idea to pierce a potato before you bake it in an air fryer. Piercing it with a fork or a knife allows the steam to escape as it cooks.
Why are my air fryer potato chips soggy?
If your air fryer potato chips are soggy, you should ensure there isn’t any excess moisture and that the chips aren’t crowded inside the fryer. You should also consider factors such as the quality of potatoes, their thickness, the temperature inside the fryer, and oil application.
By addressing these factors and making adjustments as required, you can improve the crispiness of your air fryer potato chips and enjoy a satisfying snack.
Why are my air fryer potato chips not crispy?
Try slicing your chips uniformly, removing excess moisture, and coating the slices with a small amount of oil before you put them in the air fryer. Don’t forget to maintain the temperature and cooking time to ensure the potatoes cook in a suitable environment.
What happens if you don’t rinse potatoes before putting them into an air fryer?
Wet potatoes may cause your fries to become soggy.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.
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You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or your specific situation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of BetterMe content. If you suspect or think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor.
SOURCES:
- Influence of Water, NaCl and Citric Acid Soaking Pre-Treatments on Acrylamide Content in French Fries Prepared in Domestic Conditions (2022, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Lemon juice as a natural biocide for disinfecting drinking water (1994, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- The Trick That Will Keep Your Potatoes From Turning Brown (2022, tastingtable.com)
- What happens if you don’t soak potatoes before air frying? (n.d., restonyc.com)
