Air fried fingerling potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender and creamy on the inside. Toss them with olive oil, spices, and fresh herbs to create a healthy and delicious side dish for weeknight dinners or a tasty addition to holiday meals.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Air fryer fingerling potatoes are a perfect side dish for the holiday table, especially when you need room in the oven for other dishes.
- Enjoy crispy fingerling potatoes with simple ingredients from your pantry.
- Because of how the hot air circulates, the air fryer causes the outside of the potatoes to become nice and crispy while keeping the insides soft and tender.
- They are hassle-free and finish quicker than our tasty roasted potatoes.
- With no messy oil splatters, clean up is a breeze.
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- What are Fingerling Potatoes?
- What You Need to Make This Recipe
- Additions and Substitutions
- Tools Used to Make This Recipe
- How to Make Air Fried Fingerling Potatoes
- Expert Tips
- How to Dress the Potatoes
- What to Serve With Your Potatoes
- What to do With the Leftovers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Air Fried Fingerling Potatoes
What are Fingerling Potatoes?
Fingerling potatoes are known for their small, elongated, and narrow shape, resembling fingers. They are less starchy than other potato varieties, like russet potatoes, making them well-suited for roasting, grilling, steaming, boiling, and air frying! Cooking fingerling potatoes in an air fryer is a quick and convenient way to achieve a crispy, tasty side to serve alongside, steak, chicken, and salmon.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
- Fingerling Potatoes: For consistent cooking, cut the potatoes into wedges so they cook at the same rate.
- Olive Oil: Coat the potatoes in olive oil for a crispy finish.
- Spices: No air fried fingerling potatoes recipe is complete without garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, and dried herbs like dried oregano, and dried thyme.
Additions and Substitutions
I love the spices on the potatoes, but it’s fun to switch it up. Then, follow our instructions for cooking fingerling potatoes in the air fryer. Here are some of my favorite seasonings:
- Low Sodium Taco Seasoning
- Slap Ya Mama Seasoning Recipe
- Herbs de Provence
- Greek Seasoning like the one we use for our air fryer red potatoes.
- Zaa’tar
- Blackened Seasoning
- Italian Seasoning
- Garlic Parmesan cheese, use the same seasoning as our air fryer garlic parmesan wings
- Seasoning Salt
What’s the best substitute for fingerling potatoes?
Baby potatoes, Yukon golds, new potatoes, and red potatoes are all great substitutes for fingerling potatoes.
Tools Used to Make This Recipe
Make this easy side dish with a mixing bowl and an air fryer. I used an Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer with a large basket.
How to Make Air Fried Fingerling Potatoes
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 400℉ (204℃). Then, cut the potatoes in half and into thirds to create wedges.
Step 2: Pat the potatoes dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Then, add them to a large bowl and toss with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and dried thyme.
Step 3: Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and bake the potatoes for 15 minutes until they are golden brown, shaking the basket every 5 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Cut the air fryer fingerling potatoes the same size to ensure they cook at the same rate.
- Pat dry the potatoes to remove excess moisture.
- For the best results, be careful not to overcrowd the air fryer basket. This can cause the potatoes to steam rather than roast, preventing them from becoming crispy.
- Shake the basket halfway through to keep the potatoes from sticking.
Searching for More Like This?
If you love this easy recipe, pair them with one of these dinner favorites!
How to Dress the Potatoes
- Tzatziki
- Horseradish Cream Sauce
- Chimichurri with Cilantro
- Serrano Crema
- Toum, Garlic Aioli
- Skhug
- Pesto
- Salmoriglio Sauce
- Lemon Dill Aioli
What to Serve With Your Potatoes
Air-fried fingerling potatoes are a great addition to salad, a side dish with a main course, or a stand-alone appetizer with ranch dressing.
- Beef: Beef Ribs, Instant Pot Beef Ribs
- Lamb: Boneless Leg of Lamb
- Seafood: Baked Flounder with Pesto, Sriracha Salmon
- Poultry: Roasted Chicken, Baked Tandoori Chicken, Grilled Chicken Drumsticks, Tandoori Turkey
- Stew: Chili Con Carne with Beans, Beef Bourguignon
- Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Bacon, Moroccan Shakshuka
What to do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store the leftover potatoes in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Let the potatoes cool and transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Air fryer fingerling potatoes freeze for three months.
- Thaw – Before serving, defrost the potatoes in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – Use an air fryer to get the fingerling potatoes crispy. Preheat the air fryer to 350℉ (176℃) and cook them for 3-5 minutes, or warm them in a microwave, but they won’t be as crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have to cut the potatoes in half before air frying?
I love how crispy the potato wedges are after roasting them in the air fryer, but if you prefer whole-fingerling potatoes, wash them and leave them as is. Generally, fingerling potatoes take about 20 minutes to cook, shaking the basket every 5 minutes to ensure the potatoes cook evenly.
Why soak potatoes in water before air frying?
While some recipes call for soaking potatoes before cooking them, fingerling potatoes are excellent for roasting in the air fryer because they crisp nicely. And since they are low in starch compared to other potato varieties, they get crispy without soaking them- the air circulating in the air fryer helps!
However, leaving potatoes to soak for 30 minutes in cold water will remove some of the excess starch, which can result in crispier potatoes, but I don’t find it necessary.
How long do you air fry fingerling potatoes?
Cook the fingerling potatoes cut into wedges or diced for 15 minutes at 400℉ (204℃). However, you should increase the cooking time if you’re making whole fingerling potatoes; they will be tender after about 20 minutes.
Check the doneness of the potatoes by inserting a fork into one of the larger potatoes. Continue air frying in 1-2 minute increments until the potatoes are tender inside and crispy on the outside.
What do fingerling potatoes taste like?
The potatoes have a buttery and nutty flavor with a tender and creamy texture once they cook.
Are fingerling potatoes healthy?
Fingerling potatoes are a healthy part of a balanced diet, complete with vitamins like C and B6, minerals such as potassium, and dietary fiber.
Cooking the potatoes in the air fryer frying uses a fraction of the oil that deep or pan-fried potatoes require to become crispy.
More Air Fryer Potato Recipes:
Air Fried Fingerling Potatoes
- 1 bag fingerling potatoes, cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, coarse ground
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Preheat the air fryer to 400℉ (204℃). Then, cut the potatoes in half and into thirds to create wedges.
- Pat the potatoes dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Then, add them to a large bowl and toss with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and dried thyme.
- Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and bake the potatoes for 15 minutes until they are golden brown, shaking the basket every 5 minutes.
- Cut the air fryer fingerling potatoes the same size to ensure they cook at the same rate.
- Pat dry the potatoes to remove excess moisture.
- For the best results, be careful not to overcrowd the air fryer basket. This can cause the potatoes to steam rather than roast, preventing them from becoming crispy.
- Shake the basket halfway through to keep the potatoes from sticking.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.