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Air Fryer Roast Potatoes with Garlic (no boiling)

Crisp and fluffy air fryer roast potatoes flavoured with garlic and there's no need to parboil the potatoes first. 

bowl of air fryer roast potatoes.

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Air Fryer Roast Potatoes with Garlic (no boiling)


My Christmas dinner series of recipes continues with these air fryer roast potatoes.

Easy to make and they taste great.

They are cooked with less oil but are still crisp on the outside and fluffy within.

I think it's good to use less oil when roasting potatoes.


Make them even crisper!


If you don't mind using extra oil, you can make these easy roast potatoes even crisper.

All you need to do is take them out a few times during the second cook and brush them with more oil.

You can also leave them to cook a bit longer if you prefer the potatoes to be a deeper colour.


rectangular glass pyrex dish with water in the bottom

Air fryer potatoes without boiling


As I said already, there is no need to boil your potatoes before roasting them in the air fryer.

The technique I use is to double-cook them.

First, they are steamed, and then they are roasted.

But don't worry, this air fryer recipe is much quicker than the traditional method of roasting potatoes which is popular here in the UK for serving with the Sunday roast.

They only take 35-40 minutes to cook in total compared to the usual 1 hour or even longer.

And no pots to wash up.


How to steam potatoes in the air fryer before roasting


My method is super easy.

First, add an ovenproof dish with a layer of boiling water (at least 2 ½ cm/1 inch) in the bottom, to the base of the air fryer.

I use a square glass pyrex dish, which fits nicely in my air fryer

I also use it for puddings, sauces or meals with sauces.

Just measure your air fryer first to find an ovenproof dish that fits.

Preheat the air fryer for a couple of minutes, then add the peeled and halved (or quartered) potatoes to a high shelf.

If you have drawer style air fryer, you can buy a shelf for it, or repurpose the metal shelves in microwaves, NEVER the plastic ones, as they would just melt.

The potatoes are effectively steamed as they cook, before they are roasted

See the recipe card below for full details.


air fryer roasted potatoes in a grey ceramic bowl

Which type of potatoes make good roast potatoes?


When roasting potatoes, you want a good floury potato.

The best potatoes to roast are Maris Piper or King Edwards.

Desiree potatoes are pretty good too.

I usually buy Maris Piper when I'm roasting potatoes.


Olive oil or vegetable oil?


The next consideration is which oil you use to roast potatoes.

Vegetable oil or rapeseed oil smoke at a higher temperature than olive oil, so that can be a good option.

I prefer the flavour of olive oil and didn't find smoke a problem when air frying the potatoes.

And of course using olive oil, rapeseed oil or vegetable oil mean the potatoes are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.


crispy roast potatoes in a grey bowl

Flavouring roast potatoes


I keep it simple when I make these crispy roast potatoes.

Simply flavoured with garlic, salt and pepper.

You can use garlic powder or fresh garlic that has been crushed or finely grated.


Spice them up


Love a bit of spice?

For a bit of warmth and heat, add paprika and chilli powder when tossing your potatoes.

You could also add dried or fresh herbs for more colour or flavour.

Or you could go for curry spices and add ground ginger, turmeric and cumin. 

The turmeric would give them a wonderful golden colour and leftovers would be wonderful in a wrap with salad and mango chutney.


Why air fryer roast potatoes are so good?


Hopefully, I've won you over to the joy of air-fried roast potatoes, but if you are still not convinced, here are the reasons I love them.

  1. Easy to make
  2. No messy roasting tin to clean
  3. Uses less oil
  4. Lower fat and calories
  5. Better for your health
  6. Can be flavoured
  7. Quicker to make
  8. Crisp and fluffy potatoes
  9. An air fryer is cheaper to run than an oven
  10. Leaves room on the cooker top and oven for cooking the rest of the meal
For more air fryer recipes, check out my air fryer page on my lunch blog The Vegan Lunchbox.

If you are interested in the air fryer I use and love, it's a Tower 5-in-1 air fryer with shelves and a glass door.

Just three options on the digital display and you can give it a quick wipe once it's cool and throw the mesh shelves in the dishwasher.



Christmas Shallot Pastry Crown served with cranberry sauce and roast potatoes.

How to serve air fryer roasted potatoes



Roasted potatoes are the perfect side with any Sunday roast, but they are also often the star of the show at Christmas dinner too.

My brother-in-law always says he doesn't mind what I cook for Christmas dinner as long as there are lots of roast potatoes.

At Christmas, I serve my roast potatoes with roast parsnips, some extra veg and gravy (try this mushroom gravy) alongside one of the following. 


For more Christmas ideas, check out my Vegan Christmas page.


Leftover roast potatoes


Leftover roasties, once cool, can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Reheat them in the air fryer or serve them cold in a wrap with salad and mango chutney.

Alternatively, just snack on them from the fridge.

We all know that is going to happen anyway!


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Easy crisp and fluffy air fryer roast potatoes suitable for vegetarians & vegans.

Also, join my Facebook group Living on the Veg. It's a very friendly community with lots of recipes and chat. I'm in there every day chatting to group members.

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How to cook roasted potatoes in an air fryer

Scroll down for step-by-step photos followed by a full printable recipe. 

If you don't have a printer, hit print then save as a PDF.

air fryer roast potatoes - step 1.

Step 1

  • Peel, and cut the potatoes.
  • Add an ovenproof dish with water to the bottom of your air fryer.
  • Preheat the air fryer for a few minutes.
  • Add your potatoes to an air fryer shelf above the water. If you have an air fryer with shelves use the top of the air fryer to cook the potatoes.

air fryer roast potatoes - step 2.

Step 2

  • Steam the potatoes.
  • Remove from the air fryer and pop them in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the oil, garlic, salt and pepper and toss to coat.
  • Increase the temperature, then add the potatoes to the shelf again and roast.
  • You can brush them with more oil during the last cook, if you like.
  • Serve and enjoy!

roasted potatoes, roast potatoes, air fryer roast potatoes, air fryer roasted potatoes, air fryer recipe, air fryer recipe UK
dinner
British
Yield: 3-4
Author: Jacqueline Meldrum
Air Fryer Roast Potatoes with Garlic

Air Fryer Roast Potatoes with Garlic

Crisp and fluffy air fryer roast potatoes flavoured with garlic and there's no need to parboil the potatoes first.
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min

Ingredients

  • 6 medium potatoes (floury potatoes, see notes), peeled and halved or cut into thirds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or a fresh garlic clove, crushed or finely grated)
  • a good grinding of salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Add an ovenproof dish with water at least (2 ½ cm/1 inch) to the bottom of your air fryer.
  2. Preheat the air fryer to 180c/350f for a few minutes.
  3. Add your potatoes to an air fryer shelf above the water. If you have an air fryer with shelves use the top of the air fryer to cook the potatoes.
  4. Steam for 15 minutes.
  5. Carefully remove the dish of water from the air fryer, it will be very hot.
  6. Then remove the potatoes from the air fryer (shut the air fryer to keep in the heat) and pop the steamed potatoes in a mixing bowl and add the oil and seasonings then toss to coat.
  7. Increase the air fryer temperature to 200c/400f and preheat for a couple of minutes.
  8. Pop the coated potatoes back in the drawer of your air fryer or top shelf and roast for 20-25 minutes until golden and crisp.
  9. To make them extra crispy, you can turn (toss) them and brush them with oil a couple of times during this second cook if you like.
  10. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • The best potatoes to use are floury potatoes. In the UK, Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes are the best options.
  • You can use olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, rapeseed oil or vegetable oil.
  • Vary the seasonings, you can also add fresh or dried herbs or flavour the potatoes with paprika and chilli powder or curry spices like ground ginger, turmeric and cumin.
  • Leftover potatoes once cool can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days.


Calories

3 portions = 373 calories per serving

4 portions = 279 calories per serving

Nutrition Facts

Calories

279.43

Fat (grams)

3.79

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.56

Carbs (grams)

56.37

Fiber (grams)

7.1

Net carbs

49.27

Sugar (grams)

2.51

Protein (grams)

6.58

Sodium (milligrams)

68.14

Cholesterol (grams)

0

This information is approximated using a nutrition and calorie calculator.

18 comments

  1. Oh perfect. I bought a Wellington to have with my daughter this weekend. I will pop these on at the same time. Jill x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is obviously fate Jill. Enjoy them and let me know what you think.

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  2. I have been meaning to try potatoes in my airfryer but thought I would have to boil them first. Gonna try it your way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a bit of an experiment, but it works well. Enjoy them.

      Delete
  3. I bet there is so much flavor in these... I love potatoes and I love them even more with galric!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well you could totally add more garlic if you like potatoes garlicky

      Delete
  4. I can see how this can pair so well with so many of my favorite dishes. Can't wait to get to cooking now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes who can ever say no to potatoes? Enjoy them Dionne.

      Delete
  5. This recipe was so much easier than making regular roasted potatoes in the oven, and the potatoes turned out perfectly crispy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these potatoes are fantastic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aww that is lovely to hear. I am so pleased you enjoyed them.

      Delete
  7. What an easy way to make delicious potatoes! I'll be getting a lot more use out of my air fryer after finding this recipe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am loving my air fryer and using it loads. I hope you enjoy the roast potatoes.

      Delete
  8. Another great recipe to add to my folder. Thanks (Sam)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Enjoy them Sam. They are super easy!

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    2. Hello….I’ve just discovered your blog…and am like a kid in a sweet shop looking at your recipes. I love the roast potatoes but my airfryer has a basket not a shelf.
      Is there a clever way i can follow the steam method you outline before the actual roasting? Thank-you

      Delete
    3. Oh now there is a question. If you have a rack to sit them on in the drawer you could add a little water underneath. Apart from that I am not sure. Glad you found my blog though and hello 😁

      Delete

I love reading comments, so thank you for taking the time to leave one. Unfortunately, I'm bombarded with spam, so I've turned on comment moderation. I'll publish your comments as soon as I can and respond to them. Don't panic, they will disappear when you hit publish. Jac x