Air Fryer Smiley Fries
Learn how to make Air Fryer Smiley Fries in your air fryer or Ninja Foodi! The air fryer is a great way to cook smiley fries to make them crispy on the outside and tender on the inside in just 15 minutes or less!
The best way to cook any french fries (fresh or frozen) is by using your air fryer! The air fryer is a small convection oven that uses dry circulating heat to cook food. This means that your food will cook evenly on all sides and get nice and crispy in half the time as using a regular oven.
😁What are smiley fries?
Smiley fries are just a fun shape of french fry! They are usually cut from russet potatoes and have a waffle-like texture. They are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, making them a fun snack or side dish for kids!
The most popular brand is by McCain and are called “Smiles” Mashed Potato shapes. You can also find other brands as well.
🍟What You’ll Need
Frozen Smiley Fries – These can be found in the frozen section of any grocery store. Popular brands include McCain, Alexia, and Ore-Ida.
Air Fryer or Ninja Foodi – Any air fryer will work for this recipe. We love using the Ninja Foodi because it’s reliable, sturdy, and versatile!
Tongs – Since the air fryer will heat to 375F, you’ll want to make sure you’re handling the fries with tongs when removing and flipping.
🔥How To Make Frozen Smiley Fries In Air Fryer
1️⃣Preheat the air fryer: Turn the air fryer to 375F and preheat for 3-5 minutes.
2️⃣Air fry frozen smiley fries: Add the frozen smiley fries to the air fryer in a single layer with very little overlapping. Set the timer for 15 minutes.
3️⃣Flip halfway: At the 8-minute mark, flip or toss the smiley fries using tongs to evenly cook. Air fry for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the smiley fries are golden brown and warmed through on the inside.
4️⃣Remove and serve: Remove the cooked smiley fries from the air fryer and serve with your favorite foods.
👩🏻🍳Air Fryer Frozen French Fries Cooking Tips
- Preheating is important. This allows the air fryer to get up to temperature quickly so the fries defrost and cook within 15 minutes.
- Single layer. Place the fries in a single layer on the bottom of the air fryer basket otherwise they will not cook evenly. You may need to cook in batches for a larger amount of fries.
- Toss or flip halfway. Be sure to toss or flip the fries at the halfway point so they cook evenly on all sides.
- Extra crispy fries. For smiley fries that are extra crispy, spray with a light coating of cooking spray before adding to the air fryer basket.
- Best time and temperature. 400F for 15 minutes is a great baseline to start with when cooking french fries in the air fryer. Your individual air fryer plus the size of your fries will determine the right cooking time. Adjust as necessary.
- Reheat french fries in the air fryer. If your french fries are already cooked you can reheat french fries in the air fryer quickly and easily.
🍟More Air Fryer Fry Recipes
- Air Fryer Crinkle Cut Fries
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Air Fryer Yuca Fries
- Air Fryer Steak Fries
- Air Fryer Frozen Diced Potatoes
- Air Fryer Potato Wedges
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges
- Air Fryer Frozen Curly Fries
Air Fryer Smiley Fries
Equipment
- Air Fryer or Ninja Foodi
Ingredients
- 28 oz Smiley Fries (mashed potato shapes) frozen
Instructions
- Turn the air fryer to 400F and preheat for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the frozen smiley fries to the air fryer in a single layer with very little overlapping. Set the timer for 15 minutes.
- At the 8 minute mark, flip or toss the curly fries using tongs to evenly cook.
- Air fry for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the smiles fries are golden brown and warmed through on the inside.
- Remove the cooked smiley fries from the air fryer and serve with your favorite foods.
