Crispy Baby Potatoes

Picture golden-brown baby potatoes coming out of your air fryer with a crunchy seasoned shell and fluffy, soft centers. Each little potato gives you that amazing crunch-then-softness combo, packed with the piney taste of fresh rosemary and a mix of spices that hits just right. Your air fryer turns ordinary potatoes into can't-stop-eating bites that make any meal special, and they're ready in under 20 minutes.

I tried making these dozens of times and found out something important - if you wipe those potatoes completely dry before adding seasonings, you'll get those super crispy edges that make you want more.

Key Potato Ingredients

• Baby Potatoes (1.5 pounds): Go for ones smaller than golf balls with clean, smooth skins. Try mixing varieties - reds are creamy and a bit sweet, golds taste buttery and rich, while purple ones add cool color and nutty flavor. Make sure each potato feels solid when you squeeze it gently, without soft spots or green areas
• Fresh Rosemary (3-4 large sprigs): Look for bright green, strong-smelling sprigs with bendy needles that don't fall off. Skip any that look brown or dried out. Good rosemary smells pine-like when you rub it. Pull the leaves off and chop them up right before using
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2-3 tablespoons): Pick cold pressed, early harvest oil with a zesty, peppery finish. Good oil smells fresh and grassy with a slight bitter kick showing it's full of antioxidants. Buy ones in dark bottles to keep them fresh
• Garlic Powder (1 tablespoon): Get pure garlic powder without extra salt or clumping agents. Fresh stuff has a strong smell and smooth, even texture. Keep it sealed up away from heat and light
• Sweet Paprika (1 teaspoon): Hungarian paprika gives the best color and sweet pepper taste. Look for bright red color and fresh, sweet smell with no mustiness. Good paprika feels slightly damp and clumps a bit when pressed
• Kosher Salt (1.5 teaspoons): Diamond Crystal 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 has different colored specks and smells sharp and spicy when ground
• Mix-in Ideas: Try adding 2-3 whole fresh garlic cloves (pick firm heads with tight skin), some fresh thyme (with bright green, soft stems), or 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (aged 2-3 years for best taste)

Potato Cooking Magic

Prep Work:

Wash your potatoes really well then dry them completely so the seasonings stick properly.

Adding Flavors:

Mix potatoes with oil first, then sprinkle in seasonings bit by bit while mixing to coat everything evenly.

Air Fryer Setup:

Put potatoes cut-side down in one layer so air can flow around each piece.

Getting the Heat Right

Heat Control:

Keep it at 400°F the whole time, and check they're done by seeing if a fork slides in easily.

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Through lots of testing in my kitchen, I found that letting the seasoned potatoes sit for 5 minutes before cooking helps the flavors sink in better.

Tasty Food Combos

Make awesome meals by serving these with herb-topped salmon, stuffing them in breakfast wraps, or offering them as fancy finger food with garlic mayo dip.

Fun Recipe Twists

Try mixing up different herbs, add a crunchy cheese layer, or throw in some roasted garlic for extra flavor.

Keeping Leftovers Fresh

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

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After tweaking this recipe many times, I've found that amazing roasted potatoes come down to three things: getting them ready right, cooking at the perfect temperature, and watching the time carefully. What you get is a side dish that works for both comfort food nights and fancy dinners.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Is boiling the potatoes necessary?

Nope, just wash, cut, season, and the air fryer takes care of it!

→ Can I swap the seasonings?

Of course! You can try thyme, oregano, or any spice mix you like.

→ Why slice them in half?

Cutting them lets them crisp up better and cook evenly!

→ Can larger potatoes work too?

Sure, just chop them into smaller chunks so they cook evenly.

→ How should I reheat leftovers?

Pop them into the air fryer at 350°F for a few minutes to crisp them back up.