Crispy Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes (Home Fries)

Air fryer breakfast potatoes are delicious, quick and easy to make. Learn how to season and air fry them for the most flavorful breakfast side.

Love potatoes for breakfast? Try steak and potato hash or sheet pan sweet potato breakfast hash next.

Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes

If you want crispy breakfast potatoes without standing over the stove, the air fryer is the easiest way to make them. Cube the potatoes, toss them with olive oil and seasoning, and they cook up golden and crispy in about 20 minutes.

I’ve tested this recipe many times and Yukon gold potatoes are my favorite for this method. They stay creamy in the center while the edges get perfectly crisp in the air fryer. Trust me, once you make breakfast potatoes this way it’s hard to go back to the skillet.

They’re perfect next to scrambled eggs, tucked into breakfast burritos, or served alongside a vegetable frittata when you’re feeding a crowd.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes

Here are the simple ingredients for these crispy breakfast potatoes. Skip down to the recipe card below for full measurements.

Potatoes: What kind of potatoes should you use? I used mini yukon gold potatoes because I find them to be the best for air frying, but russet potatoes or red potatoes work well.
Olive oil
Seasoning:garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
Parsley: this is optional for topping, but it looks pretty and adds some fresh flavor.

air fryer breakfast potato ingredients on a table

How to Make Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes

These air fryer breakfast potatoes cook in about 20 minutes and get crispy when the potatoes are cut evenly and spread in a single layer.

Cut the potatoes

Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. To do this, slice off a small portion of onoe of the long sides so the potato lays flat. Lay the potato vertically and slice it lengthwise 1/2 inch apart. Next, roll the potato to its side and repeat the 1/2 inch cuts. Turn the potato horizontal and finish with more 1/2 cuts that cube and fall apart. You could also use a vegetable chopper to easily dice them.
Note: No need to soak the potatoes to get them crispy. Usually this helps remove some of the excess starch and makes french fries crispy. I found that these were crispy enough, so save some time and skip it!

how to cube potatoes for breakfast potatoes — cut into 1/2 inch slices

slicing a yukon gold potato for air fryer breakfast potatoes — cut into 1/2 inch slices

Season the potatoes

Place the diced potatoes in a large bowl then add the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
Toss to coat the potatoes really well in the seasoning.

potatoes in a mixing bowl with seasoning — add the seasoning

diced potatoes tossed with breakfast seasoning — add the seasoning

Air fry

Transfer the seasoned potatoes to the air fryer basket and air fry at 375°F for 10 minutes. Use the handle to open the basket and shake the basket to stir the potatoes. Place them back in the air fry for another 10 minutes. The potatoes should be fork-tender and starting to brown around the edges. Overcrowding the basket will result in less crispy potatoes. You may need to work in batches depending on how large your air fryer is.
If your air fryer has an air broil function, you can broil them for 2-3 minutes to get the edges extra crispy at the end, shaking as needed to stir. If you don’t have a broil function, turn the heat up to 450°F and do the same thing.
Top them with fresh herbs before adding them to your breakfast plate!

Success tip: place the potatoes in a single layer so they crisp instead of steam. Adding less oil also helps prevent them from getting soggy. The cooking time may vary depending on how large you cut the potatoes. Just make sure you cut them all the same size!

uncooked breakfast potatoes in an air fryer basket — Air fry 20 minutes

crispy cooked air fryer breakfast potatoes in an air fryer basket — Air fry 20 minutes

FAQs

Do you have to soak the potatoes?

Most fried potatoes require soaking in cold water to remove excess starch for even cooking and crispy outsides. However, I tested this recipe without soaking and you can see they turned out very crispy! You can soak them for an hour if you want, but it’s not necessary.

Do you peel the potato skin?

Peel the skin before dicing if you’re not a fan of it. But I really love the skin and found it helps them get even more crispy.

How long do breakfast potatoes take in the air fryer?

Air fryer breakfast potatoes typically take 18–22 minutes at 375°F, depending on the size of the potato cubes. Shake the basket a few times during cooking so the potatoes brown evenly and develop crispy edges.

Recipe Variations

Cheesy: add 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese with the seasoning.
Veggies: dice 1 bell pepper and 1/2 medium onion and mix them with the potatoes.
Spicy: add 1/2 tsp chili powder and a pinch of cayenne to the seasoning mix.

wooden spoon with air fryer breakfast potatoes

Storage and Reheating

Store cooled potatoes in an air tight container for up to 5 days. You can microwave them, but they won’t be crispy anymore.

For the best results, spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet then cover them with foil and roast at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

What to serve with Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes

Bacon is always a great breakfast option. We like to bake ours in the oven. You could even air fry these too! We have an amazing recipe for sweet and spicy twisted bacon everyone loves.
A quiche or vegetable frittata are classic brunch recipes made with eggs and go really well with this air fryer breakfast potato recipe.
Make a few over easy eggs and serve them on top of the potatoes with hot sauce.
Add them to a hearty breakfast like breakfast burritos or add them as the perfect side dish for breakfast quesadillas.

air fryer breakfast potatoes topped with fresh parsley

More air fryer recipes

If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!

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5 from 21 votes