Potato wedges are a stupidly simple side dish that you can cook perfectly in either an air fryer or oven and I have instructions for both.
These wedges take around 30 minutes to cook in an air fryer and 45 minutes in the oven and you can season them in countless ways. Of course, I have a few to choose from!
How to Cook Perfect Potato Wedges
Potatoes get a rough ride from so many people, but they are magic. Whether it be mashed potato, chip shop style chips, roast potatoes, potato salad or wedges they have been a favourite side dish ingredient forever!
I may also be a little biased, I’m British of a certain age and potatoes were almost always on every dish when I was growing up.
My website is even named after the glorious tuber. Krumpli is a colloquial Hungarian word for potato, essentially my website is called spud!
Wedges are often “healthiest” and as we will find out the simplest of these dishes. It is also really easy to pimp and change them up to compliment your main dish.
Whether you cook them in an air fryer or in the oven potato wedges are a perfect low-maintenance side.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to cook potato wedges?
So often hyperbole rules the roost on the internet and screaming about the “BEST” way to do things is “de rigueur”.
However, most of the time “best” ignores context and in this instance, the context of what else you are cooking defines how best to to cook potato wedges.
If for instance, I am cooking on a stove like my gluhwein pork belly bites (below) or a nice rump steak then I would make air fryer potato wedges.
If I am cooking something in the oven like my Indian roast chicken legs or steak and stilton pie I would oven bake my potato wedges. Just cook them at a lower temperature for around 45-50 minutes.
Then turn the heat up as high as it will go and flip the oven to fan mode to get some colour when you remove whatever they are cooking with.
What type of potatoes should I use?
Go for something floury, this will give you that light and fluffy texture which is perfect against that crispy exterior.
UK cooks should look for something like a Maris Piper or King Edwards, for those of you in the US an Idaho or Russet would work well.
What sort of fat or oil should I use?
My favourite type of fat to use is beef dripping, melt it a little on the stovetop or in a microwave before using.
But you could easily use vegetable oil, sunflower oil, ground nut oil or even olive oil.
The types of fat are interchangeable for air fryer and oven-baked potato wedges.
Serving Suggestions
You guys know what wedges go with right? So rather than list sides in my serving suggestions, I have a mini guide to seasoning your wedges.
These suggestions work for both air fryer and oven-baked potato wedges.
First of all, you need a little oil and a good whack of salt, the oil gets the potatoes crispy and golden and the salt gives us flavour.
The most important note is to never use powdered spices on wedges at the start of the cooking process. They scorch and go bitter, particularly spices like paprika.
If you are using powdered spices sprinkle them on at the end of the cooking process give them no longer than 2-3 minutes. I usually stick to just 1 minute.
Dried herbs like thyme, rosemary and oregano are fine at the start of the cooking process.
As are seeds like fennel, cumin and coriander. Seeds should be lightly crushed first and you should make sure that the herbs and seeds are well coated with oil.
4 great flavour combinations to try include:
- Fab with Chicken: Thyme and Garlic Salt from the start and hit up with lots of paprika at the end.
- Perfect with Pork. Crushed fennel seeds, thyme and rosemary from the start with lots of black pepper.
- Indian Vibe. Crushed cumin and coriander seeds and dried fenugreek from the start with powdered turmeric and Kashmiri chilli at the end.
- Cheesy: Garlic salt and pepper to get started, parmesan cheese for the last 5 minutes.
Equipment Used
I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Oven or Air Fryer. I use a Tefal XXL air fryer with a large basket. If you are using an air fryer with a small basket take care not to overfill it.
- Baking tray if you are oven-baking your wedges.
- Mixing bowl.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
Air Fryer or Oven Baked Potato Wedges Recipe
Crispy potato wedges are the perfect side dish for everything from Burgers to chicken wings and this is how to get the perfect every time in either an air fryer or in the oven.
Ingredients
- 550-600g (3 x 9-10cm or 3½-4" ) Floury Potatoes
- 2 Tbsp Cooking Oil or Melted Hard Fat
- ½ Tsp Salt
- Seasonings of your choice
Instructions
- Cut your potatoes into wedges ensuring that the skin side of the wedge is 2-2.5 cm in size.
- Place the potatoes in a bowl and add the salt, oil (do not add the oil if you are baking in the oven) and any seed or dried herb-based seasoning and toss to coat well. If you are using ground spice-based seasonings add them for the last minute of cooking.
Air Fryer Cooking Instructions:
- Place the wedges in the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 180°C, 350°F for 16 minutes shaking halfway through.
- Turn the heat up to 200°C, 400°F and cook for a final 5-10 minutes.
- Add any powdered spice seasoning for the last 60 seconds.
- Oven Cooking Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, 390°F and whilst it is heating up place a baking tray with the oil or hard fat in it.
- When the oven is hot add the seasoned potatoes, toss them in the hot oil and bake for 45-50 minutes giving them a "shake" halfway through.
- Add any powdered spice seasoning for the last 60 seconds.
Notes
If you use larger potatoes you will need to either cut them smaller or cook them longer.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 356Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 606mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 6gSugar: 3gProtein: 6g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.