Before it goes in the basket
Soak the cut wedges in cold water for 20 minutes, then dry them completely. Soaking removes surface starch, and surface starch is what glues wedges together and keeps them from crisping. Toss with oil after drying, never before.
Step by step
- 1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C) for 2–3 minutes.
- 2. Single layer. Arrange without crowding — air needs to reach every side.
- 3. Cook 16–20 minutes. Shake the basket or flip at the halfway mark.
- 4. Check doneness. Golden crust on the flat faces while the centers yield like a baked potato.
The tip that matters
Cut every wedge through the same axis so each has two flat faces to brown on.
Why this temperature
400°F is the setting that produces a shell. A wedge has a thick body, so you need heat high enough to build a crust on the cut faces during the 16–20 minutes the interior takes to go fluffy.
What usually goes wrong
- Gluey and stuck together. Skipped the soak. Surface starch is the culprit and cold water is the only fix.
- Crisp skin, dense interior. Not cooked long enough. The fluffy interior takes the full time even when the outside looks finished at 13 minutes.
- Uneven. Wedges cut from different sized potatoes. Sort them and cook similar sizes together.
Times vary — here's why
Air fryers differ in wattage and basket size, so treat 16–20 minutes as a range, not a promise: check early the first time, then note what your machine needed. Quantity matters too — a full basket can add 2–3 minutes, and anything stacked will steam instead of crisp. Converting your own oven recipe instead? Use our air fryer conversion calculator.
FAQ
How long do you air fry potato wedges?
Air fry potato wedges at 400°F (205°C) for 16–20 minutes, shaking or flipping halfway through. Start checking at 16 minutes — models vary.
Do you need to flip potato wedges in the air fryer?
Yes — shake the basket or flip halfway through for even browning.
How do you know when potato wedges are done?
Golden crust on the flat faces while the centers yield like a baked potato.
More vegetables
Baby Potatoes · Bell Peppers · Eggplant — or see the full air fryer cooking times chart.