These air fryer parmesan potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes to make. They come out golden and crispy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, and loaded with flavor.
The parmesan forms this amazing crust around each potato half that is honestly hard to stop eating. It’s the kind of side dish that might just steal the show from whatever main course you’re serving.
What I love most is how simple this recipe is. You just need baby potatoes, olive oil, parmesan, and a few basic seasonings you probably already have in your kitchen.
The air fryer does all the heavy lifting here. In under 20 minutes, you get perfectly crispy potatoes without having to heat up your whole oven.
Whether you serve these alongside grilled chicken, steak, or just eat them on their own as a snack, they never disappoint.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Incredibly Crispy Outside and Creamy Inside – The air fryer gives these potatoes a golden parmesan crust while keeping the inside perfectly soft and fluffy.
Ready in Under 20 Minutes – From prep to plate these crispy parmesan potatoes take less than 20 minutes in the air fryer.
The Parmesan Crust Is Unreal – The parmesan melts and crisps up into a savory cheesy coating that makes every single bite addictive.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Baby Potatoes (Yukon Gold or red), halved
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
How To Make
Step 1
Halve the baby potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until each piece is evenly coated.
Step 2
In a small bowl, stir together the parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle the parmesan mixture over the oiled potatoes and toss well, making sure every potato half gets a generous coating.
Step 3
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 2 minutes. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the basket, cut-side down, so the flat surface gets maximum contact with the heat. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.
Step 4
Air fry for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking the basket once at the 10-minute mark, until the potatoes are golden and crispy on the outside and fork-tender on the inside. The parmesan should form a beautiful golden crust.
Step 5
Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and an extra dusting of parmesan if desired, and serve immediately while hot and crispy.
Tips
Keep the Potatoes Cut-Side Down
Placing every potato half cut-side down is the single most important step for getting that crispy parmesan crust. The flat surface sitting directly against the hot basket is what gives you that golden, crunchy bottom.
When you shake the basket at the 10-minute mark, try to flip them so the cut side faces up for the remaining time. This way both sides get nice and crispy instead of just one.
If some potatoes flip during the shake and end up cut-side down again, that’s totally fine. Just do your best to get most of them flipped.
Don’t Skip Preheating
Those 2 minutes of preheating make a real difference. When the potatoes hit an already-hot basket, the parmesan starts crisping up right away instead of slowly warming up and turning soft.
If you skip preheating, the cheese tends to melt and stick to the basket before it has a chance to form that golden crust. A hot basket basically acts like a hot pan and gives you that instant sear on the flat side.
Use Finely Grated Parmesan
The parmesan needs to be finely grated, almost like a powder. If you use thick shreds or chunks, they won’t stick to the potatoes and will just fall off or burn at the bottom of the basket.
The finely grated stuff mixes evenly with the spices and clings to the olive oil on the potatoes. That’s how you get a thin, even coating that turns into a crust instead of clumps of cheese that burn.
If you’re buying pre-grated parmesan from a container, that usually works well. If you’re grating a block yourself, use the finest side of your grater.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges
- Air Fryer Parmesan Truffle Fries
- Air Fryer Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Air Fryer Loaded Hasselback Potatoes
- Air Fryer Greek Potatoes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular large potatoes instead of baby potatoes?
You can, but you will need to cut them into small, bite-sized chunks – roughly the same size as a halved baby potato – so they cook evenly. Larger pieces will take longer to get tender on the inside, so add a few extra minutes to the cook time and check with a fork.
That said, baby Yukon Gold or red potatoes work best here because their naturally creamy texture pairs perfectly with the crispy parmesan coating. Larger russet potatoes tend to be starchier and drier, so the result will not be quite the same.
Air Fryer Parmesan Potatoes
- air fryer
- 1.5 lb Baby Potatoes (Yukon Gold or red), halved
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
- Halve the baby potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until each piece is evenly coated.
- In a small bowl, stir together the parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle the parmesan mixture over the oiled potatoes and toss well, making sure every potato half gets a generous coating.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 2 minutes. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the basket, cut-side down, so the flat surface gets maximum contact with the heat. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.
- Air fry for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking the basket once at the 10-minute mark, until the potatoes are golden and crispy on the outside and fork-tender on the inside. The parmesan should form a beautiful golden crust.
- Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and an extra dusting of parmesan if desired, and serve immediately while hot and crispy.