These air fryer crispy breakfast potatoes with peppers are one of my favorite things to make on a weekend morning. They come out golden, crispy, and full of flavor every single time.
The air fryer does all the heavy lifting here. You get that perfect crunch on the outside without needing to stand over a hot skillet flipping potatoes around.
The mix of colorful bell peppers and onion adds a nice sweetness that pairs so well with the seasoned potatoes. It looks great on a plate too.
You can serve these alongside eggs, toast, or really anything you like for breakfast. They also work as a side dish for lunch or dinner.
The whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes, and the ingredient list is simple. Let me walk you through how I make them.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Perfectly Crispy Every Time – The air fryer gives these potatoes an irresistibly golden and crunchy exterior that rivals any diner-style breakfast potatoes.
Loaded with Flavor – The paprika and garlic powder combo creates a savory and slightly smoky seasoning that makes every bite absolutely delicious.
Beautiful Color on Your Plate – The red and green bell peppers alongside golden potatoes make this dish look as amazing as it tastes.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
- 1/2 medium Onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- Fresh Parsley, chopped
How To Make
Step 1
Place diced potatoes in a bowl and microwave for 4 minutes to partially cook. Drain any excess moisture and pat dry.
Step 2
Add bell peppers, onion, olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to potatoes. Toss until everything is evenly coated.
Step 3
Spread mixture in air fryer basket in an even layer. Air fry at 400°F for 15-18 minutes, shaking basket every 5 minutes.
Step 4
Continue cooking until potatoes are golden brown and crispy, and peppers are tender with slight char.
Step 5
Transfer to serving dish, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot.
Tips
Dry the Potatoes After Microwaving
After you microwave the potatoes, they’ll release a lot of moisture. You need to drain that water off and then actually pat them dry with a paper towel before tossing them with the oil and spices.
If the potatoes are wet when they go into the air fryer, they’ll steam instead of crisp up. That extra moisture is the number one reason people end up with soft, soggy breakfast potatoes instead of crispy ones.
Take an extra minute here and it’ll make a huge difference in the final result.
Add the Peppers and Onion Halfway Through
Even though the instructions say to toss everything together from the start, peppers and onions cook way faster than potatoes. By the time your potatoes are golden and crispy, the peppers can end up mushy and the onions can burn.
A better approach is to air fry just the seasoned potatoes for about 8-10 minutes first. Then toss in the peppers and onion for the remaining time.
This way your potatoes get properly crispy and your peppers still have a nice bite with a little char on the edges.
Don’t Overcrowd the Basket
This recipe makes a decent amount of food, and if you pile it all into the basket it won’t crisp up evenly. The hot air needs space to circulate around each piece.
Try to keep everything in a single layer with a little room between the pieces. If your air fryer is on the smaller side (3-4 quart), cook this in two batches instead of forcing it all in at once.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
- Air Fryer Sausage & Pepper Breakfast Hash
- Air Fryer Home Fries
- Air Fryer Perfect Bacon
- Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you microwave the potatoes before air frying them?
Microwaving the potatoes for a few minutes gives them a head start on cooking from the inside. Without this step, the outside of the potato cubes can get too dark before the inside is fully cooked through.
It also helps the surface dry out a bit after you pat them down, which is exactly what you want for getting that crispy golden exterior in the air fryer.
Air Fryer Crispy Breakfast Potatoes with Peppers
- 1.5 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
- 1/2 medium Onion, diced
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- Fresh Parsley, chopped
- Place diced potatoes in a bowl and microwave for 4 minutes to partially cook. Drain any excess moisture and pat dry.
- Add bell peppers, onion, olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to potatoes. Toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Spread mixture in air fryer basket in an even layer. Air fry at 400°F for 15-18 minutes, shaking basket every 5 minutes.
- Continue cooking until potatoes are golden brown and crispy, and peppers are tender with slight char.
- Transfer to serving dish, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot.