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Cooking With Anadi
12K subscribers · crispy fries layered with melted cheese and smoky bacon
Loaded Air Fryer Fries
I’m becoming known on YouTube as being the French Fry Guy. Psst, please take the time to subscribe to my channel to get notified when new video recipes are live! I also premiere my videos so you can chat with other foodies and make new friends!
Even if you’ve followed the blog for a while, you’ll see that I’ve got so many recipes that revolve around French fries! From Crispy Air Fryer French Fries, Oven-Baked Fries, to Restaurant-Style Deep Fried Fries, you can make fries however you want! While plain fries are true love, I’m always in the mood for an Epic Canadian Poutine!
What else can you do with fries? I’ve got a recipe for Cheesy Mozzarella Fries. Those are fantastic with a nice creamy cheese garlic sauce.
What if you want even more loaded goodness, you may ask? And what if you want to do it while dirtying as few dishes as possible?
This Loaded Air Fryer Fries recipe has got you covered! We’ll have awesome bacon bits, stringy mozzarella cheese, nice gooey cheddar, cheese, and sour cream, all topped with some chives. This is going to be so easy to do with just the use of your air fryer!
Of course you can technically cook the fries however method you’d like. You could deep fry them or bake them in the oven, but if you’re already using the air fryer, I definitely recommend you air fry your fries! It’ll also make the clean-up easier! You just need to cook your fries first, then we’ll get onto loading them!
These fries make for the perfect restaurant-style appetizer, or increase the quantity for a main. When I made these air fryer loaded fries, I had them as a main haha I’m sure glad I did because I did not want that plate to end!
I thought of making these bacon cheese fries for a couple of reasons:
- While I’m not much of a TikTok user, I was browsing around the latest food trends just to see what’s up. I saw someone load up their fries in the air fryer.
- I love using my air fryer and want to share more air fryer recipes.
- I just wanted to eat some fries.
- I love fries and cheese and bacon.
At the time of writing this, restaurant patios just reopened. While you may know I’m a home body, when I do pass by restaurants, I see some awesome appetizers. When you cook at home, you have the power to recreate any deliciousness you may have tasted, I truly believe that!
For all the American readers out there, the Fourth of July is also soon approaching. If you’re looking for an awesome dish to serve at your party (yay, we can have parties again!), then this will totally be a game changer! You can easily adapt this recipe to make a large batch of it so there’s enough for everyone! Trust me, you’ll want to make a lot - this is just so so good!
The air fryer makes this dish incredibly easy to whip up. I honestly got this ready in about an hour, and keep in mind I was taking my time because of recording! While this is such an effortless appetizer to whip up, it certainly delivers in taste! The house was smelling amazing!
I’m sure your tummy is rumbling - I know mine is thinking about these amazing loaded fries - so let’s begin!
Can I use other cheeses For Loaded Air Fryer Fries?▼
You sure can! I used cheddar and mozzarella here because that’s what I had on hand and that’s what I felt like. I was originally going to use just cheddar cheese, but I wanted some cheese pulls. Mozzarella helps add stringiness (for awesome cheese pulls!), and cheddar adds body and a nice tanginess that comes from sharp old cheddar.
Here are some other cheeses that I would recommend for these Loaded Air Fryer French Fries:
- Monterey Jack
- Provolone
- Swiss Cheese
You want to have a cheese that’ll be nice and gooey and melts well to get cheese pulls, combined with a richer cheese to get flavor and texture. Mix and match any of these cheeses and experiment what combo works best for you!
What Potatoes are Best for Loaded Air Fryer Fries?▼
If you’ve seen all my other French fry recipes, you’ll know that I always fall back on using Yukon gold yellow potatoes. Yellow potatoes have been criticized for making limp fries. People probably aren’t cooking them right:)
I enjoy the flavor that comes from yellow potatoes versus russet potatoes. The color becomes a beautiful golden brown, and I find the inside nice and creamy. If you prefer using russet potatoes then feel free, but I find there’s a much better flavor that comes from making fries with Yukon gold yellow potatoes!
Also keep in mind that if you really want a shortcut, you could use some frozen fries for this recipe. You can cook your frozen fries in the air fryer and proceed with the toppings part of this recipe!
Tools Needed
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Large bowl
- Colander
- Paper towels
- Nonstick pan
- Air fryer
- Air fryer liners
- Baking sheet
Ingredients for Loaded Air Fryer Fries
Let’s go over the ingredients used in these awesome Loaded Air Fryer Fries. Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD for all ingredients with their measurements!
And these are the ingredients we’ll use to load up our delicious French fries!
- Bacon
- Mozzarella & cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Chives
How to Make Air Fryer Cheese Fries
You’ll begin by making the French fries. As mentioned earlier, you can make Restaurant-Style French Fries by deep frying your fries, you can Bake Your Fries in the oven, or you can make Perfect Crispy Air Fryer French Fries. I made my fries in the air fryer to make the most out of this air fryer recipe, and that’s what I’ll show you here in the video!
For the Fries (if Making in an Air Fryer)
- Add the peeled, cut fries in a large bowl and fill with cold water and soak for about 25 minutes (see tip for a shortcut). In the meanwhile, set a large pot of water to boil.
- Add soaked fries to the boiling water and boil for 3-5 minutes, or until the potatoes are partly cooked but still firm. Add only enough potatoes that will comfortably fit in your air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Drain the potatoes onto paper towel and gently pat dry. Then, transfer the fries to a large bowl and coat with olive oil. Gently toss the potatoes in the oil and arrange fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket
- Set Air Fryer to Air Fry mode at 400F and cook for 20 minutes.
- If making a multiple batch, transfer the fries from the air fryer basket to a bowl/baking sheet and repeat steps 2-4 for the remaining portion of fries.
- Once all the fries are crispy, you can toss all the fries in a single basket to refresh the fries at 375F-390F for 3-5 minutes. Voila!
- Season with salt to taste and toss well. Enjoy your fries!
For the Loaded Fries
- Start cooking your bacon on a cold pan and continue cooking while turning occasionally until it reaches the desired crispiness. Chop into bacon bits.
- Line the basket of the air fryer with aluminum foil. Add one layer of fries then one layer of cheese followed by the rest of the fries and the cheese.
- Close the drawer and set the air fryer to 350 F. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and molten.
- Hold the foil and transfer the fries onto a plate. Add a dollop of sour cream followed by the crispy bacon bits, chives. Serve hot and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks for Amazing Loaded Bacon & Cheese Air Fryer Fries
- Be consistent with the thickness of the fries as you cut them. The more even the shape and size of the fries, the better consistency you will see with the doneness.
- Soak the fries in cold water to rinse off excess starch to help get the fries crispy.
- In case you are short on time and patience soak the potatoes in cold water only until the water comes to a boil.
- Boil the potatoes in batches large enough to comfortably fit in your air fryer basket in a single layer.
Serving Suggestions for Loaded Air Fryer Bacon & Cheese Fries
You can have these Loaded Air Fryer Bacon & Cheese Fries with pretty much any dinner! They go amazingly well with any burger or sandwich. Here are some ideas:
- Juicy California Grilled Chicken Burger
- Cajun Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
- Better Chicken Salad Sandwich
- Supreme Grilled Veggie Pate Burger
What Air Fryer Should I use for Loaded Air Fryer Fries?▼
As of updating this recipe in 2025, I now use the Cosori Air Fryer 6 QT TurboBlaze air fryer! However, either air fryer will work, as outlined in the section below.
The air fryer I have is the Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 2-Basket Air Fryer. I love this air fryer for so many reasons! This air fryer has six settings:
- Air Fry
- Air Broil
- Reheat
- Dehydrate
- Bake
- Roast
To be honest, my go-to setting is “Air Fry.” I still need to test out the others, but you can’t go wrong with the setting that’s self-explanatory! I’ll update you when I’ve made recipes using some other settings!
One of my favorite parts about it is that there are two baskets! If you’re making two different items, then you can set the two baskets at different cook methods, temperatures, and cook times. This is great if you’re planning on making an entire meal in an air fryer! For instance, I prepared my Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings alongside with my Super Crispy Air Fryer Cajun Potato Wedges! Cook your protein in one basket and your veggies in the other. There’s a setting for “smart finish,” which means that when the basket that requires a longer cook time (typically the protein), is close to being finished, the second basket will automatically start. Even if you’re not making two different dishes, the second basket definitely comes in handy if you’re making a lot of something. I’ve made so many chicken wings and fries that I needed both baskets to fit everything!
Also, in comparison to a traditional oven, you don’t have to baby it. You set your temperature and timer and off it goes! It’ll stop when the timer runs out or if you use the “smart finish,” everything will finish together, and the appliance will turn off. No need to worry about your house burning down! So toss your items in the basket and clean up or watch TV!
If you want more details on my first impressions after a week of using the air fryer, then be sure to check out this video!
More Air Fryer Recipes!
Loved these Loaded Air Fryer Fries? I definitely recommend you try these Air Fryer recipes!
Air Fryer Cheese Fries from Scratch, or from a Bag of Frozen French Fries
These are air fryer cheese fries built from scratch, and scratch here means two large yellow potatoes cut into half-inch sticks rather than anything poured out of a box. The whole point of the soak and the parboil is that a potato going straight into an air fryer comes out leathery: cold water pulls out surface starch, three to five minutes in boiling water softens the inside while the outside stays firm, and only then does the fry go into the basket with two tablespoons of olive oil. Twenty minutes at 400F, in a single layer, is what turns that into a crisp fry.
If you are short on time, a bag of frozen french fries will absolutely work and I would rather you make loaded fries than make nothing. It is not what this recipe does, and you will lose the fluffy interior the parboil gives you, but frozen fries go straight into the basket with no soaking, no boiling and no oil. Among the air fryer tips already on this page, the two that matter most either way are the same: cut the fries to a consistent thickness so they finish together, and never crowd the basket. If you are cooking more than one batch, hold the finished fries aside and give the whole lot a final 3 to 5 minutes at 375F to 390F at the end so the early batch is as hot and crisp as the last.
The Best Cheese for Loaded Fries, and What Goes on Top of the Fries
The best cheese for loaded fries is not one cheese, it is two doing different jobs, which is why this recipe calls for a cup of shredded mozzarella and cheddar. Mozzarella is the stretch, the string you pull off the plate. Cheddar is the flavor, because mozzarella on its own is milky and mild and tastes of very little once it is buried under bacon. Buy it shredded or shred it yourself, but do not reach for anything pre-sliced; slices sit on top of the fries in sheets instead of sinking between them.
Layering is the part people get wrong. Line the air fryer basket with foil, then go fries, cheese, the rest of the fries, the rest of the cheese, so half the cheese ends up in the middle of the pile rather than all of it on top of the fries where it forms a lid. Ninety seconds to two minutes at 350F is all it takes to melt. Everything cold goes on afterward and off the heat: a dollop of sour cream, the bacon bits from your single slice of bacon started in a cold pan, and chives over the whole thing.
Serving Loaded Fries as a Snack, Plus Easy Swaps
This quantity feeds two as a proper snack or a shared appetizer, and it is worth saying that loaded fries are better as a snack than as a side, because they need to be eaten within about a minute of the cheese melting. A few easy swaps if your fridge disagrees with the ingredient list. No chives? Green onions, sliced thin, are the closest thing and give you a little more bite. Want more seasoning on the fries themselves? A pinch of garlic powder tossed with the salt at the end works well, though it is not in the recipe as written. And if you like heat, a drizzle of buffalo sauce over the finished plate turns these into something close to the Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings further down this page. None of these change the method, only what you reach for at the end.
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!
Recipe by Anadi Misra
Crispy, golden fries loaded with melted cheese and smoky bacon, all made in your air fryer. Super easy, incredibly satisfying, and ready in minutes. The ultimate air fryer potato recipe you need tonight.
Air fryer
5.0 · 1 rating
15 min
Prep
30 min
Cook
45 min
Total
2
servings
medium
Level
Ingredients
Ingredients
Tap any quantity to scale
For the French Fries
For the toppings
- bacon (or up to 2 slices)
- (115 g) mozzarella & cheddar cheese(shredded)
- (15 ml) sour cream
- chives(for garnish)
Instructions
For the fries (if air frying)
- 1
Add the peeled, cut fries in a large bowl and fill with cold water. Soak the fries and in the meantime, set a large pot of water to boil.
Add the peeled, cut fries in a large bowl and fill with cold water. Soak the fries and in the meantime, set a large pot of water to boil.
- 2
Add soaked fries to the boiling water and boil for 3-5 minutes, or until the potatoes are partly cooked but still firm. Add only enough potatoes that will comfortably fit in your air fryer basket in a single layer.
Add soaked fries to the boiling water and boil for 3-5 minutes, or until the potatoes are partly cooked but still firm. Add only enough potatoes that will comfortably fit in your air fryer basket in a single layer.
- 3
Drain the potatoes onto paper towel and gently pat dry. Then, transfer the fries to a large bowl and coat with olive oil. Gently toss the potatoes in the oil and arrange fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
Drain the potatoes onto paper towel and gently pat dry. Then, transfer the fries to a large bowl and coat with olive oil. Gently toss the potatoes in the oil and arrange fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- 4
Set Air Fryer to Air Fry mode at 400F and cook for 20 minutes.
Set Air Fryer to Air Fry mode at 400°F (204°C) and cook for 20 minutes.
- 5
If making a multiple batch, transfer the fries from the air fryer basket to a bowl/baking sheet and repeat steps 2-4 for the remaining portion of fries.
If making a multiple batch, transfer the fries from the air fryer basket to a bowl/baking sheet and repeat steps 2-4 for the remaining portion of fries.
- 6
Once all the fries are crispy, you can toss all the fries in a single basket to refresh the fries at 375F-390F for 3-5 minutes. Voila!
Once all the fries are crispy, you can toss all the fries in a single basket to refresh the fries at 375°F (191°C)-390°F (-234°C) for 3-5 minutes. Voila!
- 7
Season with salt to taste and toss well.
Season with salt to taste and toss well.
For the loaded fries
- 1
Start cooking your bacon on a cold pan and continue cooking while turning occasionally until it reaches the desired crispiness. Chop into bacon bits.
Start cooking your bacon on a cold pan and continue cooking while turning occasionally until it reaches the desired crispiness. Chop into bacon bits.
- 2
Line the basket of the air fryer with aluminum foil. Add one layer of fries then one layer of cheese followed by the rest of the fries and the cheese.
Line the basket of the air fryer with aluminum foil. Add one layer of fries then one layer of cheese followed by the rest of the fries and the cheese.
- 3
Close the drawer and set the air fryer to 350 F. Cook for 1½ to 2 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and molten.
Close the drawer and set the air fryer to 350°F (177°C). Cook for 1½ to 2 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and molten.
- 4
Hold the foil and transfer the fries onto a plate. Add a dollop of sour cream followed by the crispy bacon bits, and chives. Serve hot and enjoy!
Hold the foil and transfer the fries onto a plate. Add a dollop of sour cream followed by the crispy bacon bits, and chives. Serve hot and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Tag @cooking.with.anadi on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingwithanadi
Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen
Recipe history
- April 16, 2026 — Reworked and refreshed for the 2026 relaunch — new photography, restructured and standardized ingredients & instructions.
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