Chips · Air fryer

Air Fryer Roast Potatoes No Par-Boil (John Kirkwood)

John Kirkwood's air fryer roast potatoes, 20 minutes from peeled to plate with no par-boiling. Two-stage temperature, a basket shake every 5 minutes and a second hit of oil at the halfway point for proper crisp.

R By Richard · Adapted from John Kirkwood · Published 10 June 2026
❤️ 28.1k source likes
⏱Prep 8 min
🌡Temp 200°C
⏲Air fry 20 min
🍽Serves 4
Air Fryer Roast Potatoes (No Par-Boiling)

Source video by John Kirkwood on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules.

From John Kirkwood. Floury potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward) are peeled, cut to roughly 3 cm chunks and rinsed of starch, then tossed with half the oil (15 ml). After a 3-minute preheat at 200°C, they cook at 200°C for 10 minutes (shake at 5), then a second tablespoon of oil goes in and the temperature drops to 180°C for the final 10 minutes (shakes at 15 and 20). Garnished with chopped parsley, sea salt and black pepper.

Ingredients

Potatoes
  • floury potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward), peeled and cut into 3 cm (1.25 inch) chunks
  • 30 mlsunflower oil
Seasoning
  • sea salt
Garnish
  • fresh parsley, chopped (add late)
  • black pepper (add late)

Method

  1. Peel the potatoes and cut into 3 cm chunks.

    ~5 min

  2. Tip into a bowl of cold water and give them a good rinse to wash off the starch. Drain.

    ~2 min

  3. Pat dry with kitchen paper or a towel. Tip into a dry bowl. Add 15 ml (1 tbsp) of sunflower oil and a good pinch of sea salt. Toss until evenly coated.

    ~2 min

  4. Preheat the air fryer to 200°C for 3 minutes.

    ~3 min

  5. Tip the potatoes into the hot basket. Cook at 200°C for 10 minutes. Shake the basket at the 5-minute mark to rough up the edges.

    ~10 min

  6. At 10 minutes, pull the basket out, add the second tbsp of oil, shake to coat. Drop the temperature to 180°C and cook for the final 10 minutes.

    ~10 min

  7. Shake again at the 15-minute mark and the final 20-minute mark.

    ~1 min

  8. Tip into a bowl lined with kitchen paper for a minute, then remove the paper and scatter over chopped parsley, sea salt and black pepper. Serve.

    ~2 min

Frequently asked

Really no par-boiling?
Yes. The rinse-and-dry plus the two-stage 200°C/180°C cook plus the second hit of oil mid-way gives you the crisp edges that par-boiling normally provides. It works because the air fryer has direct hot-air contact on every surface in a way an oven doesn't.
Why two temperatures?
The high 200°C first stage is for the initial crisp and colour; dropping to 180°C for the second half lets the inside cook through without burning the outside. One steady temperature either burns the edge or leaves the middle raw.
Why add oil twice?
The first half-tablespoon coats the raw potatoes evenly; the second tablespoon at the 10-minute point gives the now-textured surface a fresh hit of oil for the final crisp. Adding it all at the start just leaves a soggy first-stage surface.
What if my air fryer doesn't go to 200°C?
Cook at the highest setting it does, and add 2-3 minutes per stage. Below 180°C you'll struggle to get the crisp regardless of time.
Extraction notes (transparency): All quantities and timings explicit in the source. Potato weight not stated; about 700-800 g serves 4.