Crispy Air Fryer Potato Cubes

Name: Crispy Air Fryer Potato Cubes
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 400 g (14 oz) potatoes; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp sweet paprika

Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, these potato cubes are quick and easy.

Time: 20 min2 servingsDifficulty: Easy180°CVegetables

Steps

1
Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F).
2
Wash potatoes thoroughly and cut into 1-2 cm cubes. Dry them very well with a kitchen towel or paper towels.
3
In a bowl, toss potato cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and sweet paprika until evenly coated.
4
Arrange cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket, without overlapping.
5
Cook for 20 minutes at 180°C (350°F), shaking the basket halfway through for even browning.

Shopping list

potatoes, olive oil, salt, black pepper, sweet paprika

Recipe story

Potatoes were first cultivated in the Peruvian Andes thousands of years ago. They became popular in Europe in the 16th century, and fried potato recipes have evolved over time. This air fryer version modernizes the preparation while keeping the crispy texture.

Ingredient Secrets

Black pepper

Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.

Sea salt

Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.

Paprika

Paprika, a emblematic spice brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus from the New World. Although associated with Hungarian cuisine, its origins are in Central America, where it was used by the Aztecs.

Olive oil

Originating in the Mediterranean basin, olive oil was already produced in ancient Crete 5,000 years ago. In ancient Greece, it was considered a gift from Athena and used in lamps, cosmetics, and religious ceremonies. The Romans spread it throughout the empire, and in the Middle Ages, monasteries preserved the tradition of its production.

Potato

Although today it seems indispensable on the table, the potato was long viewed with suspicion in Europe. Arriving from the Andes in the 16th century, it was considered a diabolical plant, even poisonous, due to its toxic leaves and fruits. It wasn't until the 18th century, thanks to promoters like Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, that the potato became a staple food, saving Europe from famine.