Make Canned Potatoes Ultra Crispy In No Time With Your Air Fryer

There are plenty of canned foods you should keep in your pantry, although canned vegetables have always had a less desirable reputation compared to their fresh counterparts. But the reality is that sometimes, they come in handy. Although they're not as fresh as what you'll find in your grocery store's produce aisle, there are moments when canned fruits and veggies just make more sense. In the case of canned potatoes, they're a quick substitute for the real thing because they're pre-cooked, and raw potatoes take a little while to boil or bake. But if you want the texture of crispy potatoes, it's hard to achieve with the canned kind since they're often pretty soggy — that is, until you cook them in an air fryer.

The air fryer's job is to make foods crispy on the outside and perfectly cooked in the center. It heats in a convection style, meaning that hot air circulates around the food, which helps build that crispy coating. For the best canned potatoes, a little time in the air fryer creates that golden brown exterior that you'd normally get from roasting fresh potatoes in the oven.

Like most canned fruits and veggies, the potatoes come in water and will be loaded with moisture. To help them crisp rather than steam, dry the potatoes the best you can with a paper towel to remove any water from the exterior. Before cooking them, season the potatoes as desired; salt and pepper are both fine, but you can also add some spice with paprika or even a little chipotle powder. Then, they'll need to cook on pretty high heat; set the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and give the potatoes about 15 minutes. When they're done, it will be hard to tell they ever came from a can.

This method also works for smashed potatoes. Canned potatoes are soft, so if you want to make something like a crispy potato salad, gently smash the pieces before placing them in the air fryer. Remove the moisture first, then season as you normally would after you smash the potatoes. For even more crisp, brush them with some olive oil, one of the most effective air fryer hacks for creating a crusty exterior. The greater surface area might also allow them to crisp up quicker, so check frequently to make sure your smashed spuds don't burn.