Potato Wedges with Parmesan
Leave the skin on, add the Parmesan in the last five minutes: this way it gets crispy instead of black.
- Preparation
- 10 min
- Cook/bake time
- 22 min
- Total
- 32 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
Leave the skin on, add the Parmesan in the last five minutes: this way it gets crispy instead of black. Potato wedges are the more forgiving sister of french fries. They are thicker, have the skin on, and require no soaking. What they do need is space in the basket and a clear order of operations for the cheese.
Why this works
Unlike with thin french fries, the surface starch on wedges is not a problem but an advantage. It gelatinizes into a thin, glassy layer that dries out and becomes crispy as it continues to cook. This is why they are not soaked here, but only patted dry. The Parmesan follows a different logic. Its milk proteins and lactose brown much earlier than potato starch, and in the airflow of an air fryer, they burn in just a few minutes. Applied five minutes before the end, it melts, bonds with the surface, and becomes crispy. If it were there from the beginning, it would be bitter and black long before the potato is cooked.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Cut the wedges
Wash the potatoes well and cut them lengthwise into eighths so that each wedge retains a side of skin. The skin is intentional here, as it holds the wedge together and becomes crispy itself.
- 2
Pat dry and season
Pat the wedges dry and toss them with oil, smoked paprika, rosemary, garlic powder, and salt. Unlike with thin french fries, there is no soaking here. The surface starch is an advantage at this thickness and turns into a crust.
- 3
Seventeen minutes at 190 °C
Distribute the wedges cut side down in the basket in a maximum of two layers. Cook for seventeen minutes at 190 °C, shaking once halfway through. They should now be golden brown and soft on the inside.
- 4
Parmesan in the last five minutes
Sprinkle the Parmesan over them and cook for another five minutes at 190 °C. The cheese melts, bonds with the surface, and becomes crispy. If added from the beginning, it would have turned black long ago, because milk protein browns much earlier than potato starch.
Our best tips
- Leave the skin on. It holds the wedge together, becomes crispy itself, and saves you from using the peeler.
