Air Fryer Béchamel Fries Recipe

These air fryer béchamel fries are topped with loads of Parmesan cheese, béchamel sauce, and a lovely sprinkling of fresh chives. This creamy, loaded treat is a late-night meal you won't want to pass up on.

When you think of French fries, you likely don't think of pairing them with something as exquisite and aristocratic as béchamel sauce. But this delicious recipe brought to you by food blogger and photographer Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table is about to change that. One of the four grand sauces of French cuisine is a glorious revelation atop a crispy serving of French fries — especially when accompanied by seemingly high-end ingredients like fresh chives and Parmesan cheese. The truth is, the whole dish can be made for less than $4, but it will feel like a million bucks when you're digging into it with a fork and knife.

Enjoy our luxe version of a late-night treat with these air fryer béchamel fries. They go excellent with a glass of bubbly or an artisanal cocktail.

Depending on whether you are making your own fries or buying them, you will have more or less to do in this stage of the game. But don't worry, because even making your own fries is not that much of a process, as you will soon see.

If you are starting out with raw potatoes, slice the russet potatoes into shoestring fries. (Do not worry about uniformity.) Shoestring fries are thinner and a bit more artisan-like, which works well for this more elevated recipe. The reason we recommend using russet potatoes is because they tend to crisp very well while still staying creamy in the center. However, you can use any potatoes you have on hand! You'll then transfer the cut fries into a bowl with cold water to soak for at least 30 minutes. After soaking, drain the fries, and pat them dry with paper towels.

If using frozen fries, then simply take them out of the freezer, and proceed to the next step.

While the fries are cooking, prepare the béchamel sauce. Add butter to a small saucepan set on medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until a paste forms and starts to bubble. Cook the flour paste for about one to two minutes on low-medium heat, but don't let it brown or burn. Burnt béchamel tastes horrendous, so if this happens to you, throw it out, and start anew.

Once your flour paste starts to thicken and turn golden, add warm milk, and continue to whisk constantly as the sauce thickens. Bring the béchamel sauce to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, whisking constantly, for two to three minutes. Remove the béchamel sauce from the heat.

Serve the air fryer béchamel fries immediately upon dressing. You should have a mix of crispy and loaded fries, with those spuds that were directly underneath the béchamel becoming creamy and luxurious, but the ones at the bottom still retaining their heat and crispiness.

Do yourself a favor, and use a knife and fork to eat these fries. This will allow for maximum scoops of sauce and cheese in every single bite. You can also replenish the chives and black pepper as you go, or sprinkle on more Parmesan cheese. These fries go excellent with a glass of white wine, a brute sparkling wine, or an artisanal cocktail, so go all-out when enjoying these babies, because you've earned it.

Leftover fries will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four days, though they will not retain their crispness. They can be reheated in the microwave.