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A massive plate of dirty fries in the air fryer, golden crispy crinkle-cut fries piled high and loaded with melted cheddar cheese, crumbled crispy bacon, seasoned ground beef crumbles, pickled jala...
Sarah Mitchell

Dirty Fries in the Air Fryer

If regular fries are a snack, dirty fries are a full-blown event. We're talking crispy, golden fries absolutely buried under melted cheese, crispy bacon, tangy jalapeños, zesty seasoned ground beef, and drizzles of every sauce you can think of.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Fries
  • 2 lbs frozen crinkle-cut or straight-cut fries
  • Cooking spray
For the Dirty Toppings
  • 1/2 lb ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, sliced
  • 3 green onions, sliced
For the Sauces
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons sriracha or hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon mustard

Equipment

  • Air fryer
  • Large skillet
  • Large serving plate or sheet pan
  • Squeeze bottles for sauces (optional)

Method
 

  1. Cook the bacon until extra crispy in a skillet or the oven. Crumble and set aside.
  2. In the same skillet, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles. Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned and seasoned through — about 6-7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
  3. Air fry the frozen fries at 400°F according to package directions (usually 15-18 minutes), shaking the basket every 5 minutes, until they're extra crispy and golden.
  4. Transfer the hot fries to a large oven-safe plate or sheet pan. Immediately top with the shredded cheddar cheese so it starts melting from the heat of the fries.
  5. Scatter the seasoned ground beef, crumbled bacon, pickled jalapeños, and green onions over the cheesy fries.
  6. If the cheese needs more melting, pop the whole thing under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or back in the air fryer at 350°F for 2 minutes.
  7. Drizzle with sour cream, sriracha, ketchup, and mustard in zigzag patterns across the top. Serve immediately — dig in while everything is hot.

Notes

The key to great dirty fries is getting the base fries EXTRA crispy — they need to hold up under all those heavy, wet toppings. Cook them a minute or two longer than the package says. Add the cheese to the hot fries immediately so it melts from residual heat. And get all your toppings ready before the fries come out so you can assemble fast while everything is still hot.