Spicy Air Fryer Mexican Potatoes with Jalapeño, Tomato and Onion (oil-free)

Spicy and flavorful, these air fryer Mexican potatoes with jalapeño, onion, garlic, tomato and cilantro are so good! Try this easy plant-based potato recipe by itself, as a side or as a taco filling. Papas a la Mexicana-style, but in the air fryer.

Want to save this post?

Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, I'll send you quick & simple plant-based recipes every week!

This is an air fryer version of papas a la Mexicana, the delicious Mexican breakfast potatoes which are traditionally prepared on the stove in a skillet.

To make this recipe fast, we're using pre-cooked potatoes. I typically steam a big batch of potatoes in my Instant Pot each week and use those potatoes for meals throughout the week. Here's how to steam potatoes in the Instant Pot.

You can also use raw potatoes for this, they'll just take a little longer to cook in the air fryer.

🧄 Very useful ingredient notes

Ingredients for papas a la mexicana: pre-steamed or boiled potatoes, onion, roma tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic, salt and black pepper

Potatoes - Pre-cooked or pre-steamed potatoes make this meal cook up really fast without the need for any oil. Russet potatoes and yukon gold potatoes both work well for this recipe. To steam whole potatoes easily: Instant Pot Steamed Potatoes.
Jalapeño - Jalapeño pepper adds spiciness and flavor to these breakfast potatoes. We remove the seeds to tame the heat level. For spicier potatoes, keep the seeds or use serrano pepper, which is hotter than jalapeños.
Tomatoes - Fresh roma tomatoes work best for this recipe.
Onion - Choose a yellow onion or sweet yellow onion for this recipe.

📋 Substitutions and variations

Here are some suitable substitutions for the ingredients in this recipe:

Pre-cooked potatoes - instead of pre-cooked or steamed potatoes from the refrigerator, you can use raw potatoes or frozen cubed hash brown potatoes. If you choose to use raw or frozen cubed potatoes, the initial air fryer cooking time (before you add the tomatoes) will be longer.

Switch things up with these variation ideas!

Add bell peppers - add mixed bell peppers to the dish
Extra spicy - double the jalapeño, include the seeds or use serrano peppers to make it extra spicy
Cheesy - add 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast to the potatoes at the end of cooking to inject a cheesy flavor to the dish. Or, drizzle with plant-based queso.
Potato and Bean Burrito - stuff a large flour tortilla with these spicy Mexican potatoes along with refried pinto beans or refried black beans for a plant-based burrito.

🔪 Instructions

Step-by-step instructions for how to make oil-free Mexican potatoes in the air fryer using pre-cooked potatoes.

process cooking in air fryer for Air Fryer Mexican Potatoes (Papas a la Mexicana)

Step 1: In a large bowl, toss the cut potatoes, onion, jalapeño, garlic, salt and pepper until mixed well.
Step 2: Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper, to prevent the smaller pieces from falling through and to keep the food from sticking. If your air fryer is non-stick, you may choose to skip this step (it's up to you). I use a Ninja Foodi and can cook this recipe all at once. If your air fryer is smaller, you may need to do this in 2 batches or reduce the recipe in half.
Step 3: Add potato mixture to the air fryer basket that is lined with parchment paper. Air fry the potato mixture at 400°F for 20 minutes. The potatoes should be lightly browned.

process adding tomatoes for Air Fryer Mexican Potatoes (Papas a la Mexicana)

Step 4: Remove air fryer basket after 20 minutes and spread the chopped tomatoes evenly on top of the hot potatoes. Put basket back in air fryer and air fry at 400°F for another 8 minutes, until the tomatoes are hot and browning on the edges.

process cooked and finished dish for Air Fryer Mexican Potatoes (Papas a la Mexicana)

Step 5: Remove basket from air fryer and sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro.

Step 6: Taste and add more salt and pepper, as needed. Serve hot with warmed corn tortillas.

Expert tips

Don't leave large areas of parchment paper hanging over the food as it has the potential to burn or even catch on fire. Use as much parchment as you need to cover the bottom of the basket and no more. Cut off the excess, if needed. Or, fold it under.
If you don't use parchment paper, allow the potatoes to cook until they form a crust and will release from the air fryer basket without sticking.
Don't multitask when warming the tortillas. They burn very quickly and can even light on fire. Keep a close eye on them!
Don't use your hands to flip the tortillas, you could burn yourself. Use long-handled tongs to flip them.
This entire recipe fits in my Ninja Foodi, the one that folds up and down to save space on the counter. If you are using a smaller air fryer, you'll need to reduce the amount in this recipe or make 2 batches. Or, you can make it in a convection fan oven (which is basically a huge air fryer!)

🥡 Make ahead and storage tips

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This dish can be made ahead and then reheated in the microwave.

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Serving suggestions

These Mexican-inspired spicy potatoes go really well when served with corn tortillas, flour tortillas, salsa, sour cream, pico de gallo and avocado.

For an even lighter breakfast, serve them with sides of fruit or a non-starchy vegetable: steamed broccoli, air-fried zucchini or calabaza squash, mango, grapes, sliced banana, pineapple or melon.

❓ FAQ

How can I keep potatoes from sticking in my air fryer?

There are two main ways to prevent potatoes from sticking in your air fryer basket.
1) Use parchment paper underneath them.
2) Allow the potatoes to cook long enough to form a crust on the bottom. This crust will then release from the air fryer basket when it's crispy enough.
Bonus tip: Don't overcrowd the basket, this prevents a nice crust from forming and instead just steams the potatoes.

🗺 Cultural influences

This recipe is inspired by food experiences in my diverse hometown of Houston, Texas and by the strong cultural influences of my family and friends from Mexico. See About for more information on my cultural influences and how I attribute recipes.

Love this recipe?

Please rate it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment below, so I know which recipes you like the best. This helps me know what to make more of!