These golden, crispy homemade French fries bring the perfect restaurant experience right to your kitchen. With just an hour of total time – including a 30-minute soak that ensures maximum crispiness – you’ll create irresistible fries that are remarkably healthier than takeout versions. At only 134 calories per serving and minimal fat content, these fries prove that comfort food can be both delicious and mindful of your dietary goals.
Ingredients
- Russet Potatoes: 1 1/2 lbs (about 3 medium), cut into 1/2-inch uniform sticks for even cooking
- Oil: 1/4 cup of your choice (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil)
- Seasonings: Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep Work: Wash potatoes and remove any imperfections. Cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slabs, then into matchsticks
- Soaking: Bring water to boil in a large pot, remove from heat, soak potato sticks for 30 minutes to remove excess starch
- Drying: Drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels until completely moisture-free
- Oven Method: Preheat to 475°F, toss potatoes with oil and seasonings, spread evenly on baking sheet, bake 12 minutes
- Flipping: Scrape and flip potatoes, continue baking 8-15 minutes until crispy
- Frying Method: Heat oil to 300°F, fry in batches 4-5 minutes until tender
- Final Fry: Increase heat to 400°F, fry again 1-3 minutes until golden
- Serving: Season with salt and serve with your favorite dipping sauce
Soaking Secrets
The hot water soak is a game-changer for making crispy fries! This step pulls out extra starch from the potatoes, which helps create that amazing crunch we all love. While 30 minutes might seem like a wait, trust me – it’s worth every minute. You can use this time to prep other parts of your meal or make a tasty dipping sauce!
Two Ways to Cook
Love options? This recipe gives you two fantastic ways to make your fries! The baked version is super easy and uses less oil – perfect for a healthier choice. The classic deep-fried method gives you that authentic restaurant-style crunch. Both ways are awesome, so pick what works best for you. Just remember: whether you bake or fry, spreading the potatoes with space between them helps them get nice and crispy.
Serving Ideas
These golden fries are more than just a side dish! Try them with classic ketchup, or get creative with fry sauce, ranch, or BBQ sauce. They’re perfect alongside burgers, great with fish and chips, or amazing in dishes like Lomo Saltado. Want to make them extra special? Add a sprinkle of fresh herbs or garlic powder right after cooking while they’re still hot!
Success Tips
Here’s what makes these fries extra awesome:
- Cut your fries the same size so they cook evenly
- Pat them super dry after soaking – this helps them get crispy
- If you’re frying, don’t crowd the pot – give those potatoes space to swim!
- Season right after cooking while they’re still hot
- Use russet potatoes – they’re the best for making fries!
Homemade French Fries
Equipment
- Large pot
- Baking sheet
- Paper towels
- metal spatula
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Russet Potatoes about 3 medium, cut into even sticks nearly 1/2-inch thick
- 1/4 cup vegetable, canola or peanut oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the russet potatoes and remove any bruises.
- Cut the potato lengthwise into ¼ to ½ inch thin slabs then cut the slabs into ¼ inch thin matchsticks. Try your best to cut the potato into uniform slices to ensure the fries cook evenly.
- Put about 3 inches of water in a large pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and place cut potatoes in the hot water to soak for 30 minutes.
- Drain the water and lay potatoes out onto paper towels, patting them until thoroughly dry.
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Drizzle oil over the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Spread out into an even layer on a baking sheet, leaving space between them. Bake for 12 minutes.
- Use a metal spatula to scrape potatoes loose from pan and flip to opposite side. Spread even spaced out again. Bake for an additional 8-15 minutes, or until potatoes are crisp.
