Perfect Homemade French Fries (Best & Easy Recipe) (2024)

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Homemade French Fries, your favorite restaurant staple at home! These are so easy to make with just 2 main ingredients that you won’t be turning back.

Perfect Homemade French Fries (Best & Easy Recipe) (1)

Crispy french fries are one of my favorite side dishes to order at a casual restaurant or BBQ joint. BUT, they have to be hand-cut homemade french fries, or I’m not into it.

With a crispy exterior and soft, almost creamy inside… they are just so irresistible to me! That is the perfect fry texture right there.

Slap me a bottle of homemade ranch on the table, and I am in Heaven! I’m a person who loves a good dip, whether it be ranch, ketchup, aioli, etc.

You just cannot get this perfection from any cooking process— deep frying results in restaurant-quality fries.

Making your own fries at home might seem intimidating, but as long as you have this technique down, there really isn’t anything to it!

We use a double fry traditional method, first to blanch and cook the fries at a lower temperature oil, then we turn it up to a higher temperature to fry them again and crisp them up.

This method results in crispy fries that are truly irresistible.

Ready to take your cooking aresenal to the next level?! Scroll down to find out the best way to make Homemade French Fries!

Some of my other favorite potato side dishes on our site include:Fried Red Potato Wedges,Light and Crispy Homemade Potato ChipsandClassic Potato Salad.

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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

  1. With minimal and basic ingredients, you can’t go wrong.
  2. You can make as many or as few as you like.
  3. Use your favorite dipping sauce for these, or even seasoning.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):

  • Russet potatoes
  • Peanut oil, for frying
  • Seasoned Salt
  • Kosher Salt
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HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE FRENCH FRIES:

  1. Preheat a deep fryer, dutch oven, or large pot with 3 inches of oil to 325°F.
  2. Cut potatoes lengthwise into about 1/2 inch sticks.
  3. Place cut fries into a large bowl of cold water until ready to fry.
  4. Take the fries out of the water in batches and dry off the excess moisture with a clean kitchen towel.
  5. CAREFULLY place them into the hot oil and cook for 10-12 minutes. Stir them around in the oil a few times. There should not be a lot of color on the fries at this point. You will need to fry in batches.
  6. Shake off excess oil and dump fries out onto a wire rack that is sitting on a large baking sheet to catch any drips.
  7. Turn up the heat to 375°F. Again, carefully place the fries back into the fryer in batches. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the exterior is golden brown and crispy.
  8. Shake off excess oil and dump them back onto the wire rack. Immediately season with season salt and kosher salt to your taste.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

WHAT POTATOES SHOULD I USE?

All you need are a few russet potatoes. You can peel them or, for a rough look, leave the skins on but scrub the heck out of them until they are nice and clean.

You can use other potatoes like Yukon Gold, but we find russet potatoes the best for making french fries, they come out perfect every time.

HOW DO I MAKE THESE CRISP?

Frying the potatoes twice at two different temperatures make the fries crispy!

They get fried the first time at 325 degrees f in oil. The first fry cooks them without burning, and this is where they get their creamy texture.

The second fry is at 375°F and is considered a flash fry, they don’t stay in as long. This makes the outside nice and crispy.

No soggy fries here!

CAN I MAKE THESE IN THE OVEN?

Yes you can, below are the directions on how to do that!

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F degrees, cut 2-4 medium russet potatoes into wedges (depending on how many servings you want,one potato a serving) and add seasoning. I suggest seasoning them with kosher salt, seasoning salt, pepper, and paprika. Toss in 1 tablespoon of oil to coat
  2. Lay them on a baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes until tender. I suggest turning them a few times, about every 10 minutes, to ensure even cooking.

CAN I SEASON THEM WITH ANYTHING ELSE?

Yes, I normally keep it super simple with just seasoned salt and kosher salt, but you can add different seasonings for more flavor.

Here are some additional options:

  • Garlic powder
  • Sea salt
  • Chili powder
  • Black pepper
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Garlic salt
  • Cajun seasoning
  • Onion powder
  • BBQ seasoning

Be careful if using a seasoning blend, they tend to have salt added, so cut back on the additional salt.

WHAT IS THE BEST OIL FOR FRYING?

I always use peanut oil for frying as it has a high smoke point and to me it cooks cleaner, resulting in a less smelly house afterward.

You must use a high smoke point oil, other options are:

  • Vegetable oil
  • Canola oil
  • Avocado oil

An oil with a low smoke point oil would be olive oil, flaxseed, pumpkin seed, or walnut.

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HOW TO STORE:

You can store leftover fries in an airtight container in the refrigerator and will last up to 3-4 days.

To reheat them, heat your oven on the lowest setting and place them there until warmed. After the fries have sat, they make become soggy.

DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:

  • Russet potatoes are the best for this recipe.
  • You’ll want to make surer your potatoes are patted dry before placing in oil, this will prevent splatter.
  • The two fries are necessary to get the crispy outer coating.
  • You can season with whatever fry seasoning that you like.
  • Easily double this recipe to serve more people.
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Want that perfect fry recipe, then you need not look any further! These Homemade French Fries are the only ones you’ll ever need.

If you like this recipe you might also like:

If you’ve tried these HOMEMADE FRENCH FRIES, let me know how it turned out in the comments! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!

Perfect Homemade French Fries (Best & Easy Recipe) (7)

Rate this Recipe

Homemade French Fries

4.94 from 15 votes

Created by Dana at ThisSillyGirlsKitchen.com

Course Side Dish

Servings 4 servings

Homemade French Fries, your favorite restaurant staple at home! These are so easy to make with just 2 main ingredients that you won’t be turning back.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 4 russet potatoes peeled or scrubbed clean
  • peanut oil for frying recommended but use the oil you prefer to fry
  • Season Salt
  • Kosher Salt

Instructions

  • Preheat a deep fryer, dutch oven, or large pot with 3 inches of oil to 325°F.

  • Cut potatoes lengthwise into about 1/2 inch sticks.

  • Place cut fries into a large bowl of cold water until ready to fry.

  • Take the fries out of the water in batches and dry off the excess moisture with a clean kitchen towel.

  • CAREFULLY place them into the hot oil and cook for 10-12 minutes. Stir them around in the oil a few times. There should not be a lot of color on the fries at this point. You will need to fry in batches.

  • Shake off excess oil and dump fries out onto a wire rack that is sitting on a large baking sheet to catch any drips.

  • Turn up the heat to 375°F. Again, carefully place the fries back into the fryer in batches. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the exterior is golden brown and crispy.

  • Shake off excess oil and dump them back onto the wire rack. Immediately season with season salt and kosher salt to your taste.

Video

Notes

  1. Russet potatoes are the best for this recipe.
  2. You’ll want to make surer your potatoes are patted dry before placing in oil, this will prevent splatter.
  3. The two fries are necessary to get the crispy outer coating.
  4. You can season with whatever fry seasoning that you like.
  5. Easily double this recipe to serve more people.

Equipment

Nutrition

Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 888mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

Love this recipe?Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen for even more delicious recipes!!

Originally posted 05/2018

Updated 04/2023

Perfect Homemade French Fries (Best & Easy Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak french fries in water before frying? ›

This step is commonly missed in making homemade fries, but it might be one of the most important! Soaking your fries in cold water helps remove excess starch, which allows for crispy, golden fries! The cold water bath also helps the french fries retain their shape and contributes to a fluffy inside.

How long should you soak potatoes for fries? ›

Place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow them to soak, 2 to 3 hours. (You can also stick them in the fridge and let them soak overnight.) When you're ready to make the fries, drain off the water and lay the potatoes on 2 baking sheets lined with paper towels.

What happens if you don't soak fries before frying? ›

The main reasons to cut the potatoes and pre-soak in water are: To allow the excess starches and sugars to be removed from the outer surface of the fry strips AND to keep the potatoes from browning prematurely from exposure to air. Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color.

Why add vinegar in water for french fries? ›

When a small amount of vinegar is added to the soaking water before frying, it can help impart a tangy flavor to the fries without making them taste overly vinegary. The acid in the vinegar can also help to slightly break down the surface of the potatoes, aiding in the development of a crispier texture during frying.

Should you put salt in water when soaking potatoes? ›

Why use salt water for soaking potatoes? There's moisture naturally found in potatoes, and moisture is drawn to higher concentrations of salt. (This is a process called osmosis.) So, if you put the potatoes in a salt water bath, that will help draw out some of their moisture, resulting in crispier fries.

What is the best oil for french fries? ›

Refined peanut oil is the best oil to use for making french fries. You can also use canola or safflower oil. Additionally, restaurant fries are so crispy because, among other things, they use old oil continuously.

Should I cut potatoes before soaking? ›

It's best to leave them whole, but you can go ahead and cube or dice them if you want — just don't slice them too thin. Fill a bowl with cool water, submerge the potatoes, then cover with plastic wrap.

What is the secret to restaurant french fries? ›

Once all of your fries are blanched, and, you may want to sit down for this, you need to put them in the fridge for around 3-4 hours. While this is undoubtedly annoying, it is the secret to perfect fries which are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

How to enhance french fries? ›

An acid will help bring out the flavor of your fries.

Try pairing frozen fries with acidic ingredients to enhance their natural potato flavor. "Fries benefit from the addition of acid," Harvey told Insider. "Toppings like citrus juice, vinegar, hot sauce, and pickles contrast the richness of the crispy fries."

Why are my homemade french fries not crispy? ›

If they are still not crispy you might have skipped a step or you might not have let them cool down sufficiently. Make sure to cool them in a single even layer and also make sure that the oil has the right temperature. Or maybe you've used the wrong potatoes to make them.

What is the secret to McDonald's french fries? ›

When our suppliers partially fry our cut potatoes, they use an oil blend that contains beef flavouring,” McDonald's website said. “This ensures the great-tasting and recognisable flavour we all love from our World Famous Fries. The fries are cooked in our kitchens, seasoned with salt, and served hot to you.”

What happens if you don't soak potatoes before air frying? ›

I wouldn't bother doing potatoes from the raw state, without soaking. It will take about a half an hour and the texture won't be nearly as rewarding. They just don't get very crispy without that cold soak.

Should french fries be soaked in salt water? ›

Fill a large bowl with cold water and stir in 2 tablespoons of salt. Place the sliced potatoes in the salt water and let them soak for 15 to 30 minutes. This will help them bake up crispier. When the potatoes are done soaking, drain them, and dry very well with a towel.

What to do after soaking french fries? ›

Remove potatoes from water and dry thoroughly on paper towels. Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cook potatoes in hot oil until golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

What happens if you don't remove starch from potatoes? ›

Starch rich potatoes usually turn soft and crumbly, while frying or baking. So, if you are making delicacies wherein you want the potatoes to be crispy and crunchy, then removing starch is the best way to keep your wafers, fries, crispy potatoes, hash browns crisp and delicious.

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