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These homemade French fries are delicious and shockingly easy to make. Made from fresh potatoes, hand-cut and double-fried for that perfect golden crunch, they’re seasoned simply with salt to let their natural flavor shine.
The Easiest Homemade French Fries Recipe (Step By Step)
These homemade French fries are everything that you want them to be. With a salty, crispy, and golden exterior and a soft and warm potato center, you’ll want to keep them all to yourself.
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Ingredients:
- Russet potatoes – Russet potatoes are perfect for homemade fries, but if you prefer, you can use yellow or red potatoes. Keep in mind that these potatoes are waxy and will require an additional 6-7 minutes of cooking time.
- Canola oil – Canola oil is a neutral-flavored, high heat cooking oil that works great for frying, but you can use any high heat neutral oil that you like. Vegetable oil, peanut oil, corn oil, and avocado oil are all great alternatives.
- Salt – Regular salt or sea salt. You can use any seasonings and spices that you like to give flavor to your French fries. Try garlic powder or fresh herbs if you’re watching your salt intake.
Supplies:
- sharp knife or French fry cutter
- large mixing bowl
- plate or baking tray
- paper towels
- slotted spoon or spider
- large pot or Dutch oven – I used a 6-quart Dutch oven.
Instructions:
Slice the potatoes. Slice your peeled and washed potatoes lengthwise into ½ inch slices. Lay them flat and slice lengthwise again into ½ inch sticks. You can use a sharp kitchen knife or a French fry cutter to make things super easy.
Make them extra crispy (optional). Optional step: For ultra-crispy fries, place the potato slices in a large bowl of cold water.. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, but up to overnight.
No, soaking the cut potatoes is not a requirement for this recipe, and you can leave it out if you want to make these homemade French fries quickly. Soaking them in the fridge removes excess starch, which helps the fries get super crispy (nobody likes soggy fries!). It also helps to prevent them from sticking together when frying.
Crispy French Fry Recipe
Dry the potatoes. Line a plate or baking tray with paper towels and lay your fries in a single layer, patting them as dry as possible with additional paper towels.
Heat your oil. Using a large, heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven, heat half of your oil on medium heat until it reaches 300°F.
Cook the potatoes. Working in batches, use a slotted spoon or spider spoon to add the potatoes to the oil so the oil doesn’t splash out of the pot. Fry for about 5 minutes or until they just start to turn golden. (We are cooking the potatoes until tender in this step, not making them crispy yet, so don’t cook them longer, thinking they need to be crispy.)
Grab fresh paper towels. While the fries cook, line your plate or baking sheet with fresh paper towels.
Drain. After the fries have cooked for 5 minutes, take them out of the oil and place them on your plate or baking sheet to drain.
Fry again until crispy. Add the remaining oil to the pot and increase the temperature to 400°F. Repeat the frying process, working in batches, until the fries are golden brown and crispy (4-5 minutes).
Season with salt. Place them on fresh paper towels and while they’re still hot, sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve warm.
Additional Flavors for French Fries
These homemade French fries are delicious and so easy to make. Keep the classic flavor with just a sprinkle of salt, or shake things up with one of the following suggestions.
- Dip them in ketchup, garlic aioli, or other sauces
- You can use garlic salt instead of salt or garlic powder with the salt for a garlic lover’s French fry.
- Add paprika for color and a bit of smoky flavor.
- Cayenne pepper or chili powder will bring some spicy heat to these French fries.
- Serve them with apple cider or malt vinegar for a tang.
- Dust your fries with Cajun seasoning for a flavor straight from the bayou.
- Load them up with sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and chives.
Freezer Recipe
Can I make this ahead of time and freeze it?
This is a great recipe to prepare ahead of time and freeze for later use. It freezes and reheats well, and you can have fries on hand whenever you want them. Make these homemade French fries as directed and then allow them to cool completely. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze them for about 1 hour. When they’re frozen and stiff, transfer them to a labeled and dated resealable freezer bag. They’ll keep in your freezer for up to 6 months.
Air Fryer French Fries Recipe
Add the fries in a single layer to the basket of your air fryer. Air fry for 5-7 minutes at 375°F or until crispy and warmed throughout.
More Potato Recipes
Homemade French Fries Recipe
Homemade French Fries
Equipment
- sharp knife or French fry cutter
- Large mixing bowl
- plate or baking tray
- Paper towels
- slotted spoon or spide
- large pot or Dutch oven – I used a 6-quart Dutch oven.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes peeled and rinsed
- 8 cups canola oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Slice the potatoes. Slice your peeled and washed potatoes lengthwise into ½ inch slices. Lay them flat and slice lengthwise again into ½ inch sticks. You can use a sharp kitchen knife or a French fry cutter to make things super easy.
- Make them extra crispy (optional). Optional step: For ultra-crispy fries, place the potato slices in a large bowl and add just enough water to the bowl to cover them. Cover and keep the bowl in your refrigerator for at least one hour, but up to overnight.
- Dry the potatoes. Line a plate or baking tray with paper towels and lay your fries in a single layer, patting them as dry as possible with additional paper towels.
- Heat your oil. Using a large, heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven, heat half of your oil on medium heat until it reaches 300°F.
- Cook the potatoes. Working in batches, use a slotted spoon or spider spoon to add the potatoes to the oil so the oil doesn’t splash out of the pot. Fry for about 5 minutes or until they just start to turn golden. (We are cooking the potatoes until tender in this step, not making them crispy yet, so don’t cook them longer, thinking they need to be crispy.)
- Grab fresh paper towels. While the fries cook, line your plate or baking sheet with fresh paper towels.
- Drain. After the fries have cooked for 5 minutes, take them out of the oil and place them on your plate or baking sheet to drain.
- Fry again until crispy. Add the remaining oil to the pot and increase the temperature to 400°F. Repeat the frying process, working in batches, until the fries are golden and crispy (4-5 minutes).
- Season with salt. Place them on fresh paper towels and while they’re still hot, sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve warm.
