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

This post may contain affiliate links.

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.

Perfect Homemade French Fries (Best & Easy Recipe) (2)

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
Perfect Homemade French Fries (Best & Easy Recipe) (3)

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.
Perfect Homemade French Fries (Best & Easy Recipe) (4)

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.

Perfect Homemade French Fries (Best & Easy Recipe) (5)

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.
Perfect Homemade French Fries (Best & Easy Recipe) (6)

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

What is the secret to homemade french fries? ›

Before all that, though, the secret is to briefly poach them in boiling water (or "blanch" them) before they go into the hot oil. This ensures that the fries are cooked all the way through before getting crisped up in the fryer.

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 makes best french fries? ›

The secret to perfectly-cooked French fries starts with using the right potatoes. You might think that all potatoes are created equal, but when it comes to choosing the best potatoes for Fresh-Cut French fries, you want high-starch potatoes. And the clear winners are Idaho or russet potatoes.

What is the best oil for homemade 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.

What happens if you don t soak potatoes before making fries? ›

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.

Why do people soak potatoes before making fries? ›

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.

Should you soak raw potatoes before frying? ›

The best potatoes for French fries are soaked in a sugar solution before frying. The sugar solution has something to do with the carbohydrates and prevents the potatoes from soaking up a lot of grease, so they get crunchy.

Should potatoes be soaked in water before making french fries? ›

Take a large bowl and soak the potatoes in cold water. Make sure that you soak the potatoes for at least 2-3 hours. Soaking the sliced potatoes in cold water is one of the main steps to prepare perfect French Fries. The cold water removes the starch present outside the potatoes so that you get perfectly crispy fries.

Do you soak potatoes in salt water for french fries? ›

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 secret to restaurant French fries? ›

Blanching: The Reason Why French Fries Taste Better

Your potatoes need to take two separate dips in hot oil to reach restaurant quality. Oil-blanching is a two-part process that reduces the moisture and starch content in your fries, helping them crisp up.

Why aren't my homemade fries crispy? ›

Soggy fries have usually either been cooked in oil that isn't hot enough, or were cooked in too large a batch, overcrowding the pan and reducing the heat. The secret to getting tasty French fries that are crisp on the outside and nice and fluffy on the inside is to fry them twice.

What potato is best for homemade fries? ›

If you like your fries crispy, and to stay crispy, Russetts. It's a high starch, low moisture potato. Your lower starch potatos have more moisture, so even if they fry up well initially, they'll get soggy because of the moisture in them. Yukon Golds make a decent fry too.

What oil does McDonald's use for fries? ›

Once in our kitchens, we cook them in our canola-blend oil so you can have them crispy and hot—just the way you like them. Want to hear more about our fry ingredients? Get the down low on how we flavor our fries.

Should I soak my potatoes before making french fries? ›

Make sure that you soak the potatoes for at least 2-3 hours. Soaking the sliced potatoes in cold water is one of the main steps to prepare perfect French Fries. The cold water removes the starch present outside the potatoes so that you get perfectly crispy fries.

What do you soak fries in before frying? ›

The best potatoes for French fries are soaked in a sugar solution before frying. The sugar solution has something to do with the carbohydrates and prevents the potatoes from soaking up a lot of grease, so they get crunchy.

What is the secret to restaurant french fries? ›

Blanching: The Reason Why French Fries Taste Better

Your potatoes need to take two separate dips in hot oil to reach restaurant quality. Oil-blanching is a two-part process that reduces the moisture and starch content in your fries, helping them crisp up.

How do you make homemade fries taste better? ›

13 Tips For Making Better French Fries At Home
  1. Use a french fry cutter for uniform fries. ...
  2. Avoid waxy potatoes. ...
  3. Make french fries in your air fryer. ...
  4. Soak sliced potatoes in water. ...
  5. Fry in batches. ...
  6. Select the right kind of oil. ...
  7. Remove moisture by frying twice. ...
  8. Fry potatoes with the skin on, but clean them well.
Aug 10, 2022

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Last Updated:

Views: 6262

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Birthday: 1994-06-25

Address: Suite 153 582 Lubowitz Walks, Port Alfredoborough, IN 72879-2838

Phone: +128413562823324

Job: IT Strategist

Hobby: Video gaming, Basketball, Web surfing, Book restoration, Jogging, Shooting, Fishing

Introduction: My name is Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner, I am a zany, graceful, talented, witty, determined, shiny, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.