How to Make French Fries

Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: January 26, 2023 References Approved

When the craving for french fries strikes, it's great to be able to make them at home! For crispy french fries, use starchy russet potatoes to get fries crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. To make fries without heating up oil, turn on your oven and toss in a sheet of seasoned french fries. They'll crisp up beautifully and you can drizzle an optional herbed butter over them before serving.

Ingredients

Oven-Baked French Fries

2 ¹⁄₂ pounds (1.1 kg) of russet potatoes, about 5 large
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil
1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of sea salt
1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) of butter, optional
1 garlic clove, minced, optional
2 tablespoons (7 g) of chopped parsley, optional
1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of freshly ground black pepper, optional

Makes 4 servings

Crispy French Fries

2 ¹⁄₂ pounds (1.1 kg) of russet potatoes, about 5 large
1 US quart (0.95 L) of vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
Salt, for sprinkling
Ketchup and mayonnaise, for serving

Makes 4 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Oven-Baked French Fries

1
Put a baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). According to Chef Ollie George Cigliano,"leftover [crispy] fries freeze beautifully and bake off well in the oven," so this method works well for baking fries from scratch or from reheating previously fried and frozen french fries. Place a rimmed baking sheet into the middle of the oven. Then, turn the oven on so it preheats and the sheet gets really hot.^{[1]
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- When you place the french fries on the hot sheet, they'll immediately begin to crisp up.
2
Peel 2 ¹⁄₂ pounds (1.1 kg) of russet potatoes if you want crispy fries. Rinse about 5 large starchy potatoes and peel them. Although you can leave the peels on, the fries will be slightly chewier than if you'd peel them.^{[2]
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- Don't peel the potatoes in advance or they'll begin to brown.
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3
Cut the potatoes into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) sticks. Place the peeled potatoes on a cutting board and cut them lengthwise into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) thick slices. Lay the slices flat and cut them lengthwise again into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) thick sticks.^{[3]
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- If you prefer even crunchier french fries, you can cut them into ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) thick sticks. Since they're smaller, reduce the cooking time by 5 to 8 minutes.
4
Toss the french fries with olive oil and salt. Get out a large bowl and put the french fries into it. Drizzle 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil over them and sprinkle over 1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of sea salt. Use your hands or large spoons to toss the fries so they're coated in the oil and salt.^{[4]
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- The oil prevents the fries from sticking to the sheet. It also helps them become crunchy as they bake.
5
Arrange the fries on the hot sheet. Put on oven mitts to remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Then, spread the seasoned french fries on the sheet so they're in a single layer.
- If you forgot to preheat the sheet, you can still spread the fries on a cold baking sheet.
6
Bake the fries for 40 to 50 minutes, flipping them halfway. Wear the mitts to put the sheet back into the oven and bake the fries until they're browned on the edges. Use a spatula to flip the fries over halfway through the baking time so they cook evenly and become golden brown.
- To test if the fries are done in the center, insert a fork into a fry and remove it to see if it releases easily.
7
Remove the fries and season them with more salt according to your taste. Once the fries are crispy and browned, take the sheet out of the oven and transfer the fries to a serving dish. Taste one and sprinkle more salt over the fries if you like.^{[5]
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- The fries will become soggy and chewy if you refrigerate them, so enjoy them immediately!
Tip: To give the fries extra flavor, heat 1 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons (22.2 ml) (21 g) of butter with 1 minced clove of garlic for 1 minute over medium heat. Then, stir in 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) (7 g) of chopped parsley and 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of freshly ground black pepper. Toss this herbed butter over your crispy french fries just before serving.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Frying Crispy French Fries

1
Peel russet potatoes and cut them into ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) thick sticks. Rinse 2 ¹⁄₂ pounds (1.1 kg) of russet potatoes and set them on a cutting board. Use a large knife to carefully cut each potato in half lengthwise into ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) thick slices. Lay the slices flat and cut them lengthwise again into ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) sticks.^{[6]
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- For rustic fries, leave the peels on, but scrub the potatoes extra well.
2
Put the fries in a bowl of cold water and refrigerate them for at least 1 hour. Place the french fries in a large bowl and pour in enough cold water to completely cover them. Put the bowl in the fridge and chill the french fries for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.^{[7]
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Research source} If you want an even crispier french fry, Chef Ollie George Cigliano suggests that you go a step further and make a brine of 8 c (1.9 L) of cold water, ¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) of corn syrup, 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of white vinegar, and 3 tbsp (51.21 g) of salt. "Place [the potatoes] in the cold brine as you slice them. Ensure the potatoes are completely submerged. Cover and place the brine in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight."
- If you'd like to make french fries ahead of time, work up until this step and refrigerate the fries overnight. Then, make the fries the following day.
3
Drain the fries. Chef Ollie George Cigliano recommends you "rinse them twice with cold water. [Then], pat them completely dry." Set a colander in the sink and take the bowl of fries out of the fridge. Pour the fries into the colander so the water drains. Then, arrange the fries on a paper towel-lined plate or tray. Take another paper towel and blot the tops of the fries.^{[8]
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- It's important to dry the fries so they'll become really crispy as they fry.
4
Pour oil into a heavy pot and heat it to 325 °F (163 °C). Set a deep pot on the stove or get out a tabletop deep fryer. Pour 1 US quart (0.95 L) of vegetable or peanut oil into it and clip a deep-fry thermometer to the side. Turn the burner to medium-high and heat the oil until it reaches 325 °F (163 °C).^{[9]
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Research source}Chef Ollie George Cigliano shares, "I use a dutch oven and oil thermometer [to fry potatoes]."
- If you're using a tabletop deep fryer, follow the manufacturer's instructions.
- Ensure that the thermometer is in the oil so it reads an accurate temperature.
5
Lower 1/3 of the fries into the oil and fry them for 3 to 5 minutes. If you put all of the fries into the oil, they'll lower the heat too quickly, so just put about 1/3 of the french fries into the oil.^{[10]
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Research source} Chef Ollie George Cigliano recommends, "Fry the potatoes in batches for about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels. They will be very soft."
- If you're concerned that the oil will splatter you, you could place the fries on a deep fry skimmer and lower it into the oil.
6
Transfer the fries to paper towels and par-fry the remaining batches. Once the fries are par-fried, scoop them out with the skimmer and place them on a sheet lined with dry paper towels. Then, lower another batch of the fries into the hot oil.^{[11]
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- At this point, the fries will be very soft.^{[12]
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- Par-frying means that you only partially fry the potatoes. They'll soften, but won't become completely crispy.
- Check the oil to ensure it's still at 325 °F (163 °C) before you add the next batch of fries.
7
Heat the oil to 375 °F (191 °C) and fry 1 batch of par-fried french fries for 3 to 4 minutes. Once you've finished par-frying all of them, set them aside while you bring the oil temperature up to 375 °F (191 °C).^{[13]
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Research source} According to Chef Ollie George Cigliano, you can raise the temperature to as high as 400 °F (204 °C) for extra crisp. Then, "Add the vegetable shortening and fry in batches again until golden brown."
- The higher temperature of oil makes the outsides of the fries extra crunchy.
8
Fry the remaining batches of fries until they're crispy. Transfer the finished fries to a paper towel-lined plate and lower another batch into the hot oil. Keep frying the french fries until they're all golden brown. Sprinkle salt over the fries and enjoy them while they're hot.^{[14]
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Tip: Create custom dipping sauces by combining your favorite sauces. For example, mix curry powder into mayonnaise or mix ketchup with mayonnaise.

Community Q&A

Question

What kind of potatoes are the best for french fries?

Community Answer

Russets are best for frying. They have a high starch content and relatively mild flavor.
Question

Can I use a smaller frying pan if I don't have a larger one?

Community Answer

Yes, but it will take more time because you'll have to make smaller batches. Be sure not to overload the pan.
Question

How many potatoes are needed for 6 people?

Sasha Gracia

Community Answer

You need about 4 potatoes for a group of 6 people.