Baked Fries Recipe

These are the most perfect baked fries ever! No fryer necessary, yet they're still perfectly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. I can't wait to share with you my tried true secrets for getting the crispiest fries every single time!

You Will Love These

• They're really simple to make. 7 ingredients (including salt and pepper) and chances are you good you might have everything in your pantry already! This is a great way to use up those old forgotten potatoes in your bottom drawer. Or bulk up a meal with a super inexpensive side dish!
• They're made with whole ingredients. Sure you can buy frozen fries at the grocery store and then bake them in your oven - but have you looked at the ingredient list on that bag of frozen fries? Not great. Now take a look at the ingredient list below. No preservatives, no artificial coloring and nothing you can't pronounce. Real food that you can feel good about feeding your family! Fries don't have to be off-limits or unhealthy!
• They won't make your house smell like frying oil! Because they're baked it means you won't have to worry about heating up oil on the stove and then smelling up your house with fried vegetable oil. I love when my house smells like dinner, but I'm not a HUGE fan of the fried food smell.

Instructions

You'll start by cutting your potatoes into the classic fry shape. Slice each potato lengthwise into ½ inch slices.

Then cut each slice into ½" strips, creating the perfect fry.

Transfer fries to a bowl of cold water and soak for at least 30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge). Then thoroughly dry fries on a clean kitchen towel.

Add them to a clean bowl along with oil, garlic powder, thyme, paprika and salt and pepper.

Toss to coat the fries evenly.

Spread them in an even layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake fries at 450 degrees for a half hour, flipping them halfway through.

Then crank the heat to 500 hundred and the fries will finish crisping for another 20 minutes or so.

Sprinkle fries with a bit more salt after they come out of the oven and voila! Crispy, homemade, baked fries!

Best Potatoes

• Russet potatoes are the best for french fries. They hold their shape well, get nice and crispy on the outside and stay soft and tender on the inside.
• Yukon gold potatoes are great too, but it's hard to get them as crisp without over cooking them and drying them out inside.
• Baby red potatoes are good if you're feeling more of a wedge shape. You can follow the same directions as below, just cut the baby red potatoes into wedges instead of fries! Or check out my Greek Potato Wedges with Homemade Creamy Yogurt Sauce for all the details!

No Peeling

• I rarely peel a vegetable unless absolutely necessary. If I can save myself 5 minutes and a dirty dish, I'm in!
• In this case, it's really not a must to peel your taters. A majority of your fries will end up (mostly) without skin any way.
• And I like the rustic look and added texture with the skin is left on. It also adds more fiber! So save yourself the time and hassle of peeling and just enjoy a rustic baked fry!

Serve With

I'm not going to pretend like my favorite thing to eat with french fries isn't Heinz ketchup, because it is. I have been a ketchup lover all my life and I don't see that changing any time soon.

But, a couple of my other favorite dippers are:

• Homemade Creamy Yogurt Sauce
• Chipotle Lime Cream Sauce
• Cilantro Avocado Sauce

Tips

• Slice the fries into ½" sticks, which may appear just a bit bigger than you think they should be. The fries will shrink slightly in the oven as they bake and if they're too small and skinny they'll end up just being crispy little bits of nothing. You're going for a crispy outside and a tender inside.
• Don't skip the soak. I tried it. They weren't as good. I tried it again. Still not great. Then I did a quick 30 minute soak in cold water and they were perfect! I have also soaked them overnight and they turned out delish too! The soak is important, so don't skip this step!
• Be sure to thoroughly dry the fries after soaking. This will allow the outside of the fries to get really nice and crispy. Excess water will prevent that crispy crust from forming.

Family Favorite Side Dishes

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This post was originally published in December of 2018. It was updated in June of 2019 to include process shots, detailed instructions and tips for making the best baked fries every single time!