If I’m going to have French fries, I want them to be crisp, golden, and well seasoned. These baked French fries check all those boxes! My recipe is easy, and I’ve included a few secrets so that you can make them best. Serve these fries with your favorite dipping sauce. I love homemade ketchup or this incredible fry sauce!
Key Ingredients
Potatoes: Russet potatoes are my top choice for the best baked fries. I prefer to leave the skins on for added texture but feel free to peel them if that’s your preference. Oil: While I skip the deep fryer, a little oil is essential for baking these French fries to perfection. I opt for a high-heat oil like avocado or vegetable oil to withstand the hot oven temperatures. French Fry Seasoning: For the best flavor and a bit of color, I generously sprinkle my favorite homemade seasoned salt onto the fries. This blend combines sea salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. It’s perfect for fries!
How to Make Homemade French Fries
I love thin-cut fries, but any thickness will work in this French fry recipe. The thicker you cut your fries, the longer they will take to crisp up in the oven. If you have one, a French fry press or a mandoline with a fry blade is helpful, especially if you plan to make lots of French fries. You can find them online (make sure you look for a heavy-duty one). You can also cut the potatoes by hand. To do this, slice the potato into 1/4-inch slabs, stack them up, and slice them into 1/4-inch matchsticks. You can see me do this in our video! Next, I soak my potatoes in cold water. It’s an extra step (I know), but trust me. If you want to make the best baked fries, soak them. Baking fries without soaking them in water tends to stick to each other and the baking sheet. They also bake up to be gummy and don’t crisp as well. Thirty minutes does the trick, but you can soak them longer if it works out better for you. For example, you can soak the rinsed and cut fries in cold water overnight in the fridge. After soaking, pat them well with a clean dishcloth so they are dry, then toss them with the oil and seasoned salt. Baking French fries in the oven takes about 40 to 50 minutes, but the key to achieving the perfect texture is using two different oven temperatures. Begin by baking the fries at 375°F for 20 minutes. During this initial stage, the fries will start to cook through but may still appear pale and floppy. After 20 minutes, I crank up the heat to 425°F or even 450°F. This higher temperature is crucial for transforming those floppy fries into crispy, golden brown fries!
What to Serve with Homemade French Fries
I love these with some homemade ketchup on the side, but here are a few more homemade sauces to serve them with:
Easy Fry Sauce Homemade Mayonnaise or try our Vegan Mayonnaise Garlic Aioli Creamy Honey Mustard Sauce Best Tartar Sauce Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing
I love these thin and crispy French fries with juicy burgers or these incredible smash burgers! 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or high-heat cooking oil French fry seasoning, recipe below 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 2Set aside a large non-stick or anodized aluminum baking sheet (we prefer these because we can bake the fries directly on them). If you do not have one, use a regular baking sheet, but place a sheet of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on it to prevent sticking. 3Scrub the potatoes and cut them into sticks about ¼-inch thick. Watch me do this in our video. 4Submerge the potatoes in cold water and leave them to soak for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse, then pat the potatoes very dry. As a make-ahead option, you can soak the potatoes in cold water in the fridge overnight. 5Make the French fry seasoning. Stir salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. 6Rinse and dry the bowl used to soak the potatoes, and then add the fries to it with three tablespoons of oil and 1 ½ teaspoons of French fry seasoning. If you are using plain sea salt, use 3/4 teaspoon. Toss well. 7Spread the fries onto a baking sheet, then bake without moving them for 20 minutes. 8Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (218°C). Bake until the fries are golden and crisp, another 15 to 25 minutes. I’m giving such an extensive range because it depends on how browned you like your fries, how crispy you like them, and how thick you cut them. Keep an eye on them. If most of your fries are not browned or crisp, leave them in the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes. 9Wait to toss or move the fries around the pan until 25 to 30 minutes into the baking process, then give them a toss to promote even browning. I do this 2 to 3 times during the last 10 to 15 minutes so that all the fries get crispy.
