During quarantine I craved french fries, and since I had all the ingredients at home, I tried this Easy Homemade French Fries recipe. They’re easier to make than you might expect and tastier than many options you can buy. Homemade really is best for this one.
Do you need to soak potatoes before frying?
You can soak potatoes before frying to remove excess starch, but it’s optional. Soaking adds extra steps and requires thorough drying, which can introduce water to hot oil and cause splattering. For these fries I skip soaking and use Yukon Gold potatoes, which are naturally less starchy than russets and less likely to stick together while frying.
The two-step frying method described below helps achieve a crisp exterior and eliminates the need for soaking in most cases.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.
How to make French Fries from scratch
Start by washing and drying the potatoes. A quick scrub removes surface dirt; I usually wash potatoes when I bring them home so they’re ready to use when needed.
Slice the potatoes into fries: cut each potato into ½-inch slabs, then into ½-inch sticks. You can cut thinner for crispier fries, though thinner sticks are more fragile. This ½-inch size provides a good balance of crispness and sturdiness.
Heat the oil and perform the first fry. Cook the fries at a lower temperature for 5–6 minutes to cook them through without browning. Remove them to a paper-lined tray to cool and drain.
After the initial cook, heat the oil to 400°F and fry the potatoes again in batches until golden and crisp, about 4–5 minutes. Frying in small batches keeps the oil temperature steady and gives each fry room to crisp.
Season the hot fries immediately with kosher salt, then finish with flaky sea salt when serving for a nice texture contrast. Truffle ketchup pairs especially well if you have access to it, and these fries make a great side for many meals.
Keeping the fries crispy
If you need to hold fries while finishing a meal, place them on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet to keep air circulating and prevent sogginess. Keep them warm in a 200°F oven if needed. Fries crisp up best when air can circulate around them.
These fries re-crisp well if made ahead: an air fryer or convection toaster oven works best. The same two-step method translates to an air fryer if you prefer to avoid deep frying—cook twice, giving the fries time to cool between sessions for the best texture.
More Tasty Potatoes
Greek Fries with Chicken
Crispy Skin Baked Potatoes
Whipped Potatoes
Irish Colcannon Potatoes
Loaded Baked Potato Mashers
Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes
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📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade French Fries
20 minutes
15 minutes
35 minutes
Fries at home are easier than you might think to make and in my opinion, there is nothing better than homemade.
Ingredients
- 2 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes
- Corn Oil, for frying
- Kosher Salt
- Flakey Sea Salt
Instructions
- In a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a deep heavy-bottomed pot, heat corn oil to 325°F.
- Cut the potatoes into long slabs, then into sticks about ½ inch thick.
- Gently place fries in the heated oil and cook for about 6 minutes in 2–3 batches. Remove to a paper towel–lined sheet pan and let cool.
- Heat the oil again to 400°F.
- Place the fries back in the hot oil in batches and fry until browned and crisp.
- Remove fries and let drain. Toss with kosher salt and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve topped with flaky sea salt and your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
I prefer Yukon Golds to russets for this recipe—their flavor is butterier and they tend to be longer for ideal fries. For extra-crispy fries, you can repeat the frying process a third time before salting.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1 grams
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 161
Total Fat: 2g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 164mg
Carbohydrates: 32g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 2g
Protein: 4g
This is an estimated caloric value; actual numbers may vary based on ingredients used.
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