Homemade french fries are the BEST! They are not healthy, although I’ll give a few ways to make these healthier. Personally, if I’m going to make french fries, I go all out. Like, let’s deep fry those bad boys!
Easy Homemade French Fries Recipe
Start with any potato. Peel and cut into semi-thin fries, like below. You don’t want them to be too thin that they overcook and you don’t want them to be too thick where they are soggy.
Heat oil in a high rimmed pot. This is important!
Once upon a time, I made the mistake of trying to fry potatoes in a small pot. The oil boiled over once I added the potatoes (because they have moisture), and I set my stove on fire.
If you ever encounter something similar, do not add water! Just smother the fire with a large pot lid.
Back to making homemade french fries.
I use the largest pot I have in the home. I fill the pot about 1/4 or 1/5 of the way with oil.
Set the stove on high heat.
Never leave oil unattended.
Get a large plate and put a few sheets of paper towel on top. Get your frying spatula ready.
Test the oil by dipping a fry. If it starts to bubble, the oil is ready. You don’t need a rapid bubble, but just a few bubbles.
Add a generous amount of fries in the oil, where they are fully covered.
Leave them alone, do not mix!
I know it’s hard. But resist all temptation to mix the fries until they start floating to the top and turning brown. Mix them one time.
Once the fries have all floated to the top and turned the color brown that you like, remove with the frying spatula onto the plate.
Salt the fries immediately after removed from the oil. I like to use Moldon’s flake salt.
Which Oil to Use?
My general answer is to use whatever oil you normally like to use for frying. I’ve tried 4 different oils and compare them below:
- Vegetable Oil / Canola Oil – Both of these oils make similar tasting french fries. The french fry is heavier in taste and less crispy.
- Sunflower Oil – This makes a lighter tasting french fry, kind of like the way Inn-N-Out fries taste. The fries are also a little more crispy.
- Coconut Oil – This is a “healthier-ish” option, however, you need to be careful to not exceed the smoke point of the oil. So, you will need to cook the fries on a lower heat and for a longer period. These fries have an aftertaste that some people love and some people do not. The fries are heavier in taste.
- Fractionated Coconut Oil – There is no heavy aftertaste like with regular coconut oil. These are heavier in taste as well.
How To Make These Healthier
If you are concerned about the effects of deep-frying on your health, then choose one of the alternatives below. I especially love the baking option!
Air Fryer Option
Place cut fries into the air fryer basket. Spray preferred oil on fries. Cook. Salt and enjoy it!
Baking Option
Place parchment paper on the cookie sheet. Mix potatoes in melted butter, coconut oil, or olive oil. Place on a cookie sheet without overcrowding. Cook at 425F on the top rack until starting to brown. Flip fries carefully. Continue to cook until the desired doneness.
Other Tips
Easy homemade french fries are a great side dish for hamburgers, kabobs, Renga, and Hawawshi.
I’ve tried substituting sweet potatoes for regular potatoes, and I prefer the sweet potatoes baked.
If you find that the potatoes start to turn a different color while they are waiting to be fried, you can rest the potatoes in water. However, before careful right before they go into the hot oil. I strain them for a few minutes prior to cooking them. The water and hot oil do not mix!
Print
How to Make Easy Homemade French Fries
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Here’s our easy homemade french fries recipe. Also, we give an option for baking that’s a little healthier without sacrificing flavor.
Ingredients
- Frying Oil
- Potatoes (about 1 to 1.5 medium potatoes per person)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare Potatoes
- Peel potatoes.
- Slice into fries.
Frying Option
- Fill a high rimmed pot with 1/4 full of frying oil.
- Heat oil on high heat. Monitor at all times.
- Place fries into hot oil very carefully using a frying spatula.
- Do not mix fries until they are starting to float to the top.
- Mix fries one time.
- Once all fries have risen to the top, remove and set aside.
- Salt fries.
Baking Option
- Heat oven to 425F.
- In a bowl, put cut fries and fat of choice: avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, or butter.
- Mix fries until all sides are coated.
- Put a parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
- Put fries on parchment paper. Try not to overcrowd the cookie sheet.
- Bake until top of fries are golden.
- Remove from oven and very gently turn fries over. If potatoes are breaking, then the potatoes are not cooked enough to be flipped.
- Once fries are golden and cooked, remove from oven. Salt to taste.
Notes
The nutrition values below are for a medium-sized russet potato (about 5 ounces) baked in the oven with 1 tablespoon of olive oil per potato.
- Category: Side
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 potato
- Calories: 215
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 402 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: french fries fried potatoes homemade fries
6 comments
Mine were not that crispy. What should I do to make them crispier?
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Hi Mona, how did you fry/bake the fries?
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I fried them in vegetable oil.
My recommendation if you would like super crispy fries is to try frying them in sunflower oil. Or if you want to fry in vegetable oil, just make sure you don’t add too many fries at once. Don’t remove the fries until they are golden brown and float to the top.
★★★★★
I am no longer buying frozen fries. Thank you for the different options for health. So easy to make!
Thanks Anna!
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