How to Make Crispy Oven Fries With 3 Simple Ingredients
These crispy baked french fries are a healthy, delicious alternative to deep-fried fries but they taste just as good. Tossed with olive oil and sea salt and baked to a perfect, crispy finish.
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Here’s the deal, I LOVE FRENCH FRIES. I would go so far as to say that french fries are my favorite food. Not just any french fry will do though, I’m talking about the real deal. Thick fries that are hand-cut. Crispy, delicious, salty, and cooked to golden perfection. YUM!
Because of this love, I knew we needed to find the best way to make a baked french fries recipe at home when the craving strikes. A simple, delicious, baked (not fried), seasoned to perfection french fry with the maximum crispiness.
Since these fries are baked, they’re not quite as unhealthy as deep-fried french fries. Therefore you can eat them more often. That is sound reasoning, right? Yup! Sounds good to me!
Pair your homemade french fries with a favorite burger and a beer and you might have a perfect meal…at least I think so!
Here are a few tips…
Baking Potatoes in a Convect vs. Conventional Oven
I have tried making this crispy oven fries recipe in our oven on the conventional and the convect setting. The cooking process with the convect setting ended up being a bit better! BUT if you don’t have that setting on your oven, never fear this recipe will still work. The fries just won’t brown quite as evenly. Either way, homemade oven fries are such a delicious side and it couldn’t be easier to make.
Does soaking the potatoes make a difference?
When I was experimenting with different oven-baked french fry recipes, I found that several recipes involve soaking the cut potatoes in cold water, drying them to remove the excess moisture, and then tossing them with a little oil. Should you soak potatoes before making them into healthy baked french fries? I have tried this, and you know what? I couldn’t tell much of a difference. It may make the potatoes a little crispier. However weighing how much extra effort and time it took, I did not find it to be worth it. That being said if you try this recipe and you didn’t think the fries were crispy enough. Try soaking them in water the next time you make the recipe. Let me know if you can taste the difference!
These are a great side to sandwiches of course, but we also have made them into bacon cheese fries. After they are browned, pile the fries closer together and top with shredded cheddar cheese and bacon. Put the baking sheet back in the oven until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately and top with sour cream and chives. It’s practically a meal that way…er an appetizer…or maybe a delicious snack??
How To Make Easy, Crispy, Oven Baked French Fries
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees on the convect setting if you have it. Wash and cut up 2-4 medium-sized russet potatoes into 1/4-inch sticks. Like this:
Cut enough potatoes to fill a cookie sheet in a single layer with even spacing so that they aren’t touching. Toss the fries with some olive oil, salt, and black pepper (optional) until they are coated.
Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the potatoes and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes until they become golden brown and are cooked through. Taste and add more salt if needed.
… ANNNND THAT’S IT! All that’s left to do is find your perfect dipping sauce and dig in!
Dipping sauce Ideas for Oven Fries
- Ranch
- Honey Mustard
- Ketchup – It’s a classic!
- Malt vinegar – It’s like a salt and vinegar potato chip kinda vibe.
- Make your own fry sauce – Mix together 1 part ketchup to 2 parts mayonaise
- Barbeque Sauce – My husband is horrified if I dip a fry in BBQ sauce, but my son and I think it’s great.
- Aoili with roasted garlic – If you’re feeling fancy!
Recipe Variations Using Crispy Oven Fries
- Try tossing the potatoes with some of your favorite fresh herbs (like parsley and basil) and parmesan cheese before baking.
- Before baking toss the fries with a sprinkle of Chili powder, paprika, cumin, and onion powder.
- Use your favorite seasoned salt in place of the regular salt. We like to shake a little Lawry’s Seasoned Salt on ours.
- Once the fries are baked pile some on a plate and top with cheese and crumbled bacon and microwave for about 30 seconds until the cheese melts.
Printable RECIPE Card
How to Make Crispy Oven Fries With 3 Simple Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2-4 Russet Potatoes
- 2-4 tbsp Olive Oil roughly 1 tbsp per potato
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Convect setting if possible.
- Wash potatoes
- Cut potatoes into sticks. Thickness will slightly affect baking time.
- Pile potatoes onto cookie sheet. Coat and toss with olive oil and salt.
- Distribute potatoes evenly over cookie sheet. Spacing helps the fries brown.
- Place cookie sheet on middle rack and bake for 15 minutes.
- Toss fries and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. If fries are sticking to the cookie sheet, allow fries to bake for an additional 5 minutes before tossing.
We make these about every week in my house. I love them.