Who doesn’t love a good batch of crispy, golden French fries? They’re the ultimate comfort food: perfect as a snack or side dish. While deep-frying is the traditional way to get that crispy crunch, baking your fries in the oven is a much healthier (and way less messy) alternative. The best part? You can still get that amazing crispy texture with just a few simple tricks.
Why Make Baked Fries Instead of Fried?
Deep-fried fries might be delicious, but they come with a lot of extra oil and calories. Baking your fries in the oven is a much lighter option, and when done right, they turn out just as crispy and satisfying. Plus, there’s no dealing with splattering oil or deep-fryer cleanup. It’s an easy, hassle-free way to enjoy homemade fries without the guilt.
What You’ll Need
You only need three basic ingredients to make these crispy oven fries:
- 3 medium Russet potatoes (roughly 1.5 lbs total)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus extra for finishing)
That’s it! Simple ingredients, but when prepared the right way, they come together for the ultimate homemade fries.
How to Make Crispy Oven-Baked Fries
1. Preheat Your Oven
Set your oven to 450°F. Make sure the oven rack is positioned in the lower third of the oven—this helps the fries cook evenly and crisp up nicely.
2. Slice the Potatoes
Consistency is key! Cut the Russet potatoes into ¼-inch slices, then slice those into ¼-inch sticks. Keeping the fries uniform in size ensures they all cook at the same rate, so you don’t end up with some burnt and others undercooked.
3. Soak the Potatoes
This is the secret to getting crispy fries! Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl, cover them with hot tap water, and let them soak for at least 20 minutes (or up to 8 hours if you have time). Soaking removes excess starch, which helps prevent the fries from becoming soft or soggy when they bake.
4. Dry Them Really Well
After soaking, drain the potatoes and spread them out on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Pat them as dry as possible - any leftover moisture will make them steam instead of crisp up in the oven. The drier they are, the crispier they’ll get!
5. Season and Toss with Oil
In a large bowl, toss the dried potato sticks with ¼ cup of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Make sure every fry is coated evenly—this will help them brown up beautifully.
6. Arrange on Baking Sheets
Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and spread the fries out in a single layer. If they’re too close together, they’ll steam instead of crisp, so give them plenty of space.
7. Bake Until Crispy
Pop the trays into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then, take them out and flip the fries using a spatula—this ensures they crisp up evenly. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and crispy on all sides.
8. Finish with Salt
As soon as you take them out of the oven, sprinkle them with a little extra kosher salt while they’re still hot. This step makes all the difference in flavor!
Tips for Even Crispier Fries
- Use Russet potatoes - They’re the best for fries because they have the right balance of starch and moisture.
- Soak the potatoes - It might seem like an extra step, but it’s totally worth it for that perfect crispiness.
- Dry them well - Any leftover moisture will prevent them from getting crispy.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan - If needed, use two baking sheets so they have room to crisp up.
- Flip halfway through - This helps them cook evenly and get golden brown all over.
What to Serve with Your Crispy Oven Fries
Now that you’ve got the perfect batch of crispy fries, let’s talk dips and seasonings! Here are a few tasty ways to enjoy them:
- Classic ketchup or mayo
- Garlic aioli (so good!)
- Spicy sriracha mayo
- Parmesan and truffle oil drizzle
- Tossed with Cajun or Old Bay seasoning for extra spice
Making crispy oven-baked fries at home is easier than you might think. With just a few simple techniques - soaking, drying, and giving them space on the pan - you can get that perfect crunch without frying. Try this method and let us know how they turn out! (Bonus points if you try them with my smashburgers)
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Oven Baked French Fries
Ingredients
- 3 medium Russet potatoes roughly 6" long / 1.5 lbs total
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus extra for finishing
Equipment
- Kitchen towel or paper towels
- Large Bowl
- Parchment paper
- Rimmed Baking Sheets
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 F. Make sure the oven rack is in the bottom ⅓rd of the oven.
- Cut the potatoes into ¼" slices, then cut those slices into ¼" sticks.
- Rinse the potato sticks in water. Place the potato sticks into a large bowl and fill it with tap hot water ( the potatoes should be covered with the water.) Soak for at least 20 minutes, and up to 8 hours.
- Place paper towels or a clean kitchen towel on a flat surface. Drain the water and remove the potato sticks, placing them on the kitchen towel. Pat the excess water off of them until they are as dry as you can possibly get them.
- In a large bowl, toss the dried potato sticks with ¼ olive oil and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Spread them in a single layer, without any of their sides touching each other, onto two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets.
- Bake for 20 minutes, flip the fries, then bake for another 20 minutes, or until all sides begin to crisp and brown. Remove the fries from the oven and immediately shower them with more kosher salt, to taste.
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