Homemade French Fries Recipe

Name: Homemade French Fries
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 205 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes (4 medium potatoes); 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar; 1 to 2 quarts peanut oil; Kosher salt

Tray of Homemade French Fries Served with a Bowl of Ketchup — Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

In This Recipe

How to Make French Fries at Home
Why Soak the Potatoes?
Why Fry Twice?
The Best Potatoes for French Fries
And What About the Size of the Fries?
Tips and Tricks for Making Homemade French Fries
Seasonings and Sauces for French Fries
How to Reheat Leftover Fries

I'm a sucker for a French fry. I love a good fry hot off the fryer with a starchy inside and a crispy, salty coating. Who doesn't?

Up until recently, I indulged my craving for the popular side with a quick pass through the McDonald's drive-thru or late-night delivery order of cheese fries from my local diner. I never tried making them at home, convinced I wouldn't be able to achieve a crispy enough or tasty enough result.

Well, after a mountain of research and tests, I'm pleased to say that I was very much mistaken. With a few essential techniques, you, too, can achieve a satisfying and crispy fry at home.

How to Clean and Prep Potatoes for Cooking

How to Make French Fries at Home

Homemade French fries involve a three-step process.

Soak the potatoes: Soak your cut potatoes in cold water for at least 2 hours up to overnight to remove excess starch. Just before frying, dry them thoroughly.
Fry: Fry the potatoes at a low temperature of 300°F until they are tender. Let them drain on a paper towel or kitchen towel for at least 30 minutes.
Fry again: Fry the potatoes at a higher temperature of 375°F to create a crispy, golden-brown crust. Let the excess oil drain on paper towels, season with salt, and serve immediately.

Why Soak the Potatoes?

Soaking potatoes is critical to achieving a light golden-brown crust on your fries. Soaking removes excess starch from the potatoes and prevents excess browning. Otherwise, the exterior of the potato will brown too quickly before the inside cooks.

Why Fry Twice?

A double fry helps eliminate excess moisture that sogs up the outside of the fry and evenly cooks the inside while browning the outside properly. Some recipes involve a single fry (cold oil method). However, after testing, I found that the double-fry process consistently yields crispier fries.

Closeup of Homemade French Fries Served with a Bowl of Ketchup — Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

The Best Potatoes for French Fries

In most cases, russets are the best option for frying because of their high starch content (yielding a fluffy interior) and lower moisture makeup (drier potatoes will crisp more quickly).

Depending on your preference, you can either peel the potatoes or leave them unpeeled. Both options will yield delicious fries.

How to Buy and Store Potatoes

And What About the Size of the Fries?

Even cuts are most important. For thickness, anywhere between 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch thick is great. I prefer 1/4-inches as I find they stay the crispiest.

Tips and Tricks for Making Homemade French Fries

Add 2 tablespoons vinegar to the soaking liquid to help slow down browning.
Use a thermometer when heating the oil for the most consistent results.
Thoroughly dry your potatoes after soaking. Removing excess moisture will yield a crispier texture (and avoid splattering).
Gently lower your potatoes into the oil when frying to avoid further splattering. You can also use a splatter shield.
For the crispiest fries, drain on a paper towel then transfer to a wire rack just before serving.

Homemade French Fries Served with Ketchup — Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Seasonings and Sauces for French Fries

While I'm all for a classic sprinkling of salt on my fries, you should feel free to experiment as you wish with fun seasonings and sauces. I love tossing fries with Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, or even a little bit of garlic salt and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

For sauces, aside from ketchup (obviously!), I like mixing a little bit of hot sauce into my ketchup, making a mixture of mayo and sriracha, or serving with an extra garlicky aioli.

How to Reheat Leftover Fries

Leftover fries can be reheated in a few different ways depending on your preference.

Fry: If you saved your leftover frying oil, reheat the oil to 375°F and re-fry the leftover fries to warm them.
Bake: Preheat your oven to 400°F and reheat the fries on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes until warmed.
Air fry: Set your air fryer to 350°F and reheat the fries inside the fryer basket for 3 to 5 minutes.

Enjoy Your French Fries With Burgers, Steaks, and More!

Homemade French Fries

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Inactive Time 2 hrs 45 mins

Total Time 3 hrs 25 mins

Servings 4 servings

2 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes (4 medium potatoes)
2 tablespoons distilled vinegar
1 to 2 quarts peanut oil
Kosher salt

Prep the potatoes:

Fill a large bowl with cold water and set aside. If desired, use a vegetable peeler to peel the potatoes. Use a mandolin or a knife to cut fries into 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch thick cuts, depending on your preference. I prefer 1/4-inches as I find they stay the crispiest.

To cut by hand, slice the edge off one side of the potato to create a flat surface. Place the flattened side down, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch thick slices. Cut each slice into 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch sticks.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Rinse the fries:

Place the cut fries into the water, then drain them into a sieve. Rinse the potatoes under cold water for a few seconds to help remove any excess starch.
Soak the fries:

Place the fries back into the bowl and fill with cold water until they are fully submerged. Add in the white vinegar. Let the fries soak for at least 2 hours at room temperature, up to overnight (if soaking longer than 2 hours, store in the fridge).

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Drain the potatoes and arrange on baking sheet:

Line two large baking sheets with two layers of paper towels or clean kitchen towels. Drain the potatoes using a strainer, then transfer them to the baking sheet.

Arrange them evenly on the baking sheet and place another kitchen towel or paper towel on top to blot any excess moisture. Let the fries drain and air-dry for at least 15 minutes up to an hour—the drier the potatoes, the better the result.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Fry the potatoes:

Line a baking sheet with paper towels or a kitchen towel to drain excess grease from fries after frying.

Meanwhile, set a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add at least 2 inches of oil to the pot. Use a thermometer to heat oil to 300°F.

In batches, cook the fries for 3 to 5 minutes or until the fries are tender. You may need to cook them in 2 -3 batches. Use a slotted spoon or kitchen spider to remove the fries from the oil and drain on baking sheet with paper towels or a kitchen towel.

Repeat with the remaining fries, making sure the oil is at 300°F between batches when frying.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Drain the potatoes:

Let fries drain on the baking sheet lined with paper towels for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, reheat the oil on medium heat to 375°F.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Fry the potatoes:

Place 2 teaspoons of salt in a small bowl for easy access. Line a large baking sheet or plate with paper towels.

In batches, cook the fries once more for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are a light golden brown. Fries should also feel crispy (and not soggy).

To test this, use a slotted spoon or spider to remove a fry from the oil and place it on the paper towel. Let cool slightly, then taste the fry—if it's still soft, continue frying.

Once done, remove the remaining fries with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on the paper towel lined baking sheet.

Immediately season with salt, to taste. Repeat with the remaining batches and serve while hot.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Storage:

Store leftover French fries wrapped in aluminum foil or an airtight container in the refrigerator. In the fridge, cooked fries will last up to 3 days.

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Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
204	Calories
0g	Fat
46g	Carbs
5g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	204
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 102mg	4%
Total Carbohydrate 46g	17%
Dietary Fiber 5g	17%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 20mg	101%
Calcium 34mg	3%
Iron 2mg	13%
Potassium 1164mg	25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.