Crispy Oven French Fry Recipe
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French Fries without the fryer? That’s right, these spuds are just as crispy, tasty, tender, and easy to bake in the oven as those fried in oil — and much healthier!
Want more recipe ideas? Try my Baked Onion Rings, Avocado Fries, and Oven Baked Zucchini Fries next!
For more healthy ways to cook potatoes, check out my recipes for Baked Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges, Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes, and my Instant Pot Baked Potatoes.
I loooooove potatoes. Any which way, I’m down. But my favorite might just be fried: french fries of all shapes, sizes, and varieties are my weak spot. Serve them up next to a yummy mixture of ketchup and mayo for dipping and forget about even talking to me until the entire serving is gone.
I never thought I’d ever find a crispy french fry recipe that wasn’t dunked in oil to be actually fried. That is, until I tried this easy oven-baked recipe, which has now become my favorite and my waistline thanks me for it several times a week.
Why This Recipe Works
High temperature: The key to baking potatoes in this french fries recipe is a high oven temperature. 450 degrees keeps them crispy on the outside, tender on the inside.
Thin strips: Another way to ensure even, crispy baking is to cut the potatoes as thinly and uniformly as possible.
Pat dry: Patting the potatoes dry with paper towels removes excess starch and water, and helps them to crisp up faster.
Skin on: I leave the skin on my potatoes for extra flavor, texture, and nutrition but you can peel these if you like.
Here’s How To Make French Fries
Not sure how to make french fries from potatoes that taste like their fried but right in the oven? Read on!
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and then line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the pan.
- Slice the potatoes thinly, into about ¼-inch strips. (photo 1)
- Before putting the potatoes on the parchment, lay them on paper towels and pat them with paper towels to remove extra starch. (photo 2)
- Next, toss the potato slices with olive oil. (photo 3)
- Lay the potatoes in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. (photo 4)
- Pop them in the oven and let them cook for 15-30 minutes, until golden brown or crisped up to your liking. (not pictured)
- Toss the fries in salt and serve with all the dips.
Frequently Asked Questions
A lot of recipes will instruct you to soak the sliced potato wedges before frying them but I don’t think you have to do that. As a lover of all things time-saving, I have learned over the years that simply blotting the potatoes with paper towels to remove the starch is much quicker and just as effective as soaking the potatoes and then drying them off before frying/baking.
Baked oven french fries are much, much healthier for you than those fried in oil. This recipe only uses a little bit of olive oil spread around all the potatoes to help them crisp up and achieve that golden-brown color and slight crunch.
If you don’t want to use as much oil, you can cut back to 2-3 tablespoons, or use cooking spray (but they won’t be as crispy).
Omygosh the dips! The spreads! The condiments! All colors, flavors, creaminesses, homemade or from a jar…I’m all-in. And with these fries…The. Best.
Garlic aioli: keep an eye out for my recipe coming SOON!
Cilantro Avocado Ranch Dressing: tangy, creamy, and with that cilantro flavor (most people) love.
Fry sauce: Utah’s famous sauce: mix equal parts ketchup and mayo. So. Good.
Honey Mustard: whisk together 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup dijon mustard. Add salt to taste.
Tzatziki sauce: for when you’re feeling your inner Greek. (Really feeling Greek food? Try this Chicken Gyro Salad with Tzatziki Dressing recipe next!)
Expert Tips
- Peeling the potatoes: I usually do not peel the potatoes — they taste great with the skin on and it adds prep time to the recipe BUT you absolutely can peel them if you prefer.
- Extra crispy: be sure to arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet, not overlapping and not touching as much as possible.
- Potatoes: I use russet or Idaho potatoes because they make for a large, dippable wedge/fry and they crisp up nicely when sliced uniformly.
- Spacing: If possible, leave a little bit of space between the fries so that they can crisp all the way around and you won’t end up with a bunch of them stuck together.
Best Side Dish Recipes
- Baked Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges
- Grilled Corn on the Cob (the best you’ll ever have)
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Best Broccoli Salad of your life
- Oven Roasted Dill Potatoes
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a rating below!
Crispy Oven French Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound russet potatoes, or Idaho potatoes
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- dipping sauce, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut potatoes into thin, 1/4-inch strips.
- Lay potatoes out on paper towels. Use more paper towels to pat the potatoes dry and to remove the starch.
- Toss potatoes with olive oil.
- Arrange potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet.
- Bake, undisturbed, for 15-30 minutes until golden.
- Immediately toss with the salt. Serve fresh with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Easy and delicious! My new favorite way to eat potatoes! Thank you!
Thank you for your review! I’m happy that you enjoyed it 🙂
Could you prep them ahead of time and bake later?
You can but they may turn brown depending on how long you plan on waiting until you cook them. You can cut them and have them soak in water if it’s only going to be a couple hours before you cook them. If it’s going to be longer, I would stick them in the fridge (still soaking in water) for up to 24 hours. I wouldn’t recommend waiting any longer than that.
Can you freeze leftovers….if so how do you reheat frozen ones?
Yes, you could freeze them and then reheat in the oven! You could spritz them with a little bit of cooking spray to help them crisp up again if needed.
Is it alright to use aluminum foil instead of parchment paper
Yep!
Finally, a reliable fry recipe! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for your feedback!
They come out great. My son loves them.
I thoroughly enjoy every recipe i read from you. They work my family is addicted to something new. We cant get enough, Thankyou
Thank you for your feedback!
I made yhese fries last night.
It is the first time ever that i didn’t use a ton of oil in a frying pan on the stove!
I followed the recipe and the result was amazing.
The crispiest, easiest fries i have Made yet.
Thank you.💐
Do you have any suggestions on how for doing this in an air fryer? I can easily check as they bake in my AF, but I don’t want to mess up the deliciousness.
Honestly, I don’t have any experience using an air fryer. Sorry!
Can you forward the garlic ai recipe?
Are you asking about the garlic aioli sauce?? I have not posted it yet- stay tuned!!! It’s coming!