The Best and Simplest Baked French Fries

Seriously, these are the best baked French fries! This recipe is super basic, and the main purpose of this post is to explain the method. So, feel free to customize the fries with your favorite seasonings and toppings.

Cooking Methods for Baked French Fries

In college, I took a chemistry of cooking course where we experimented with different methods for preparing fried French fries. It was a fun day in class, and not just because we got to eat fries at the end of class. While those fried French fries, some of the same methods could apply for baked fries. The most relevant methods for baking are blanching or soaking in cold water before baking.

Blanching involves shocking the fries with varying temperatures. After washing the fries, you would add them to a pot of water to allow them to simmer and then immediately add them to an ice bath for the same amount of time. This method, for me, hasn’t worked as well as soaking the fries in cold water. But give it a try and let me know how it works for you!

Rinsing and soaking potatoes in cold water before baking helps remove the starch. Starch can make the fries soft and crumbly, and we certainly don’t want that! You can soak the fries for as quick as 10 minutes or up to an hour. However, I’ve found that soaking for 10-15 minutes is sufficient.

Cooking Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Peeling is optional, however, as you can see from the photos, I like to peel mine. Cut the potatoes to your desired size or use a fry cutter for even sized fries and ease. Wash the fries by running the potatoes under cold water to remove any dirt, debris, and starch. Put the fries in a large bowl with cold water and soak for 10-15 minutes.

Once the fries have soaked, lay them flat on a kitchen towel or paper towels and pat them dry. Now, here’s the fun part! In a large bowl, toss the fries with a healthy pour of olive oil and your choice of seasonings. For this recipe, I kept things simple and used sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

For easy clean up, use a baking sheet lined with foil. Add a little oil to the sheet to help prevent sticking. Space out the fries so that they are flat and not touching. Bake for 20 minutes flipping halfway. If you had to use two baking sheets to accommodate the space, rotate the baking trays in the oven at this point. If you are only using one baking sheet, I like to bake my fries on the bottom rack as it allows for a crispier bake.

When the fries are hot out of the oven, toss with additional salt, cheese, or any other toppings. When I made my chorizo burger, I tossed my fries with truffle oil, parmesan cheese, and parsley.

Have fun making these and don’t forget to let me know how they turn out! Enjoy!

Baked French Fries

A super simple recipe for baked French fries. This is all about the cooking method to achieve the best and crispiest baked French Fries.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

• 3 baking potatoes
• olive oil
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• garlic powder to taste

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Peeling is optional. Cut the potatoes to your desired size or use a fry cutter for even sized fries and ease.
• Wash the fries by running the potatoes under cold water to remove any dirt, debris, and starch. Put the fries in a large bowl with cold water and soak for 10-15 minutes.
• Once the fries have soaked, lay them flat on a kitchen towel or paper towels and pat them dry.
• In a large bowl, toss the fries with a healthy pour of olive oil and your choice of seasonings. For this recipe, I kept things simple and used sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• For easy clean up, use a baking sheet lined with foil. Add a little oil to the sheet to help prevent sticking. Space out the fries so that they are flat and not touching. Bake for 20 minutes flipping halfway. If you had to use two baking sheets to accommodate the space, rotate the baking trays in the oven at this point. If you are only using one baking sheet, I like to bake my fries on the bottom rack as it allows for a crispier bake.
• When the fries are hot out of the oven, toss with additional salt, cheese, or any other toppings.

Keyword appetizer, french fries, gluten-free, side dish, vegan