No need to stand over a pot of hot oil frying potatoes to get delicious and crispy homemade french fries. These Crispy Oven Fries are seriously THE BEST! The oven does all the work.
"This is the recipe I have been looking for for years! Fantastic recipe and thanks so much! Preheating the pan is a game changer. I really appreciate you."
~CarrieRecipe review
Crispy french fries are a classic side dish. And they're one that everyone loves! They're the perfect crispy and delicious accompaniment to a slow roasted prime rib roast, my go-to burger recipe, an easy 30 minute baked cod, and my favorite Instant Pot beef brisket sandwich recipe. These homemade oven baked fries go with just about any meal!
Jump to:
- Recipe review
- Why These are the Best Crispy Oven Fries
- Oven Fries Ingredients (Including the Secret: Panko)
- How to Make Crispy Oven Fries (Step by Step)
- Amy's Expert Tip: Why Preheating the Pan is the Game Changer
- Variations
- How to Reheat French Fries
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Recipes Like These Healthy French Fries
- One More Thing
- Recipe
Why These are the Best Crispy Oven Fries
This easy method for making the best oven fries is a keeper, and one you'll love for many reasons.
- Easy to make ~ Making fries in the oven requires very little prep. You can even skip peeling the potatoes. And the oven does all the cooking. You skip the time spent standing over a hot pot of oil frying batch after batch of fries.
- Healthy alternative ~ As compared to deep fried french fries, oven baked fries are a healthier option. They are typically lower in fat and calories than fried fries as only a little oil is used to make them.
- Taste delicious ~ This easy oven french fries recipe makes the most delicious, crispy fries. They're the perfect side dish. You'll make them over and over.
Oven Fries Ingredients (Including the Secret: Panko)
Gather just a few ingredients to make the crispy fries in the oven. If substitutes can be made to the recipe, they're listed. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.
- Russet potatoes ~ The high starch and low moisture content in russet potatoes makes them #1 for crispy baked french fries.
- Olive oil ~ Avocado oil or canola oil are alternatives.
- Seasoned panko ~ The crispy seasoned panko adds a nice crunch to the baked fries.
- Kosher salt ~ The larger grain salt enhances the flavor of food without making it overly salty.
- Fresh ground black pepper ~ Grinding your own pepper is more flavorful than already ground pepper.
How to Make Crispy Oven Fries (Step by Step)
The oven provides the easiest way to achieve golden brown and crispy fries. And it involves a very little amount of kitchen labor. This is a brief overview of my foolproof method. I've included a step by step cooking video above. Scroll to the recipe card for the complete instructions.
Step 1: Preheat the oven and placing a large rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack. Cut the potatoes into french fries.
Step 2: Fill a large bowl with cold water and add the cut potatoes. Give the potatoes a swish and set aside for about 30 minutes.
Step 3: Drain the potatoes and place on a large clean dish towel or a few layers of paper towels. Blot off as much water as possible. You can also use a salad spinner to remove the excess water.
Step 4: Transfer the dry potatoes to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss. Sprinkle with seasoned panko, kosher salt and pepper. Toss again.
Step 5: Remove the sheet pan from the oven ~ BE CAREFUL! It's scorching hot!. Spread out the sliced potatoes in a single layer. For the crispiest and crunchiest oven fries, make sure they're not touching each other on the pan.
Step 6: Roast for 25 minutes. Shake the pan (or flip the potatoes with a large spatula) and roast for another 15-20 minutes. When the fries are crispy and golden brown, they're ready to enjoy!
Amy's Expert Tip: Why Preheating the Pan is the Game Changer
Season the crispy baked fries as soon as they come out of the oven. The kosher salt will stick better when the fries are hot.
Variations
Try some of these creative ways to make this baked french fries recipe one of your favorites.
- Spicy ~ Along with the other seasonings, add ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Cheesy ~ During the last 5 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the fries with shredded cheese. Try mozzarella, cheddar, Gruyere or even dollops of my Pimento Cheese.
- Saucy ~ Pour warm gravy over the crispy fries and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Add a dip ~ Grab some ketchup, honey mustard, ranch dressing, this creamy cilantro lime dressing, Caesar dressing, or even mayo and start dipping!
- Entree ~ Place a serving of fries in a bowl. Top with chili, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and guacamole. My Vegetable Chili is delicious with baked fries.
How to Reheat French Fries
- Oven ~ Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a baking sheet in the oven. Spread the fries on a preheated baking sheet. Heat for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.
- Stovetop ~ Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the fries in a single layer. Heat for 5-8 minutes. Flip the fries over once during the heating time.
- Microwave ~ The microwave is my last choice for heating oven baked fries. They'll become soft and a little bit soggy, but will be heated through. Place the fries on a microwave safe plate. Microwave on 60 percent power at 30 second intervals until the fries are heated.
Frequently Asked Questions
One of the keys to crispy oven fries is soaking the cut potatoes in cold water for about 30 minutes. This step removes some of the starchiness from the potatoes. The resulting fries with have a great texture and maximum crispiness.
Don't line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. I always thought this was the way to go for easy clean up. But with this added layer on the baking sheet, the potatoes (or any other vegetable you roast) will steam more than roast.
For the best results, preheat the baking sheet. This step will help prevent the potatoes from sticking to the pan. And try not to flip the potatoes before 20-25 minutes of roasting. They still my stick a little before this amount of roasting time.
More Recipes Like These Healthy French Fries
Looking for more easy side dish recipes like this one? These are some favorites.
One More Thing
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a comment and a star rating below. Share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.
Thanks ~ Amy
Recipe
Baked Crispy Oven Fries
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes cut in 1-inch thick fries
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup seasoned panko
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ketchup ranch dressing, creamy cilantro lime dressing, Caesar dressing or mayo for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a large rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven.
- Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl of cold water. Set aside for about 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes and lay flat on a clean dish towel or a couple layers of paper towels. Blot dry.4 medium russet potatoes
- Place potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat. Add the seasoned panko, kosher salt and pepper. Toss to coat the potatoes.3 tablespoons olive oil, ½ cup seasoned panko, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Spread the seasoned potatoes on the pan. Try not to crowd the pan. Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for 25 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully shake to redistribute the potatoes. You can also use a large spatula to flip over the potatoes. Return the baking sheet to the oven and continue roasting for 15-20 minutes. When the potatoes are golden brown and crispy, remove them from the oven. Immediately sprinkle them with more kosher salt.
- Place the fries in a large bowl and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.ketchup
Video
Notes
- Be sure to preheat the baking sheet. This step will help prevent the potatoes from sticking to the pan. And try not to flip the potatoes before 20 to 25 minutes of roasting. They still my stick a little before this amount of roasting time.
- Don't line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. I always thought this was the way to go for easy clean up. But with this added layer on the baking sheet, the potatoes (or any other vegetable you roast) will steam more than roast.
- Season the crispy oven fries as soon as they come out of the oven. The kosher salt will stick better when the fries are hot.
Nutrition
Christine says
Soooo good!
Amy Casey says
I love to hear that Christine! I made these fries again for dinner last night.
Lisa says
These are my favorite with burgers or steaks! I love not having a pot of oil to clean up.
Amy Casey says
I'm so glad you enjoy my recipe Lisa! And not having a big pot of oil to clean up is surely an advantage of this recipe. 🙂
Sharon says
I love fries, but I don't love the mess of frying them. This recipe is perfection. The fries came out crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.
Amy Casey says
I'm so glad the recipe worked so well for you. These fries are a staple in our house. They go with so many dishes.
Kristin says
These are SOOOO good! The seasoned panko gives them the most satisfying crispy crunch. Delicious!
Amy Casey says
I'm so glad you like the recipe Kristin. I serve these fries for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Gwynn says
Homemade fries are the best fries and these did not disappoint! So delicious!
Amy Casey says
I'm so glad you enjoyed my recipe Gwynn! These oven fries are so delish and I serve them with so many dishes. And they're great for snacking too.
Carrie says
This is the recipe I have been looking for for years! Fantastic recipe and thanks so much! Preheating the pan is a game changer. I really appreciate you.
Amy Casey says
You're so welcome Carrie! I totally agree that preheating the pan is a game changer. I always used a parchment paper lined pan and the fries weren't crispy. The panko adds to the crispiness too!
Patricia says
I wasn't sure about this recipe. I had plain panko and seasoned them. I peeled the potatoes but now I see they weren't peeled. turned out great. I will make them again. I thought the panko would really cover the potatoes but they didn't. still turned out great. thanks
Amy Casey says
Thanks for your comment Patricia. The panko adds a extra bit of crunch to the potatoes.
JRW says
They look good, how about using an air fryer?
Amy Casey says
Thanks! I have never tried an air fryer so I can't say how they would work.
Stuart Steele says
Giving them a try tonight with smoked backribs.
Amy Casey says
Fabulous! I hope you enjoyed my recipe.