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.
Crispy french fries are a classic side dish. And they're one that everyone loves! They're the perfect crispy and delicious accompaniment to my go-to burger recipe, an easy 30 minute baked cod, and my favorite Instant Pot beef brisket sandwich recipe. These crispy oven fries go with just about any meal!
why you'll love this recipe
This easy method for making the best homemade fries is a keeper, and one you'll love for many reasons.
- Easy to make ~ French fries baked in the oven require 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 fries recipe makes the most delicious, crispy fries. They're the perfect side dish. You'll make them over and over.
ingredients and substitutions
Gather just a few ingredients to make the crispiest fries. 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 the BEST crispy oven fries
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.
- Start by preheating the oven and placing a large rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack. Preheating the baking sheet ensures that the potatoes will not stick to the pan.
- Cut the potatoes into french fries.
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and add the cut potatoes. Give the potatoes a swish and set aside for about 30 minutes.
- After a half hour, 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.
- Transfer the dry potatoes to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss. Sprinkle with seasoned panko, kosher salt and pepper. Toss again.
- 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.
- 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!
- Grab some ketchup, honey mustard, ranch dressing, this creamy cilantro lime dressing, Caesar dressing, or even mayo and start dipping!
Expert Tip: 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.
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 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika and 1/4 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.
- 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.
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 this one
Looking for more easy side dish recipes like this one? These are some favorites.
just one more thing
If you make this crispy oven fries recipe, I'd love hearing from you. Leave a comment and/or give the recipe a star rating. Also, check out my YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram pages for foodie stories, videos and cooking tips.
The BEST Baked Crispy Oven Fries
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
No need to stand over a pot of hot oil frying potatoes to get delicious crispy crunchy fries. These crispy oven fries are seriously THE BEST! The oven does all the work.
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes, cut in 1-inch fries
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup seasoned panko
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- ketchup, ranch dressing, creamy cilantro lime dressing, Caesar dressing or mayo for serving
Instructions
- Prep the pan: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a large rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven.
- Cut and soak potatoes: 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.
- Season 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.
- Roast potatoes: 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.
- Flip and roast potatoes: 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.
- Serve: Place the fries in a large bowl and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
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.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes + 30 minutes for soaking
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: bake in oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 253
- Sugar: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 641 mg
- Fat: 11.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 5.2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Stuart Steele
Giving them a try tonight with smoked backribs.
Amy Casey
Fabulous! I hope you enjoyed my recipe.
JRW
They look good, how about using an air fryer?
Amy Casey
Thanks! I have never tried an air fryer so I can't say how they would work.
Patricia
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
Thanks for your comment Patricia. The panko adds a extra bit of crunch to the potatoes.
Carrie
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
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!