These crispy oven fries are a carb lover’s dream come true. They’re crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and are almost as easy to make as they are to eat.
This post was originally published on May 11, 2018. It has been updated with new content and photos. Enjoy!
OMG it’s the return of the Tuesday blog post! It’s been a crazy few weeks y’all (as evidenced by my use of the word “y’all”). And unfortunately the craziness took up nearly all the energy that I’d normally direct towards delightful food puns and pithy commentary about the weather. My sincerest apologies for the absence of mid-week content here. I hope not to let you down again, but if I do (because let’s face it, I’m so far from perfect), I promise I won’t be gone for long, and that when I’m back I’ll bring snacks!
But on this Tuesday I am totally here. Congratulating you on making it through Monday, and commiserating with you about the weekend feeling SO. FAR. AWAY. And while I realize that posting a french fry recipe on any day other than Friday is kind of a missed opportunity, I could really use some comfort food. So french fry Tuesday it is!
Crispy Oven Fries with Curry Fry Sauce
These oven fries are crispy, crunchy, and dipped in anamazingly addictive curry fry sauce. But the best part about these is that they’re completely oven baked. Now, I realize that when you really want a french fry, something baked may not hit that sweet spot for you. But as someone who would rather crank the oven (especially now that fall is officially upon us) than pull out a pot of hot oil on most occasions these are the ticket. Oh and there’s a secret, and who doesn’t love a little mystery with their fries?
But before we get to the intrigue of it all, let’s start with the basics.
What You Need to Make Crispy Oven Fries
This list of ingredients is short and sweet. But it’s what you do with them that makes all the crispy, crunchy, golden brown difference.
- Potatoes – I like russets for this because of their higher starch levels, but yukon golds would also make a delicious oven fry.
- Oil – Pick something neutral with a higher smoke point. Canola, rice bran, vegetable, avocado, grapeseed, and safflower oils are all good options.
- Salt – 99% of the time my recipes call for kosher salt. This is because I like it, it tastes good, it’s big and flaky so I can see how much of it I’m putting on stuff, and it doesn’t have that weird metallic aftertaste. If you’re using fine salt use half of what is called for in the recipe.
- Supporting flavors – To be honest, you don’t need anything but potatoes, oil, and salt. But if you want to get a little sassy a dash of chili flake or a sprinkling of rosemary can really bring things to the next level.
How to Make Crispy Oven Fries
Oven fries seem simple, right? Well, yes. But there are a few things you can do to make success the rule rather than the exception.
- Preheat your oven. Now that you’ve gathered your ingredients it’s time to crank that oven. Why is that the first thing we’re doing? Because a hot oven is a necessity for crispy, crunchy oven fries. So get the oven preheating first thing, because it actually takes longer than you think to come up to temp.
- Prep your potatoes. Give your spuds a good scrub and peel them if you’re feeling it. Then slice them into planks and then into batons. I like mine about 1/2 inch thick. Much thinner and you risk the fries falling apart when you flip them. If you’re doing this ahead of time, drop your fries into a bowl of cold water. This will keep them fresh and from turning an off putting shade of pinkish brown.
- Set aside one potato for an extra special secret mission. Ah yes, the mystery component of today’s recipe. So what’s the extra special secret spud for? Well simply put – starch. By sacrificing one potato we can create a flavorful, starchy paste that will get extra crispy in the oven and build a layer of protection around our fries. It’s the secret to crunchy, well seasoned, oven fries and really helps keep them from sticking to the sheet pan – a worthwhile bonus in my book.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Your fries will never ever ever get crispy if they’re all on top of each other. So give each beautiful baton room to be the best it can be.
- No touching! These are not a fast food. You have to use your most patient brain to let these cook, without disturbing them. In fact these bake 80% all on one side. And the wait will be worth it for crunchy fries that are easy to flip. If some gentle pressure with a thin spatula doesn’t budge them, then they just need a little more time.
- Whisk up your sauce. This fry sauce is super simple, but incredibly satisfying. It’s a great mix of tangy, savory, smokey, and just a little bit sweet. And in my house you CANNOT have a fry without at least one dipping sauce (ideally two or three). So it is an essential component – ie: DO NOT SKIP IT.
That’s it. Those are the deets, the secrets, the sauce, and now you too can have mid-week fries for when life gets cray.
But if you need some other snacky options, check these out.
- Crispy Scallion Pancakes
- Salted Crispy Peanut Butter Bars
- Peach Jalapeno Chutney
- Easy Pickled Shrimp
- Spicy Charred Corn Queso
Crispy Oven Fries
Crispy oven fries with curry fry sauce are a crowd pleasing side dish which is easy to make and even easier to eat.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 60 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the oven fries
¼ C neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or safflower)
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp black pepper
3 tsp kosher salt, divided
5 medium russet potatoes
2 C water
½ tsp baking soda
For the curry fry sauce
½ C mayonnaise
¼ C ketchup
1 tsp honey
1 tsp curry powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp lime juice
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
For the crispy oven fries:
Preheat your oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl combine oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and one teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
In a saucepan bring the water to a boil. Wash and dry all of the potatoes. Peel and chop ONE potato into ½ inch chunks (if you’re using monster-sized taters, just use a half of one – you should have a generous cup of chopped potato). When water is boiling add baking soda and 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the chopped potato to the water and let simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. It’s ok if they fall apart, that’s the end game here.
While the chopped potato cooks, slice the remaining potatoes into planks and then into batons (fries, duh) – about ½ inch thick. When the chopped potatoes are tender, drain thoroughly (I like to return them to the pot to dry out over low heat for 30 seconds or so) and transfer to the bowl with the oil and spices. Using a potato masher or a fork mash the potatoes with the oil and spices until you have a paste (a few little lumps are fine, don’t drive yourself nuts). Toss your fries in the potato and spice mixture until well coated. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and spread into one, even layer. If you’re like “HA! One layer? You must be joking!” then you’ve probably got too many potatoes – time to pull out a second baking sheet.
Bake for 40 minutes, undisturbed. Flip the fries to get them brown on the other side. If they don’t flip relatively easily or are sticking to the pan then they aren’t done on that side. They’ll release when they’re good and ready – it’s a waiting game.
Return to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve with Curry Fry Sauce (instructions below).
For the curry fry sauce:
Whisk together all ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
I like russets for these but yukon golds would also work.
Any neutral oil with a high smoking point can be substituted here.
Preheat your oven first thing, as a key to good oven fries is a hot oven.
Baking soda is the secret to breaking down the potato into a paste. You won’t taste it – I promise.
Keywords: crispy oven fries, oven baked fries, easy oven fries, french fries, curry fry sauce
