American
Crispy Oven Fries
Thick russet fries soaked, dried, and roasted on a hot sheet until the edges are deep golden. Crowding the pan is what makes them limp.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Soaking removes surface starch.
- They have to be dry before they are oiled.
- One layer on a hot pan. Piled fries steam.
- Salt them when they come out, while the oil is still tacky.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch sticks. Soak them in cold water for 20 minutes.
- 2
Drain and dry them until the cut sides look matte.
- 3
Toss with the oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- 4
Spread them in a single layer on a sheet pan. Bake 20 minutes. Flip. Bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until they are deep golden and crisp.
- 5
Salt again if they need it. Serve hot.
Pro tips
- A preheated pan gives you better browning on the first side.
- If they are pale after 40 minutes, your pan was crowded. Finish them in a second batch.
- Russets beat waxy potatoes for fries.
Easy substitutions
- olive oil
- neutral oil
- garlic powder
- paprika
Storage and reheating
Storage
Best immediately. Refrigerate up to 2 days.
Reheating
Spread on a pan and heat at 425°F until crisp again, about 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 230
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Budget friendly · Oven
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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