Easy Oven Fries Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why don't my fries get crispy in the oven? ›

Par-boil the cut potatoes in water with a bit of baking soda for about 3 to 5 mins (maybe less if you've cut them small). Drain and cool them. Preheat your oven to 425F, or if you have a convection or "convection roast" setting, use that at 385 to 400F.

Soaking your fries in cold water helps remove excess starch, which allows for crispy, golden fries! The cold water bath also helps the french fries retain their shape and contributes to a fluffy inside.

Place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow them to soak, 2 to 3 hours. (You can also stick them in the fridge and let them soak overnight.) When you're ready to make the fries, drain off the water and lay the potatoes on 2 baking sheets lined with paper towels.

There are many advantages of baked fries over fried fries. Baked fries are lower in calories and fat, and they're also much easier to make at home. When you fry potatoes, a lot of the potato's natural nutrients are lost in the process. But when you bake potatoes, they retain more of their vitamins and minerals.

First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Then, spread your French fries out on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure none of them are touching (if they're too crowded, they won't get as crispy). Heat them in the oven for about eight to ten minutes, then give them a quick toss.

Bake fries on an open rack for optimum air flow.

"Baking frozen fries on an oven rack ensures even cooking and allows air to flow all around the fries, which increases your chances of getting golden-brown fries from the oven," Harvey said.

The main reasons to cut the potatoes and pre-soak in water are: To allow the excess starches and sugars to be removed from the outer surface of the fry strips AND to keep the potatoes from browning prematurely from exposure to air. Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color.

First let's talk about why cut potatoes need to be immersed in water to begin with. The reason is to prevent the potatoes exposure to air, which causes dehydration, oxidation, and discoloration. Immersing cut potatoes will also help rinse off excess starch.

For French fries or chips: Soak sliced potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2-3 hours, before frying. This can help to remove excess starch and result in crispier fries. For mashed potatoes: Soak whole or diced potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes to 2 hours before boiling.

If you're not soaking your potatoes in saltwater (brine) before cooking, you're doing it wrong. Removing excess starch is key in making your potatoes crispy if you choose to fry or roast them. Soak them in salt water for about 4-6 hours, and then pat dry.

Can you soak potatoes too long for fries? ›

The Correct Soaking Time Depends On The Size Of The Fry

When making thicker-cut fries, the potatoes shouldn't soak for more than 24 hours — or 12 if you're prepping super-thin shoestring fries. After too long, the potatoes may start to absorb water, which could result in mushy fries.

If there is one person who knows about crispy and indulgent potatoes, it has to be the king of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" Guy Fieri. To make the most flavorful baked spuds, the chef recommends soaking whole potatoes in brine, a solution of water, salt, and sometimes sugar and other seasonings, for up to six hours.

If you wash potatoes and don't give them enough time to dry, the excess moisture on their surfaces will lead to the fries steaming rather than browning and crisping.

Blanching: The Reason Why French Fries Taste Better

Your potatoes need to take two separate dips in hot oil to reach restaurant quality. Oil-blanching is a two-part process that reduces the moisture and starch content in your fries, helping them crisp up.

Baking and grilling fries:

Evenly distribute the fries on a pre-oiled or sprayed baking sheet or grill pan. Flip the fries about halfway through cooking for even crisping. Remove fries from the oven, and place in a paper towel-lined bowl to serve. Try other dipping sauces as well as ketchup.

If you wash potatoes and don't give them enough time to dry, the excess moisture on their surfaces will lead to the fries steaming rather than browning and crisping.

When the fries cook in direct contact with the tray, the heat can cause the frozen fries to steam which ultimately turns them soggy.

The most common problem typically is that someone turned up the temperature on the fryer during a busy period and did not turn it back down (which by the way doesn't solve the issue during peak periods either). So check the oil temp reading (and confirm with a thermometer in case the fryer is not calibrated correctly).

This sure sounds a lot like potatoes that have been stored too long, in too cold of an environment before cooking. When potatoes are held below 41°F for too long a period, the starches convert to sugar and it changes the cooking chemistry.