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These Crispy French Fries are golden on the outside, fluffy in the center, and made with just 3 ingredients. A quick par-cook plus a hot fry gives them that perfect fast food-style crunch right at home. My ideal night in? These fries, my hot honey buffalo chicken tenders, and a dirty shirley.
Some things just taste better from scratch, and fries are at the top of that list. All you need are russet potatoes, salt, and oil to make a fry that rivals any restaurant version. The secret is a quick boil before frying– it locks in a tender interior while the hot oil crisps up the outside. Serve them alongside my grinder sandwich, tuna melt, or Nashville hot chicken sliders for the best lunch pairing.
Ingredients Youโll Need for Crispy French Fries
- Russet potatoes – Their high starch and low moisture content create that fluffy interior and crisp exterior that we want.
- Kosher salt – Essential for seasoning the boiling water and finishing the fries.
- Neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable oil) – A high smoke point oil is key for frying at 375ยฐF without burning.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How to Make Crispy French Fries
- Slice the potatoes. Cut the russet potatoes into ยผ-inch sticks. Place them immediately into a bowl of cold water to prevent browning.
- Rinse and soak. Rinse the potatoes under cold water to remove excess starch. Soak in water for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Parcook the potatoes. Boil drained potatoes in salted water for 4 minutes.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat completely dry.
- Fry the potatoes. Heat the oil to 375ยฐF. Fry in batches for about 4 minutes, until fries are deeply golden and crisp.
- Drain and season. Transfer the fries to a rack or paper towelโlined baking sheet. Sprinkle immediately with kosher salt and serve hot.
Quick Tips for the Best Crispy French Fries
Soak long enough. A full 30-minute soak removes excess surface starch, which helps prevent sticking and promotes crispness.
Dry the potatoes thoroughly before frying. Any excess moisture will cause splattering and prevent proper browning.
Use a thermometer. Keeping the oil at 375ยฐF ensures the fries cook quickly and donโt absorb excess oil.
Donโt overcrowd the pot. Frying in batches keeps the oil temperature steady and results in crisp fries instead of soggy ones.
Season immediately. Salt adheres best while the fries are still hot from the oil.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating
Make-Ahead:
After parcooking and drying, refrigerate the fries until completely cool. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Fry directly from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the cook time.
Reheating:
Reheat in a 400ยฐF oven or air fryer for about 5 minutes until hot and crisp again. Avoid microwaving, which softens the exterior.
If you tried this Crispy French Fries recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ๐ star rating and let me know how it went in the ๐ comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Crispy French Fries
Equipment
- large pot or Dutch oven
- Frying Spider
- Digital thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes, (about 3 pounds), washed and scrubbed
- Kosher salt
- 2 quarts neutral oil, for frying
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with cold water. Set the bowl near your prep station, weโll add the cut potatoes to this.
- Slice russet potatoes into ยผ-inch sticks. I like to trim off one side of the potato to create a flat surface for stabilizing while slicing. Then, cut the potato lengthwise into ยผ-inch slices. Next, lay the slices on the cutting board and cut lengthwise again into ยผ-inch sticks. You should end up with long, skinny fry-shaped potatoes. Add them to the bowl of cold water to keep them from browning as you continue to prep the rest of the potatoes.
- Drain the bowl and rinse the potatoes once more under cold water to remove excess starch. Fill the bowl again with cold water and let the potatoes soak for a minimum of 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Parcook the potatoes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Salt the water like you would pasta water. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Drain water from the potatoes. Then, add them to the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes until just cooked through. Use a spider or small strainer to place the potatoes onto the baking sheet and pat dry. Make sure the potatoes are dried well, any excess water can cause splatter during frying.
- Now, fry the potatoes. In a large heavy bottom pot, heat the oil to 375ยฐF. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and a baking rack if you have it. In batches, fry the potatoes until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Make sure not to overcrowd the oil, which can cause the temperature to decrease, resulting in greasy fries.
- Drain the fries on a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and serve immediately.
Notes
Quick Tips
Soak long enough. A full 30-minute soak removes excess surface starch, which helps prevent sticking and promotes crispness. Dry the potatoes thoroughly before frying. Any excess moisture will cause splattering and prevent proper browning. Use a thermometer. Keeping the oil at 375ยฐF ensures the fries cook quickly and donโt absorb excess oil. Donโt overcrowd the pot. Frying in batches keeps the oil temperature steady and results in crisp fries instead of soggy ones. Season immediately. Salt adheres best while the fries are still hot from the oil. Freeze after parcooking. Once boiled and dried, freeze the potatoes in a storage bag for make-ahead fries, ready to fry straight from frozen.Make Ahead & Reheating
After parcooking and drying, refrigerate the fries until completely cool. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Fry directly from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the cook time. Reheat in a 400ยฐF oven or air fryer for about 5 minutes until hot and crisp again. Avoid microwaving, which softens the exterior.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to Serve with Crispy French Fries
Appetizers
Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Sandwiches
Buffalo Chicken Wrap
Dinner
Garlic Chicken Wings
Dinner
