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    Home ▸ Vegan Sides

    Crispy Oven Fries Recipe

    Last modified: May 25, 2023. Originally posted: May 25, 2023 By Sophia DeSantis

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    Overlay text with a collage of taw cut french fries on a piece of parchment, baked french fries on a cookie sheet and in a brown pail on a red and white towel.
    Baked french fries in a brown pail in front of a burger on a red checkered towel.

    This oven fries recipe is simple and perfect for a snack or side dish. Get crispy, golden brown fries every time with this foolproof method!

    These french fries are baked but still crispy as ever. You can even add seasonings to switch up the flavor every time you make them!

    Brown pail on a red checkered towel filled with crispy french fries next to ketchup.
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    I LOVE a good french fry. I eat them dipped in vegan ranch or smothered in creamy vegan cheese sauce. You can even top them with bean chili to make it a full hearty meal!

    Ingredients

    Knowing how to make French fries in the oven without oil is a wonderful (yet easy!) skill everyone should know how to do.

    I've been making fries forever, trying all sorts of tricks to get them extra crispy, without the frying. And while I am going to give you all my strategies, I have settled on my favorite of the bunch for the best crispy oven fries.

    Really all you NEED are potatoes, but a few extra ingredients help to add flavor and texture. The following ingredients are recommended:

    • Potatoes 
    • Oil or broth
    • Cornstarch 
    • Sea salt 
    • Ground black pepper 
    Four red potatoes on a red and white checkered towel next to small bowls of salt and pepper and cornstarch.

    How to Make Oven Fries

    There are a few steps I take to get the best oven baked crispy fries:

    1. Cut the potatoes.
    2. Soak in salt water.
    3. Dry completely.
    4. Toss with oil and cornstarch and bake on a parchment lined sheet.
    5. Sprinkle with salt and enjoy!
    Raw french fries soaking in a stainless steel bowl of water.
    Raw french fries drying in a stainless steel colander.
    Raw potatoes cut into matchstick slices on a piece of parchment.
    Crispy baked french fries on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

    Flavor Variations

    While we like simple fries, sometimes it's fun to mix it up!

    Customize this oven fries recipe by adding any of the following seasonings to the salt:

    • Greek- oregano, lemon pepper, dill, garlic powder.
    • Italian- fennel seed, basil, oregano, thyme, lemon pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper.
    • Smokey BBQ- smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, touch sugar.
    • Mexican- cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, oregano.
    • Ranch- parsley, garlic powder, minced onion, onion powder, dill, black pepper, ground mustard.
    • Spicy- chipotle powder, cayenne, garlic powder.
    • Indian- curry powder, turmeric, garlic powder.

    Dipping Sauces for Fries

    Other than the standard ketchup (or is it catsup?), I am known for dipping my homemade oven fries in all sorts of sauces! Here are some of my favorites:

    • The world's best vegan ranch
    • This incredible vegan cheese sauce, because uh cheese sauce
    • Spicy cilantro cream sauce
    • Creamy dill sauce
    • Amazing homemade bbq sauce
    • Easy homemade pizza sauce
    Hand dipping a french fry in a small glass bowl of ketchup.

    What to Serve With French Fries

    Pair these crispy oven baked fries with just about anything! What can't you eat fries with? Okay, maybe not ice cream. Here are some of our favorite besties to these oven fries:

    • Vegan Poutine
    • Lentil Veggie Burger
    • Vegan Cheesesteak Sandwich
    • Easy Black Bean Burgers
    • BBQ Tempeh Sandwich
    • Vegan Gyros
    • Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Sliders
    • BBQ Black Bean Burger
    • Buffalo Chickpea Burger

    Preparation Tips

    For the best crispy baked oven fries, keep the following in mind:

    • Getting the most crispy fries in the oven relies on soaking, drying, parchment paper, coating the French fries with cornstarch, and arranging them in a single layer.
      • All of those steps are optional if crispness isn't a big priority for you.
    • The salt soak removes the starch and draws out the water from the potatoes. Soaking them for a few hours is ideal but a minimum of 30 minutes helps.
    • If you do not use parchment paper, you will need to brush your baking sheet with oil.
    • When making oil free baked fries, the cornstarch is your best bet for crispness.
    • Watch the fries closely as cooking time will vary based on the thickness they fries are cut.
    • Red potatoes or Yukon gold make the best oven fries, but Russet potatoes may also be used.
    • Cut the fries as uniformly as possible so they bake evenly. ¼ inch matchstick sized strips are best for a crispy texture, a mandolin makes it easy.
    • Peel or not to peel, it's up to you but it not necessary.

    Common Questions

    Are baked fries bad for you?

    No, especially not compared to normal fried fries. Baking fries reduces the oil used, and therefore lessens the fat content. Your body needs some fat to function, but I like to count on whole food based fat to get most of this. A little oil here and there, especially when adding to flavor and texture, isn't something I'm opposed to.

    You can also make them oil free! Although they won't be quite as crispy.

    How do you keep fries crispy?

    Getting crispy fries without frying or using gobs of oil is not easy. I have tried many different strategies and made a list of the ones I like best:

    -Soak the cut potatoes in water prior to cooking.
    -Salt the potatoes and let them sit to draw out water before cooking.
    -Soak the fries IN salt water prior to cooking (my favorite).
    -Making sure to dry the fries thoroughly before cooking.
    -Using parchment paper on the baking sheet or coating the baking sheet with oil.
    -Making sure the fries are spread into one layer and not touching each other.
    -Coating the fries with a slurry of cornstarch and water, broth or oil (using the cornstarch with broth is the best trick if oil free).

    Why soak potatoes for french fries?

    Soaking the potatoes helps remove some of the starch molecules that the potato has. This helps get rid of some of the sticky/pasty texture and contributes to the end result of crispy baked fries.

    How do you make fries not soggy?

    Other than soaking the fries before baking, you want to make sure you don't cover the fries while cooling. This traps heat which turns into moisture. Any moisture will make your fries soggy, which is another reason you want to dry your fries completely before baking.

    Do you have to flip fries in the oven?

    In order to get that crispy texture all around the fries, it is definitely recommended to flip them during cooking.

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    Crispy baked french fries in a brown tin on a red checkered towel.

    Crispy Oven Fries Recipe

    Sophia DeSantis
    This oven fries recipe is simple and perfect for a snack or side dish. Get crispy, golden brown fries every time with this foolproof method!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Shop Ingredients
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 167 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 pounds potatoes , red or Yukon gold work best (about 4 potatoes)
    • 1 tablespoon roasting oil of choice , or veggie broth if you are avoiding oil
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch , optional (see note)
    • 2 tablespoons sea salt , for soaking
    • ½ -1 teaspoons sea salt , for flavor
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper , optional

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 450 F/ 230 C
    • Cut potatoes into ¼ inch matchstick sized strips, trying to make sure they are all around the same size so they bake evenly. I use a mandoline to make it easy. I like to keep the skins on but you can peel them if you prefer.
      2 pounds potatoes
    • Soak cut potatoes in a bowl of water with 2 tablespoons salt. I do this while I prep for the rest of dinner or do other things around the house, about 30 minutes. This is optional, but gives them a great crisp.
      2 pounds potatoes, 2 tablespoons sea salt
    • Dry thoroughly. Drying also helps with the end crispy result.
    • Place in a bowl with oil (or veggie broth if doing oil free) and cornstarch if using. The cornstarch also contributes to the end crispness of the fries.
      1 tablespoon roasting oil of choice, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
    • Place fries on parchment lined cookie sheet (also helps with crispness and reduces the need for extra oil) and bake for 15 minutes. Make sure they are in a single layer to help with the crispy end result.
    • Take the fries out and turn them over with a spatula. Spread into a single layer again. You don’t need to be perfect on getting every fry, just do the best you can trying not to get burned.
    • Bake another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
    • While the fries are hot, add the rest of the salt (may not be needed, adjust for your own taste) and pepper if using.
      ½ -1 teaspoons sea salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • Serve with your favorite dip and main meal!

    Notes

    • The salt soak removes the starch and draws out the water from the potatoes. Ideal is soaking them for a few hours but even 30 minutes helps.
    • All of the strategies I give for getting fries crispy are optional. The soaking, drying, parchment, single layer and cornstarch all contribute to the perfect crispy fries.
    • If you do not use parchment, you will need to brush your baking sheet with some oil.
    • If doing oil free, the cornstarch is your best bet for some crisp to your fries.
    • Watch the fries closely since the thickness will depend on how quickly they cook.
    • You can also use Russet potatoes but I like the texture of the red or Yukon gold best, the Russets almost seemed a little dry to me.
    • See the post for flavor ideas.
    • The nutrition information includes the oil.

    Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 167kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 6gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 413mgPotassium: 937mgFiber: 6gSugar: 1gVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 68mgIron: 7mg

    Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.

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    1. Alissa

      September 27, 2021 at 8:35 am

      Thank you Sophia for the great recipe and suggestions! These were crispy and delicious!!

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        September 27, 2021 at 8:08 pm

        So happy you liked them Alissa!

        Reply
    2. Sarah

      September 27, 2021 at 7:10 am

      Perfectly crispy and fabulous! The whole family loved them.

      Reply

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