Would you like fries with that?
Add a little sea salt to these delicious baked oven fries and you have a perfect side for many dishes. This is an alternative to the traditional method of deep frying.
Who doesn’t love fries with a burger right off the grill, I certainly do. Unfortunately not everyone has a deep fryer or air fryer. We have an air fryer but not a deep fryer. Once I figure out the air fryer I’ll update this recipe but for now we’re still baking. I like these because they have a lot of flavour and, which frozen fries seem to be lacking. In reality it doesn’t take that much extra time to make your own fries. The best part is, you can decide size, flavour profile and whether you like the skin on or off. This is where I can sound like a broken record and say the healthiest part is the potato skin. It contains iron, potassium, niacin, protein and more but I’m not getting into that. These fries are really good, that’s my point.
Potatoes are not all the same.
My potato of choice is the russet. Those are the large, long thick skinned potatoes which are also known as baking potatoes. These starchy potatoes are great for mashed, scalloped and the best choice for fries. In a pinch, Yukon Gold are a good substitute. Although it is definitely worthwhile to scout out some russet potatoes. These tend to hold onto moisture as they cook and don’t dry out before they brown. I also find, with baking the fries, cutting them at a fairly robust size gives better crispiness and flavour. The size of russets allow for that.
Making oven baked fries.
I suppose I shouldn’t be calling them fries because they’re baked. The whole thing is a misnomer anyways because French fries originate from Belgium. Go figure. How about potato wedges or chips? I’ll stick with fries. This is a very simple recipe for oven baked fries, so simple in fact it makes it easy to focus on the more important aspects of dinner preparation.
So lets make some fries
If you’re leaving the skin on, the first thing you want to do is scrub the potatoes with a stiff brush and rinse them well. Otherwise peel the potatoes and rinse.
Next, cut them into strips. I usually cut at about 1/2″, but that’s your choice.
Rinse the fries and soak them (fully submerged) in a pot for a minimum of 30 minutes. This helps to reduce the level of starch.
When ready, rinse and dry them off. Put them in a pot and add 1 tbsp of canola oil. Toss the fries in the oil so they are just coated. Do an additional toss with sea salt, if using.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay out the fries so they are not touching. Place in an oven preheated to 400 ℉. Bake 40 minutes or until golden. Flip the fries 2-3 times during the cook.
When finished, they should be a crispy golden brown with a soft centre. Toss them with some parsley and parmigiana regianno and you will be hooked.
Oven Baked Fries
Ingredients
- 2 large russet potatoes
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tsp sea salt optional
- 1 tsp parsley optional
Instructions
- Scrub or peel potatoes. Rinse them well.
- Cut lengthways into fries. Place fries in a pot of cold water for a minimum of 30 minutes. Rinse fries and dry them off. Put the fries back into a dry bowl, and toss with 1 tbsp canola oil, until coated. Toss with salt if desired.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the fries out so they are not touching.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 400 ℉ for 30-40 minutes until golden. Turn the fries 2-3 times during the cook. Toss with parsley if desired.
