Homemade Fries
by Sommer Collier — on Apr 22, 2026 My homemade french fries recipe is what I make when I’m craving hot, crispy, restaurant-style fries without leaving home. I soak hand-cut potatoes in an ice water bath, then deep fry them for under 10 minutes until golden and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. This easy recipe is better than takeout and perfect for seasoning and dipping any way you like!
I’m a big-time snacker, and I’m not just talking about cheese and crackers! Often when I’m craving something hot, crunchy but tender, and deliciously salty (and I’m not counting calories), I’ll bust out my deep cooking pot and fry up something truly amazing. Classic homemade french fries, deep fried in oil, are one of my favorites and possibly the top American snack food and side dish! Today, I’m showing you how to make the best homemade french fries with just potatoes, oil, and seasoning. You can use my famous Cajun fry seasoning sprinkled on top, or just season them with salt and pepper. With these easy recipe steps and expert tips, I guarantee that you too can make restaurant-style fries that are super crispy on the outside, soft and light on the inside, and perfect for dipping in ketchup or any of your favorite sauces.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Few Ingredients – I dare you to look at the ingredients in a bag of french fries. And I bet you can’t figure out the ingredients at most restaurants. My homemade fries are made with just potatoes, oil, and seasoning, all of which you have complete control over the exact types and brands.
Fresh at Home – I swear these fries taste like they are from a restaurant, but are WAY better than bringing home those leftovers in a doggy bag and trying to reheat. I’m showing you the easy, precise way to make diner-style fries at home, so you can enjoy them hot from the fryer and perfectly seasoned.
Dip-able to the Max – I don’t have to say much here… They’re french fries! Of course, you want them to be not too thin* or too thick, but crisp and sturdy for dipping either one-by-one or as a small bouquet of a few fries. These taters are tasty edible utensils for scooping up all kinds of zesty dips and sauces!
*But if you want to make matchstick fries, check out my recipe for julienne fries!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Potatoes – Russet potatoes are best for making french fries. I try to buy potatoes that are as close in size if possible, with no big nicks or dents in the skin.
- Fry oil – I prefer to use peanut oil for frying. It is a super high-temperature oil that doesn’t leave an aftertaste and can be strained and reused.
- Salt and pepper – These two are the bare minimum of spices for homemade fries. But as I noted above, you really have to try my homemade Cajun fry seasoning for serious pizzaz and punchy flavor!
Suggested Equipment
- Deep pot – I use a deep soup pot or other large pot with a heavy bottom suitable for frying. Keep in mind that you’ll fill the pot roughly halfway with oil, which will rise a bit once the potatoes are added. You don’t want the oil to splatter as the fries cook!
- Cooking thermometer – This is a pretty essential tool when deep frying at home. You need a thermometer that can clip onto the side of the pot to ensure the oil reaches and stays at the right temperature
- Skimmer – A metal skimmer for deep frying is highly recommended for scooping the hot fries out of the oil and onto the drying pan.
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Prep the Potatoes – I start by filling a large bowl halfway with water and ice. Then I scrub the potatoes, and you have the choice of peeling or leaving the skin on the russet potatoes. I personally prefer to leave on the skins for some extra texture and flavor.
I use a sturdy knife to cut the potatoes into uniform strips that are roughly 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick. Then add the pieces to the bowl of ice water, and let them soak for at least 1 hour. This is the not-so-secret key to make the most crispy and fluffy homemade french fries! It removes excess starches, improving texture and preventing uneven browning. You can soak the fries for up to several hours, but after that first hour, there isn’t a whole lot of difference.
Drain and Dry – After an hour, I pour the water off to drain the potatoes. Then I line a baking sheet or two with paper towels and add the strips in a single even layer. I also pat them with more paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Dry potatoes = crispy fries! Also, safer fries… Extra water on the strips can make the hot oil pop and splatter.
Heat and Fry – While the potato slices continue to drain on the paper towels, I place my large pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Then fill the pot about halfway with cooking oil, and clip the cooking thermometer onto the side of the pot. This is also a good time to lay out more baking sheets with towels to drain oil from the cooked fries.
Once the oil reaches 310-320 degrees, I use my skimmer to gently and carefully add about two handfuls of potato strips into the hot oil. It’s important not to overcrowd the pot, so plan to work in batches. The temperature will lower to about 300 degrees, and you want to keep a close eye on the heat so it doesn’t dip below this temperature.
Skim and Season – They’ll take approximately 4-6 minutes to fry. If fries start to turn darkish, they’ll likely be overcooked, so be quick to remove them from the pot with a skimmer as soon as the color starts to turn lightly golden brown.
I place them on the drying rack (or paper towels) and gently shake them around to get them into a single layer. Then I sprinkle with salt and pepper, or whatever seasoning I’m using, and toss them in a pile together to get all sides evenly coated.
When I’m working with larger batches, I transfer the seasoned fried potatoes to a baking sheet and keep them in the oven at just 200 degrees. This keeps the fries warm without drying them out or getting them soggy.
Repeat – Keep repeating the frying and seasoning process until all of the potatoes are cooked. You might need to use the skimmer to remove any tiny pieces of potato that might break off and fry up to a crisp between batches. And again, keep an eye on the oil to make sure it stays in that 300-310 degree range.
Expert Tips
The key to making perfectly crispy fries that are also soft in the middle requires two things… First you need to soak the potato strips in cold water for at least an hour. This helps remove excess starches and makes the potatoes crisp when they go into the hot oil. Don’t skip this step!
Also, you need to cook the french fries at very consistent heat. As I mentioned, you really do need a cooking thermometer in order to keep the heat just right.
If you do these two things, you’ll be able to make fries just like your favorite burger joint or diner.
Serving Suggestions
I’m pretty sure that ketchup is the most common American condiment for dipping taters. But there’s no need to limit yourself to just one tasty dip! Here are a few more of the best dipping sauces worthy of your homemade frites –
- French Fry Dipping Sauce… A good name, right?
- Comeback Sauce
- Chick Fil A Sauce
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Burger Sauce… Don’t let the name fool you, this sauce is amazing on fries, too!
- Garlic Aioli Sauce
And nothing goes better with fries than a big ‘ol juicy hamburger! Pair them with my reader-favorite homemade hamburger patties with minimum seasonings (really lets the fry seasonings shine), or any of these yummy burgers –
- Spicy Cowboy Burger
- Smash Burgers
- Air Fryer Burgers
- Homemade Big Macs… These, combined with homemade French-fried potatoes in oil, are WAY better than even the best McDonald’s fast food restaurant meal!
These fries are also fantastic to make other indulgent foods, like cheese fries or ultra super WOW chili cheese fries.
Storage Notes
I think we can all agree that fries taste best when they are freshly, well, fried. And honestly, I can’t recall a time when we actually had leftovers.
If you do wind up with extra fries, they’ll technically keep well in an airtight container for up to 4 days stored in the fridge… But the taste and texture definitely won’t be as good after a day or two.
The best way to reheat leftover fries is either baked in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees, or in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 350 degrees. With either method, I recommend flipping the fries around at the halfway mark.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you want fries that are crispy and fluffy and tender, in other words, great fries, you absolutely have to soak them in an ice bath before frying. Otherwise, the potatoes stay starchy and can’t get crisp.
Sad soggy fries are usually the result of either not soaking the fries for long enough and/or the fry oil is not hot enough. Be sure to get it to at least 310 degrees before adding the potato strips, then keep the temp at a minimum 300 degrees as they cook.
Homemade fries burn easily if the oil is too hot. Don’t let the oil temperature get above 320 degrees when it’s time to add the potatoes, and keep it below 310 degrees while they’re frying. Then skim them out as soon as the outsides start to golden, but before they get actually brown… The fries will continue to cook and darken a bit as they cool in the drying area.
Well, they certainly aren’t a nutritious food. Let’s be real, anything deep fried tends to be higher in fat and calories. If you are looking for a snack food that has the same crisp but soft textural appeal as traditional fries, but with fewer calories and fat, you might try my baked turnip fries recipe!
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More Finger Food Recipes
Homemade Fries
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes
- 1 ½ quart peanut oil or canola oil
- Salt and pepper or my Fry season recipe
Instructions
- Prep the French Fries: Set out a large bowl filled with water and ice. Make sure the bowl is only halfway full so there's plenty of room for the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into long 1/3 to 1/2 inch wide strips. Cut them as evenly as possible so they fry evenly. You can leave the peel on the potatoes to add an extra bit of texture, or peel them before slicing. After cutting each potato, gather the fries and place them in the ice water. Once all the potato strips are in the cold water, soak the potatoes for at least one hour, but up to several hours. This will ensure a fantastic French fry texture.
- When ready to cook, drain the water off of the potato strips. Lay paper towels out on the counter and lay the potato strips in a single layer on the paper towels. Use extra paper towels to press them a little bit removing all excess water. You don’t want the extra moisture to cause popping and splattering as you submerge them in the oil.
- Set a large 6-8 quart pot over medium heat and attach a cooking thermometer to the side of the pot. Add the fry oil to the pot, and make sure the tip of the thermometer is down in the oil. Set a rimmed baking sheet pan to the side of the pot and place paper towels on the sheet pan for the finished fries.
- Watch the cooking thermometer, when it reaches between 310-320°F it’s time to start deep frying. Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to lower 1 to 2 handfuls of fries down into the hot oil. Stir the oil to make sure the fries are not sticking to the bottom, then allow them to fry for 4 to 6 minutes, until golden-brown. Adjust the temperature as needed to keep the hot oil right at 300°F.
- Use the skimmer to remove the fries from the oil and place them on the holding tray. Immediately sprinkle them with salt and pepper or with seasoning salt.
- Repeat this process in several more batches until all the fries are cooked. Each time you move the hot fries to the tray, season again. When all the fries are finished, toss them well and serve hot.
- If needed, you can place the tray in a 200°F oven to keep the fries warm until ready to serve.
