Julienne Fries
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Sep 24, 2026 
Whenever I make these Julienne Fries, they disappear dangerously fast! I cut the potatoes into ultra-thin strips so every little fry gets perfectly golden and crispy, with tons of savory flavor despite its super-skinny size. They’re surprisingly easy to make, and I love serving them as a crunchy side dish or piling them high with dipping sauces for snacking.
There is something indescribably satisfying about eating a big, juicy burger paired with warm, crunchy fries that are perfectly seasoned. However, I must admit that as an adult, I now prefer to make my own French-fried potatoes at home from scratch. You know exactly what they’re made with (just potatoes, oil, and spices), and they definitely taste the best when hot and fresh from the fryer, possibly sprinkle with my famous cajun fry seasoning recipe. As if fries could get any better… These ultra-thin julienne fries are so crisp and tantalizing, you’ll wish you had made a double batch! I say go ahead and do it. This easy recipe is made with just 5 simple ingredients and can be prepared on the stovetop in only a few minutes. Oh, and they’re sensational paired with any of your favorite condiments, from barbecue sauce and ketchup, to mayonnaise to mustard, just pile these fries up high and get to snacking!
Jen – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ These are legitimately the best fries I have EVER had. I am obsessed & will only be making them this way from now on!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Perfectly Thin and Crispy – These Julienne fries are cut super thin, making them ideal for frying up into golden, crispy perfection. I love eating shoestring fries by the handful, and that crunchiness in every bite is just insatiable.
Ready in 5 Minutes – One of the reasons why I’m obsessed with this recipe (and my other traditional homemade fries) is because of how simple and quick it is to cook these. All you need is a few simple ingredients and just a couple of minutes to fry these up.
Restaurant-Worthy – Whenever that French fry craving kicks in, I can always lean on making this recipe in a jiffy. They are so perfect, they make any sandwich, grilled cheese, or burger taste that much better, whether I’m serving them as a side dish, or piled right on the sandwich.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Large russet potatoes – My go-to for making these homemade Julienne fries is to use russet potatoes. I always scrub these really well, and I prefer keeping the peel on because it adds color, texture, and flavor.
- Peanut oil – I love to use peanut oil for frying because it has a high smoke point and neutral flavor. Of course, you can always use canola oil or vegetable oil if you prefer a nut-free option.
- Salt – Is a fry a true fry without salt?! Not in my books! A generous sprinkle of salt (and sometimes pepper) is a must when making French fries, and I like to use a really good quality salt while I’m at it.
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Prep and slice – I always start off by scrubbing down the potatoes really, really well… But never peeling them because remember, potato skin packs a ton of flavor and nutrients! Then, I grab a bowl filled with ice water and my handy dandy mandoline slicer. Using the JULIENNE setting, I slice all the potatoes into super thin strips and toss that all in the ice water.
Chill – Once all the potatoes are sliced and soaking in that ice cold chilly water, I pop the bowl in the fridge for a couple of hours. The cold water helps to keep the french fries crunchy and crisp instead of soggy once fried.
Prep the pot – As the potatoes chill in that ice cold water bath, I set a really big pot over medium heat. I attach a thermometer, and I grab a baking sheet, where I’ll place the potatoes later. Use a deep pot to fry these fries! It is important to be very careful when deep frying. A deep pot will help to keep the oil from splattering.
Dry – I remove the potato strips from the water and I dry them really, really well using paper towels. Water and oil don’t go well together, so it is important to pat the potatoes very dry before placing them into the oil!
Get the oil cookin’ – Then, I get the oil cooking and once it’s reached those perfect 350 degrees Fahrenheit I start frying! I place a small batch of fries into the oil using a skimmer, and I fry them just to light golden brown. Don’t wait until they start to turn dark before skimming them out. Otherwise you’ll wind up with matchstick-hard crunchy bits.
Don’t overcrowd the pot. Fry the shoestring potatoes in batches to keep the oil from bubbling up and get the fries perfectly crisp.
Season and cool – Once that first batch of fries is ready, I place them onto that paper lined baking sheet, and I sprinkle on some salt and pepper. Yum! I repeat this entire process, making sure that the fries dry up really, really well after frying.
Keep them warm – To make sure that these stay warm, I pop them in the oven at low until I’m ready to serve them!
Recipe Variations
- Garlic and parmesan – For a savory Italian twist to this classic side dish, I like to sprinkle on some garlic powder and a hefty handful of grated parmesan!
- Cajun – For heat and bold flavors add a dash of Cajun seasoning.
- Vinegar – Who doesn’t love a vinegar chip?! Well, I like to add a splash of vinegar along with some salt to get those delicious classic flavors.
- Sweet potatoes – For a really fun twist, use sweet potatoes instead of the classic variety!
Storing
Technically, you can store these, but I really don’t recommend this. They will become unpleasantly soft if left to sit too long and become cold. Because skinny fries are so thin, reheating them tends to make them become hard and dry. But if you’d like to try, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat briefly in the oven or in an air fryer.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these scrumptious and seriously crispy shoestring fries with classic ketchup, barbecue sauce, Big Mac sauce or southern comeback sauce. Or for some extra pizzaz serve with our honey mustard sauce, magic aioli sauce, homemade remoulade, tzatziki, or avocado crema dipping sauce!
A basket of warm, crisp fries is always welcome as a snack or side with fun foods! Try them alongside any of these fast-casual restaurant-style dishes:
- Best Hamburger Patty Recipe
- Spicy Cowboy Bacon Burgers
- Homemade Smash Burger
- Patty Melt Recipe
- Savory Mediterranean Burgers
- Smoked BBQ Brisket
- Smoked Pork Butt
I also highly recommend making loaded shoestring fries by serving them like nachos! Top them off with cheese, jalapeños, beans, salsa, fresh chopped onions, and cilantro.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely, you can make as many julienne fries as you like! As-is this recipe prepares about 8 servings. Simply double (or even triple) the ingredients as needed. Or halve and enjoy approximately 4 servings.
If air frying, be sure to place the julienned potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Similar to deep frying, you want to avoid overcrowding to get perfect fries that are crispy and not soggy. I suggest lining the basket with a piece of parchment paper to cut down on mess! See the full instructions in the recipe form below.
Totally! That’s actually a great way to save time. Just make sure to submerge the sliced potatoes in that ice cold bath of water over time so that they don’t brown. And before you get to cooking, pat them dry, dry, dry!
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More Classic Snack Recipes
Julienne Fries
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes (about 6 large)
- Ice water
- 2 quarts peanut oil or canola oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes, but do not peel them. Set out a large bowl of ice water and a mandoline slicer. Set the mandoline slicer on the julienne setting. Carefully cut all the potatoes into thin julienne strips. Place them in the ice water.
- Once all the potatoes are cut and in the ice water, set the bowl in the fridge for at least two hours. (The longer the better; you can even do this the day before! Just be sure they are completely submerged in the water.) The cold water removes excess starches and keeps the french fries from getting soggy in the oil.
- Set a large 6-8 quart saucepot over medium heat. Attach a cooking thermometer to the side of the pot and pour in the oil. Set a large rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels to the side.
- Take several handfuls of julienne-cut fries out of the ice water. Toss them in paper towels to get them as dry as possible.
- Once the oil reaches 350°F, use a skimmer to lower a small batch of shoestring fries down into the hot oil. If there is still moisture on the fries the oil will bubble up quite a bit, so be cautious. Stir once to separate the fries. Fry for 2 to 4 minutes, until the color is a medium blonde or straw color.
- Use the skimmer to remove the fries from the hot oil and place them on the prepared pan. Sprinkle immediately with salt and pepper and toss.
- Repeat in small batches, making sure to dry the fries as well as possible to remove excess water.
- You can keep the fries warm in a low 200 degree F oven, but they will become hard over time.
These shoe string potatoes look delicious. I had never heard of a mandolin slicer. Now I’m going to have to get one, lol! Also, good to know that they have to be soaked in water. I think that these would also be great in a casserole as the top layer with cheese on top. Or just as loaded fries would be awesome too. thanks for sharing this great recipe. Shalom
These are legitimately the best fries I have EVER had. I am obsessed & will only be making them this way from now on!
These are my brother’s favorite. I love how crispy these get, and how you can dip multiple at the same time!
Sometimes you just want a nice crispy fry and this is the best around! thank you for sharing!