These Homemade Garlic Fries are easy to make and are the perfect side to any meal! We serve these with a Lemony Herb Garlic Aioli to delight your taste buds with more deliciousness.
Please note: The content of this post has been sponsored by Veggie Season's. All opinions are our own.
But first, a brief history lesson on fries...
What important food was first cultivated in Peru, brought to Europe by the Spanish, perfected in a fried dish by Belgians, and incorrectly credited to the French by Americans? You guessed it... potatoes. The fried delights that are commonly known as "French Fries" in the United States actually belong to Belgium, and in fact, Belgian Fries were added to the UNESCO list of cultural treasures in 2014. Thank you, Belgium, for these world-renowned treats that we recreated here.
Our version is relatively traditional and certainly tastes amazing. They are not as daunting to make as one might think, and when done correctly, they are so worth making! These wonderful fries are loved throughout the world and this homemade version is amazing and perfectly enhanced with Veggie Season’s Roasted Garlic Butter seasoning. We hope you like this version as much as we do!
What potatoes are best for Homemade Garlic Fries?
Russet potatoes give that fluffy interior that really works best in this recipe. Also, it helps that they are widely available and fairly inexpensive, making them our choice for this recipe.
What oil is best for frying?
We like the neutral flavor and high heat point of grapeseed oil. Additionally, grapeseed oil doesn't have that all too familiar oil fry smell and has a very mild flavor so the potatoes and seasonings will shine rather than tasting like oil. Also, grapeseed oil is fairly durable so it withstands high heat and multiple batches of fries without breaking down. Other vegetable oils, like canola, may be a bit less expensive, and the texture of the fries will be about the same for both, but the flavor is better with grapeseed oil in our opinion. But you can use your favorite vegetable fry oil here.
How do you make Homemade Garlic Fries?
First, you need a fairly deep pot that withstands the heat from cooking these Homemade Garlic Fries. The oil will bubble up once the potatoes are added, so you want a pot that is deep enough to prevent a big mess of oil. We use our 5 qt dutch oven for this, but any large pot will do.
Next you want to remove the skin from your russet potatoes and cut them into fairly even fries. We cut our russets length-wise into sticks about ¼ inch thick.
Finally, let's get to the frying!
The Belgian secret to perfectly cooked fries is that they are cooked twice! The first cook is at a relatively low temperature (320-325° F) and the second is considerably higher at 370-375° F. And yes, you will need a kitchen thermometer for this recipe. We do not recommend attempting this without one.
The time between the two fries isn’t critical so you can complete several batches with the first fry before increasing the heat for the second fry. You want to only add a handful or so of fries to the oil at a given time to prevent the temp from dropping too much and to prevent the fries from sticking together.
After each cook, remove your fries onto a paper towel lined plate or cooling rack to allow any additional oil to drain. After the final cook, you will remove the fries to a towel briefly then add to a large dish with your preferred garlic seasoning (we use Veggie Season's Roasted Garlic Butter seasoning) and toss to evenly coat the fries.
Veggie Season's has a nice variety of seasoning blends that are fun to use on Homemade Fries. We personally tried this with several blends and loved them all, but landed on the Roasted Garlic Butter for this particular recipe. Their line-up of 6 blends includes: Roasted Garlic Butter, Parmesan Herb, Sharp Cheddar, Spicy Herb, Red Pepper Cajun and Farmhouse Ranch. Check out some of our other recipes using their blends below:
Find all of Veggie Season's flavors HERE and use the promocode COOKINGWITHWINE40 for 40% off orders over $15.
What's the best sauce for dipping?
In Belgium, mayonnaise is the first choice for condiments, but you just pick your favorite and let the fries star in this show. We like to pair these Homemade Garlic Fries with a Lemony Herb Garlic Aioli to really take them to the next level! Find the recipe for this aioli below.
We hope you enjoy this recipe for Homemade Garlic Fries! If you give it a try, leave us a comment below or tag us on Instagram @cooking_with_wine!
If you enjoy this recipes, check out some of our other popular recipes below:
- Chili Cheese Burgers
- Spicy Grilled Watermelon Salad
- Spicy Cajun Roasted Cauliflower
- Peppercorn Crusted Steak with Brandy Cream Sauce
- Juicy Lucy Cowgirl Cheeseburger
- Passion Fruit Cocktails
Homemade Garlic Fries
Course: Appetizers, Side DishesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes10
minutes25
minutesIngredients
- Garlic Fries
1 quart 1 Grapeseed oil - or your favorite deep frying oil
3 Large russet (Idaho) potatoes - skins removed, sliced into ¼ inch sticks
1-2 tablespoon garlic seasoning of choice (we use Veggie Season's Roasted Garlic Butter Seasoning)
Fine grain sea salt and pepper (to taste)
- Lemony Herb Garlic Aioli
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon 1 minced garlic (approx 2 cloves)
2 tablespoon 2 lemon juice
1 teaspoon 1 lemon zest (approx 1 small lemon's worth)
1 tablespoon 1 chopped herbs (e.g., rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley)
pinch of salt
cracked black pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat oil to 320-325° F in a deep fryer or a large pot (cast iron preferred if this is the method) big enough so that you can get the oil at least 4" or so deep. The oil should be no more than halfway up the sides of the pot as you don't want this to overflow oil onto your stovetop!
- As the oil heats, prepare your dipping sauce if desired by mixing all ingredients from the Lemony Herb Garlic Aioli section in a bowl. Place in fridge until ready to serve with your fries.
- Carefully add about a handful of fries to the hot oil. You will make about 3-4 batches or more depending on how many potatoes you have. Allow to fry for 5-7 minutes. The fries should have the slightest bit of color on them, but not "brown" and not the same color as they were raw. It may take more or less time but once they are at the color described, remove from the oil using a spider spatula, tongs, or a slotted spoon. Place fries on paper towels or a cooling rack with a sheet pan beneath to drain. Do this as many times as you have potatoes and can safely put them in the fryer, but remember to continue to monitor the temp to keep it between 320°-325° F. The potatoes can sit for minutes or up to an hour before you do the second and final fry.
- For the final fry, heat the oil up to 370-375° F. Once up to heat, carefully add the fries to the oil in small batches just like the first fry, while you monitor the heat and keep it steady between 370°-375°. The second fry will probably take around 2-3 minutes, but your eyes should tell you when they're done. You want a nice brown and crisp exterior.
- Once your fries are done, remove carefully from oil and place briefly on a towel or cooling rack to drain (no more than 30 seconds). Carefully transfer hot fries to a large bowl, add seasoning, and toss to combine.
- Once all fries are done, serve with the Lemony Herb Garlic Aioli or dipping sauce of your choice.
Notes
- Remember, if you are using thicker or thinner cut potatoes, the frying times will vary. Use your eyes and brain. Enjoy!
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