Who needs a little comfort food these days? Yeah, me too. I had some leftover russet potatoes the other day and I knew exactly what I was going to make with them. Thick cut, perfect for dipping and dunking, Oven Baked Steak Fries. These tasty potato wedges get surprisingly crispy in the oven without any extra steps, like soaking or drying, making them an incredibly simple side dish…or main dish, if you’re like me. 😅
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What Are Steak Fries?
Simply put, steak fries thick potato wedges. Usually they’re deep fried like French fries, but I don’t like dealing with all that scary hot grease, so I baked them instead. They were still surprisingly crispy, and wayyyyy easier than dealing with getting (and keeping) a vat of hot oil to the proper temperature, and dodging splattering oil that is trying to kill you.
“Just made these for lunch and they are delicious!!! I used a steak seasoning I found at Lidl. I’m trying my best to save the rest for my son but I may end up making him his own pan. Great recipe! Next time I’ll have the come back sauce ready for dipping.”
Sonia
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make these homemade oven baked steak fries:
- Russet Potatoes: This is my favorite type of potato to use in this recipe. They have a good balance of starch and water, which helps them get crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Any type of potato can be used, but the texture won’t turn out exactly the same.
- Cooking Oil: Use any cooking oil you like, such as olive oil or vegetable oil. This helps the seasonings stick to the potatoes and makes them crispy in the oven.
- Paprika & Steak Seasoning: I use both seasonings to add an extra “steak” element to these fries. Steak seasoning, a.k.a. Montreal steak seasoning, is one of my new favorite seasoning blends. It’s a chunky blend of salt, pepper, red pepper, garlic, and sometimes other spices. The chunky nature of this blend gives you little pops of flavor and also adds a little bit of delicious crunch. I love this stuff!
Where to Buy Steak Seasoning
You can get this at any major grocery store. It’s usually in the spice aisle near the other seasoning blends or grill seasoning blends. McCormick brand makes one, and that brand is in most major U.S. supermarkets. The one I used today was purchased at Aldi. You can see a photo of the bottle if you scroll down to the step by step photos section of the post.
Serving Suggestions
If it’s within your budget, these fries are perfect for serving with steak! But that can be a pretty expensive cut of meat, so I usually go for glazed ham steaks or baked chicken breasts instead. Smash burgers are another no-brainer, as are sloppy joes! But above all else…I need something to dip these fries in. My comeback sauce is always a hit, but I can never have just ONE dip…so ketchup and ranch are always on the table too.
How Are the Leftovers?
Like most types of fries, these steak fries are definitely best right out of the oven. The will get less crispy the longer they sit, and if kept in the refrigerator overnight the texture will be more along the lines of baked potato. Did that stop me from devouring the leftovers? Absolutely not.
Oven Baked Steak Fries
Servings 2Ingredients
- 1 lb. russet potatoes ($0.71)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 1/2 Tbsp paprika ($0.15)
- 1/2 Tbsp steak seasoning ($0.15)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Wash the potatoes well. Cut each potato into wedges, approximately 12 wedges per potato. (Quarter the potato lengthwise, then slice each quarter into three wedges.)
- Add the potato wedges to a bowl with the cooking oil, paprika, and steak seasoning. Toss the potato wedges until they are well coated.
- Spread the seasoned potato wedges out over a parchment lined baking sheet, making sure they're in a single layer. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until they are well browned and crispy. Flip the steak fries once, after about 20 minutes of baking.
- Serve immediately.
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Equipment
- Enamelware Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
Nutrition
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Steak Fries – Step by Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Start with one pound of russet potatoes (this is two 1/2 lb. potatoes). Wash your potatoes well, because they grow under ground. In the dirt. You get the point. Cut each potato into 12 wedges. To do this I began by cutting each potato into quarters, lengthwise. Then cut each quarter into 3 wedges.
Add the potato wedges to a bowl with 1 Tbsp cooking oil, ½ Tbsp paprika, and ½ Tbsp steak seasoning.
This is the steak seasoning I used. I got this at Aldi, but McCormick brand can be found in most grocery stores. It’s just a chunky mix of salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper, and maybe a small amount of other spices.
Toss the potato wedges until they’re well coated in oil and spices.
Spread the potato wedges out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure they’re in a single layer.
Bake the steak fries in the preheated 425ºF oven for about 35 minutes, or until they’re well browned and crispy. Make sure to flip them once during baking, after about 20 minutes.
Serve with your favorite sauces!
Made these last night to go with our sloppy joes and it was a hit with my husband. I also made the steak seasoning that accompanied this recipe.
Will definitely use this recipe again. The only tweak I did was adding Cajun seasoning to the steak seasoning to make it more spicy.
This recipe frustrates me because it’s the only normal fry recipe on the site except the garlic one, but it doesn’t say “here’s how to make a homemade equivalent of our seasoning”. Sometimes we’re here on Budget Bytes because we need to use what we have in the house.
Can you use Yukon Gold potatoes as a substitute for the russets?
Russets definitely work better for this recipe but you could try it! I’m sure they’d still be great. :)
I saved this recipe last year, though only made it today for the first time. I must admit I was sceptical, having been promised crispy wedges numerous times before, but was really pleased with these. They are, as promised, easy to prepare and turned out crispy and delicious.
I have one tip to pass on .. try to lay them on the baking paper all facing the same way – it makes it easier to tell those you have, or haven’t, turned over!
Beth I made these my way but needed your oven temp setting.
That said, oh my goodness, I love your “about me” prose. You are on it!!! This is exactly the way I think and I don’t need to! Yet, I grew up in a “need to” environment and so it’s me.
These days, while I can dine every nite at the finest restaurants, I don’t. I choose to stay home, create my own delicious meals, enjoy quiet company, refresh my beverage at will, and not deal with a server or others around me. And, Beth, all the while, I am smiling because my broiled salmon, rice pilaf, and asparagus cost under $5 per meal. The Tito’s for me, the Pinot for her… let’s call it another $5. So $15 at home for what would likely be $20 per meal or more and stupid price for beverages and a tip.
I can’t wait to subscribe and peruse your website. Thank you Beth. Lol also, I love your picture… it’s cute and yet says , “hey, huh uh, I’m not paying your stupid prices for great food I can make at home.”
Thanks again Beth!
Hahah, great minds think alike, Frank! Glad you found your way here! :)
I tried your steak fries recipe and it was great. I used a little sea salt as I don’t think anything can have too much salt. I also don’t think you can have too many steak fries, french fries or potato chips. I had the steak fries with BBQ pulled pork sandwiches and later in the evening had the left over steak fries while watching a movie. Thanks for the recipe.
just made this and it was very good 5/5 would make it again
can i substitute olive oil for vegetable oil? we are on vacation n i don’t have any
Totally! ~ Marion :)
Totalled?
Olive oil is not only the healthiest oil but if you like a bit of that taste would be the best choice. This isn’t a kind of recipe where the particular oil would matter much. Most other oils have little or no flavor. Canola oil is a close second in heart healthiness.
I’m planning on making this recipe tonight and have a question: how do you flip the fries? I’ve never done anything like that before.
Great question! You should take the sheet pan out as quickly as possible and close the oven door so you don’t lose heat. Place the pan on top of your stove, or other heat-proof surface. Use tongs, a spatula, or a fork to flip the wedges. XOXO -Monti
These were so good! So good my husband wouldn’t believe I made them. He actually went to the garbage to check for potato peels. Will be making them again soon.
It would be better health and tastewise to leave them unpeeled like Marion did.
These are very well made. Mine turned out great as well. Thank you
Omg! My kids love potatoes thank you for sharing this awesome recipe and easy to make perfect for an afternoon chill time with my babies!
Super easy and turned out nice and crisp and way better then frozen I agree! I eye balled all of the measurements and still turned out great!
These are the BEST oven fries I’ve ever made!
*Disclaimer: I had to sub seasoned salt for steak salt. I chose bacon grease for my cooking oil and, ahem, may have used three times what the recipe called for… Wink wink.
Bacon grease!! GENIUS. I bet those WERE the best fries you’ve ever had! …now I’m drooling.
These were great!! I made them to go with the Budgetbytes Black bean burgers, and they totally stole the show– they got nice and crispy in the oven. The only change I made was using a smaller amount of Lawry’s seasoned salt instead of the steak seasoning.