I really wanted to call these “OMG! They’re Crunchy!” Fries, but that doesn’t work very well for SEO purposes. My point is, I’m happy to have finally made some oven fries that are crispy and crunchy. Are these Smoky Garlic Oven Fries like deep fried fries? Well, no. Fries made in the oven will never be like real fries because the science behind the cooking is completely different, but it’s nice to finally have made some that are actually crispy rather than just strips of soft baked potato, ya know?
These smoky little garlic oven fries are an addictive snack or they can be a delightful side to dinner. You can season them with just about anything you want (think Parmesan, curry powder, ranch seasoning mix… anything), but I went with my favorite go-to combo of garlic and smoked paprika. It’s always a hit.
The secret to making these fries crispy is simple. Cut them THIN. There’s no special 10 step method like soaking in salt water and drying with a towel, just cut them thin. I did my best to show you in the step by step photos the easiest way to make them thin and uniform, because when you’re cooking thin anything, uniformity is key to keeping them all cooking at the same rate. If they’re all different shapes and sizes, you’ll have some shriveled and burned, and other soft and mushy. So, now’s a good time to start practicing those slicing skills!
Anywhooo, I enjoyed these Smoky Garlic Oven Fries a LOT (maybe too much) and can’t wait to try some more flavors. Feel free to share you favorite fry flavors with me in the comments below! :)
Smoky Garlic Oven Fries
Servings 4Ingredients
- 2-2.5 lbs russet potatoes ($2.07)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 1 tsp (approx.) garlic powder ($0.10)
- 1 tsp (approx.) smoked paprika ($0.10)
- Generous salt and pepper ($0.05)
- Non-stick spray (optional) ($0.15)
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes well to remove any dirt or dust. Cut the potatoes into very thin, 1/4 inch matchsticks, then divide them between the two baking sheets.
- Drizzle each sheet of potatoes with 1 Tbsp olive oil, then toss the fries to coat. Sprinkle the fries with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Don’t worry, they’ll get tossed with the spices when they get stirred during the baking process.
- Bake the fries in the fully preheated 400ºF oven, stirring gently with a spatula every 15 minutes. Bake until the fries are brown and crispy, but still slightly moist in the center. The fries will bake at different rates, depending on how thinly they are sliced, so keep a close eye. My batch took approximately 45 minutes to bake.
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Nutrition
How to Make Smoky Garlic Oven Fries – Step by Step Photos
Before you begin, preheat the oven to 400ºF and cover two baking sheets with foil. Coat each one in non-stick spray or brush a little oil over the foil.
Start with two large russet potatoes, about 2 to 2.5 pounds total. Wash them well to remove any dust or dirt. Cut the potato in half lengthwise to give yourself a nice flat surface to slice on. Turn the potato onto the flat surface and carefully slice it into thin strips.
Next, take a few of the thin slices that you just cut and lay them down on their flat cut side. Cut lengthwise again, this time 90 degrees perpendicular to the original cuts, to make matchsticks. Did that make sense? I hope so.
Divide all of your matchsticks between the two prepared baking sheets. Drizzle each one with one tablespoon of olive oil, then toss to coat. Even though you’re using olive oil here, it is getting mixed in with the starchy juices of the potatoes, which is why you want that extra layer of protection from the non-stick spray first.
Once the potatoes are coated in olive oil, sprinkle garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and freshly cracked pepper over top. You don’t really have to measure the seasonings, just sprinkle them liberally (except the garlic, that can be strong, so go a little lighter with that). The seasonings will get tossed with the potatoes when you stir them during baking.
Bake the fries in the preheated 400 degree oven, stirring once every 15 minutes, until they’re golden brown and crispy. The total amount of time needed will depend on your potatoes and how thinly they are cut, but mine took about 45 minutes (stirred twice). Use a spatula to help you gently stir the potatoes because they will be fairly delicate before they crisp up.
Look pretty good, huh? The smoky garlic oven fries were really good dipped in some chipotle ranch dressing that I had. MMmm.
Or you can do ketchup. Ketchup is always good.
My secret to making crunchy oven fries (in addition to cutting them thin) is to cook them on racks–so those cooling racks you’d use for baked goods, I nest them on a baking sheet and layer everything (spray with cooking spray first). It eliminates the need to babysit them or flip or stir because the heated air can circulate on all sides. :)
these look tasty and yummy! I can’t wait to try these! Plus, it’s healthier than deep frying. Thanks for sharing!
Oven fries are my obsession. :) This version sounds so good. They needed to be dipped in all of the sriracha.
i just bought a bag of russets the other day! How do you always know what ingredients in my fridge/pantry i’m trying to use up? It’s getting a little creepy
This is awesome!! I’ve found that a lot of homemade french fry recipes call for soaking the potatoes in water first to leech out the starch. Does that make a big difference?
Honestly, I haven’t ever tried it because it seems like too much of a pain in the butt. :)
Funny, I always soak cut potatoes in water but I don’t think it does much besides rinse off some of the dirt I missed. Old habits are hard to break, I still proof (prove?) instant yeast, even though it is totally unnecessary.
I do that all the time. I find it makes them so much crunchier. I do most of my food prep at the beginning of the week and found that you can leave them in the same water overnight. Any longer than that, you may want to switch out the water.
While not as crispy, I LOVE sweet potato fries with the smoky paprika. When I am looking for something a little bit different I sprinkle on a little McCormick’s Perfect Pinch Bacon and Chive seasonings. It’s the perfect combo of fries and bacon!
Oooh, bacon and chive?? I’ll have to look for that in the store.
I find that my homemade oven fries are the most crispy when I use melted coconut oil rather than olive oil. Either way, they make a simple meal a little more special at a fraction of the cost of frozen bagged fries. I always have trouble getting salt to stick, but I see in your recipe you put it on with the spices before baking. I need to try it your way, because fries without salt just taste wrong.
I’ll have to try that! I love coconut oil.
This is exactly what I was looking for! I’m wanting to try to prep them ahead of time so it is one less thing I have to worry about before company arrives. Any suggestions?
Hmmm, I’m not sure how that would work. I think I would only suggest cutting them early because adding salt will make them seep water and then the seasoning will just slide off. Or maybe you can season but leave off the salt. The problem is that if you cut them early, they will start to oxidize and turn grey, so I’m not sure if it would work.
I’ve cut raw potatoes and stored them in a bag with just a little water to kind of coat them. If you take all the air you can squeeze out so it’s kind of vacuum packed with the water in there, it doesn’t tend to turn colors (unless you leave it a few days, then the water is pink, which pours off, but sometimes the potatoes start to turn colors, too). It keeps them fairly fresh if you’re cutting them one day and using them the next.
And put the cut, airless, ziploc potatoes in the fridge. Forgot that kind of important part.
Great tip! Thanks!
Thanks for the tip Karen!
You can store them in a container of cold water and they will be fine – that’s actually how they used to do it at a restaurant I once worked at which sold fresh cooked potato chips. Actually, they would put the sliced potatoes in a bucket of water, let them rest for a while, then drain it and refill it, to draw out the excess starch. It just helps prevent the potatoes from becoming too brown before they are actually cooked.
How did you know I’ve been working on my French fries recipe? I will definitely try your technique! Thanks!
YUM!! I love to make mine with rosemary and garlic, and sprinkled with parmesan cheese after baking. Nom.
Freaking unreal. keep up the good work!
These look so good! I just put a similar recipe up on my site a few days ago, but I used cayenne to make mine a little spicy. I’ll have to try this out, the smokey flavor sounds good!
Right. Apparently people can’t decide on dinner. I’m making these. NOW.
Update: We just finished eating these and they are fantastic. Since they were all hand cut some came out crunchier than others, which is a good thing in my opinion. I loved the ultra crunchy ones especially. I almost doubled the spices to punch up the flavor and don’t regret it one bit. Thanks, Beth!
Have you ever tried using sugar for baked fries? I know it sounds weird but I promise it’s great. I don’t even remember where I first heard that tip but I never looked back. While you’re tossing your fries with oil, add about a tablespoon of sugar. It creates a crispy fry and you can’t taste it at all.
Woah, that sounds very interesting! I want to try it for sure.
There was a recipe I saw a while back that suggested tossing the cut fries in sugar, and letting them “sweat” in a colander for a while to draw out excess moisture, before seasoning and baking them.
Also, the Spice Time brand of Garlic & Pepper seasoning that they sell at most grocery stores (usually for only $1) has a little sugar in it too, which works great for adding a little browning/color to stuff like fries.
These look amazing! I’ll need to make them sooner rather than later.