Fries are a great side dish and they’re so easy to make at home. Cheap too. Get some inspiration with our list of Homemade Fries recipes, with ideas for waffle fries, shoestring fries, and more.
For more ideas of what to make, check out all of our recipes.
I tell this story a lot, but in case you haven’t heard it: A long time ago, when I was living in my first apartment by myself, I went to a county fair. One of the displays was someone who was using a mandolin to cut waffle fries. My mind was blown. I had absolutely no idea that you could make waffle fries at home.
The kit he was selling also came with a peeler that took nearly no effort to peel the skin off potatoes. I thought that would be great for my grandma and the waffle fry mandolin would be great for me.
So, I bought the kit.
And then I had to learn how to make fries. And I’ve been making French fries at home ever since.
Sometimes I’ll make shoestring and, of course, waffle fries. It all really depends on what goes best with our meal.
And if you’re looking for fries ideas, you’ve come to the right place. I put together this list of all of our favorite fry recipes. Scroll through it and find your new favorite.
Fries pair perfectly with burgers. If you’re looking for some new ideas, check out our list of Really Good Burger Recipes.
And, if you’re a little cheesy (I mean, I am with that line), our list of The Best Easy Cheeseburger Recipes is for you.
Homemade French Fry Recipes
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A quick tip before we get into the recipes. For the best results, you want to soak cut potatoes in a large bowl of cold water with a little bit of salt to pull out the excess starch. That will give you crispier fries than if you just cut them and cook them right away.
Another tip for really crispy fries (with a crisp exterior and a fluffy interior) is to add a little corn starch when you’re adding your seasoning. That gives the fries such a nice crunch, similar to what you get when you cook frozen fries.
Homemade Waffle Fries
Of course we have to kick this list off with my homemade waffle fries.
They’re so easy to make with a mandolin slicer. You slide the potato down once, turn it a quarter turn, and slide it up the mandolin. That’s it. Over and over until you run out of potato.
If young me, who didn’t know anything about cooking could make these, anyone can.
Creamy Cheesy Steak Fries
If you prefer thicker fries, steak fries are for you. Those are a little boring to me. So when I make them, I make these Creamy Cheesy Steak Fries.
I make the fries, which just involve cutting Idaho potatoes (or Russet potatoes, if that’s your personal preference) with a sharp knife, then bake in the oven. When they’re done, toss them in a mixture of ranch dressing and sour cream. Put them back on the baking sheet, top with shredded cheese, and bake until the cheese melts.
It’s really an easy side dish and super delicious too.
Grilled French Fries
If you’re grilling burgers for dinner, you might as well grill your fries too. If your grill has a side burner, that’s the perfect place to make Grilled French Fries.
Cut, soak, and season your fries as usual. Then, add some olive oil to a grill safe pan. Add your fries and cook until they’re a nice golden brown. Then, serve with whatever else you’re having at your barbecue.
Be sure to place them on paper towels before serving so that the towels can absorb some of the hot oil before your guests eat them.
Air Fryer French Fries
If you have an air fryer, it’s so easy to make Air Fryer French Fries. Honestly, this French fry recipe is the one I make them most of the time because then I only have to think about an air fryer basket, not a sheet pan and the oven.
Our air fryer is large enough that it fits more than enough fries for us for dinner. But, if you have a large family, you might need to make a couple batches of fries so everyone has enough.
I cut these fries by hand (and years of practice makes them look pretty even). When I made them for company, my neighbor asked if I used a French fry cutter to get them so perfect. I didn’t, but you could if you wanted to. Using that is just an extra step and an extra tool to clean, and I don’t wanna deal with that.
Air Fryer Green Bean Fries
Are green bean fries considered fries? Maybe. Maybe not. But they’re on this list because, well, I consider them fries and this is a fries list.
Anyway. With that being said, these Air Fryer Green Beans are incredible. The first time I made these, Pete asked me if they came from a restaurant because they were that good.
You dredge the fries in flour, egg, and bread crumbs, then cook them in a single layer in the air fryer until they’re golden brown and crispy. Serve with a ranch dipping sauce or just eat them as is.
Homemade Home Fries
Since this is a fries list, not necessary just French fries, our Homemade Home Fries fit on this list. Plus, they’re probably our most popular fry recipe on the blog.
Home fries are basically potatoes that are diced and pan fried, then usually served with some sort of eggs for breakfast. You see them on the side of the plate. Fun fact: They look similar to potatoes you find in a hash, but they’re called diced potatoes when they’re served like that, not home fries.
Which homemade French fries recipe are you going to try first? Let us know in the comments.