Everyone should know how to make Oven Roasted French Fries because they're super delicious, easy to make, and they're lower in fat fries too.*Please note that 1.5 hours of the prep time, is inactive.
Prep Time1 hourhr45 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time2 hourshrs15 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: appetizers for sharing, appetizers for parties, best potato sides
Fill a large mixing bowl with ice water. Set aside.
Peel the potato — or not. It’s your call.
On a clean dry surface, slice about ¼-inch off one of the sides of the potato to create a base.
Sit the potato on the base, and cut in into approximately ¼ inch slices. Then stack them on top of each other and cut through them to make approximately ¼ inch sticks. Immediately submerge the sticks into the bowl with ice water. Set aside, and let them soak for 1½ hours.
About 15 minutes before you remove the potatoes from the water, preheat the oven to 450°F.
When you remove the potato sticks from the ice water, place them in one layer on a clean dish towel. Then place another clean dish towel on top, and gently press to dry the potatoes completely.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the potato sticks. Drizzle them with olive oil and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use your hands to be sure they’re all coated with the oil. (You only want enough oil to lightly coat them, there should not be any excess.)
Spread the potatoes out in one layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. It’s important that they aren’t touching each other. (Depending on how many potatoes you’re using, this might require more than one baking sheet.) Place the baking sheet in the preheated 450°F oven. Roast until the bottoms of the potato sticks are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Then flip them over and roast the other side, about 15 more minutes.
While the potatoes are roasting, line a large plate, platter or another baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels and set it aside.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and “pour” the fries onto the paper towel-lined plate. Quickly taste to see if they need more seasoning, and if so, season to taste with more salt and pepper. (Here’s How to Season to Taste.) Spread them out on the towel to cool a bit before serving.