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Learn how to cut French fries at home! This step-by-step guide and video cover tips for choosing the right potatoes, cutting techniques for even fries, and how to prevent browning before cooking.
Are you wondering how to cut potatoes into fries but not sure the best way? We love making crispy fries at home, like our baked French fries or sweet potato fries. Using this method really changed the game for us, and we hope it will for you, too. Grab your knife and let’s get started with this step by step guide!
How to cut potatoes into fries: step by step
Step 1: Place the potato on its side and using a large chef’s knife, cut a thin slice off the edge to serve as a flat base.
Step 2: Flip the potato cut side down and cut thin slices; make them the width you’d like your French fries.
Step 3: Stack a few of the slices, then cut them in the other direction to create French fries.
And there you have it: how to cut potatoes into fries in 3 easy steps! Let us know if you try our method for how to cut potatoes into fries and tell us how it goes in the comments below.
How to bake French fries
Once you’ve cut the potatoes into fries, here are the basic steps for baking them (or go to baked French fries):
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Place the cut fries into a medium bowl and rinse with cold water until water is clear. Then fill the bowl with cold water and allow to rest for 10 minutes (while the oven preheats). Then drain and dry the fries thoroughly with a clean dish towel.
- Add the fries to a dry bowl and toss them with olive oil and seasonings (we like a mix of smoked paprika, garlic powder, Old Bay, salt and pepper). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the fries in straight lines on the paper, placing them as far apart as possible.
- Bake the fries for 20 minutes. Flip and bake additional 8 to 10 minutes until they are crisp and golden brown, watching carefully as the bake time depends on the fry thickness and your oven.
Tip: use a great chef knife
A good knife can drastically improve your time in the kitchen! We’ve had our chef knives for over 10 years and they still work great. Our favorite knife is this 7″ Chef’s Knife. For safe storage, you can use a drawer knife organizer like this one. Make sure to keep your knives sharpened using a local service or home knife sharpener.
A few French fries recipes
Now that you know how to cut potatoes into fries, here are some of our favorite French fries recipes for you to try:
- Try classic baked French fries or sweet potato fries.
- Go for homemade French fries: both baked and pan fried.
- Make chili cheese fries, cheese fries, or Greek fries.
- Mix up Parmesan truffle fries, garlic fries, or Cajun fries.
- Try our seasoned fries or carrot fries.
Frequently asked questions
Russet potatoes are the classic choice due to their high starch content, which results in fluffy interiors and crispy exteriors. You can also use Yukon Gold for a slightly buttery flavor.
It’s up to your preference! We like to leave the skins on, which adds texture and nutrients.
Aim for 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thickness. Thinner fries will be crispier, while thicker ones will be softer in the center.
Soaking in cold water for 10 minutes can help remove excess starch, resulting in crispier fries. Be sure to dry them thoroughly before frying.
How to Cut Potatoes into Fries
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving of fries 1x
Description
Wondering how to cut potatoes into fries? Here’s a step by step guide and video that shows you exactly how to cut potatoes for french fries.
Ingredients
- 1 medium potato
Instructions
- Place the potato on its side and using a large chef’s knife, cut a thin slice off the edge to serve as a flat base.
- Flip the potato cut side down and cut thin slices; make them the width you’d like your french fries.
- Stack a few of the slices, then cut them in the other direction to create french fries. For our fries recipe, go to Crispy Baked Fries.
- Category: Knife Skills
- Method: Cutting
- Cuisine: N/A
