• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
101 Cooking For Two
  • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
  • 📋About
  • ❓FAQs/Help
  • 🛒Shop
  • 📮Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
  • 📋About
  • ❓FAQs/Help
  • 🛒Shop
  • 📮Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
    • 📋About
    • ❓FAQs/Help
    • 🛒Shop
    • 📮Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    🏠Home » Recipes » Potato Recipes

    Easy Homemade French Fries

    Mar 19, 2020 | Last Updated Apr 15, 2021 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.75 from 24 votes

    Reliable and super easy, anybody can learn how to make crispy homemade French fries. Make them on your stovetop with no special equipment needed or need to monitor oil temperature. So simple.

    French Fries on white plate

    Table of Contents
    • 🥔The Potatoes
    • The Oil
    • 👨‍🍳Method
    • 📖Potato Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📖Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Introduction

    This is the ultimate easy french fry recipe. It just works. Cut. Put in cold oil. Cook for 25 minutes. Eat.

    No double frying, no watching temperature on the oil, no catches. The original idea came from famed chef Joël Robuchon so credit to where credit is due.

    When I first saw Christopher Kimball present this on a morning show, it was obviously a "me" type recipe. It was simple and logical. I have since seen it on his PBS shows several times.

    By starting in cold oil, the interior of the potato has time to cook and get to the temperature before the outside starts to crisp. It is like a one-step only double frying of French fries. And since most of the oil absorption happens between the double frying of fries, they are lower in fat by ⅓.

    My Rating

    My rating system. Great 5 out of 5

    I do love a good French fry.

    🥔The Potatoes

    Most people will be using Russets potatoes for this, which is fine. Peeling is optional. Wider fries are ok but not thinner than ⅜ inches, and all pieces should be about the same size.

    I always feel a potato is a potato, and I feel that it is mostly true here. Kimball and Cooks Illustrated made a big deal of using Yukon gold and implied no others worked well which seems wrong. They may be a bit creamier interior than Russets due to the starch levels being lower, but America is used to Russet fries, and they are fine.

    Can I use frozen potatoes? I don't recommend it. I have not done it and have not seen that others have tied it either.

    The Oil

    Use a higher temperature oil. I have used peanut oil frequently but more recently used a more standard oil mixture with corn and canola oil.

    The oil is not abused by very high temperatures, so it is fine to run it through a strainer and reuse several times.

    👨‍🍳Method

    1. Trim the potatoes.
    2. Place in cold oil. Cover completely.
    3. Cook on high for 15 minutes without touching.
    4. Stir well once, then continue to cook for about 10 more minutes until golden brown.

    📖Potato Recipes

    Crispy Baked French Fries

    Bacon American Fries

    Easy Roasted Red Potatoes

    Crispy Smashed Potatoes

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    Potato Recipes, Side Dish Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    potatoes, oil and salt

    Start with about 1 ½ pounds of potatoes. About three medium or two large.

    cutting fries with mandolin

    Clean and cut potatoes into ⅜ inch fries. Very easy with a  mandolin or use a sharp chef's knife. BE CAREFUL.

    raw fries in oil in Dutch oven

    Add fries to a Dutch oven or another large pan. Cover with oil.

    boiling oil in Dutch oven

    Place over high heat. Cook for 15 minutes without touching. It will reach a hard boil after a few minutes. After 15 minutes using tongs or wooden spoon, stir and scrape the bottom to release any stuck fries and to break apart any clumped fries. This is the only time you will stir the fries.

    scooping fries out of oil

    Continue to cook for about another 10 minutes until golden brown. Place into a large bowl lined with multiple paper towels to drain. Salt to taste.

    Frech Fries on white plate
    graphic Subscribe to 101 Cooking for Two

    📖Recipe

    French Fries on white plate

    Easy Homemade French Fries

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    Reliable and super easy, anybody can learn how to make crispy homemade French fries. Make them on your stovetop with no special equipment needed or need to monitor oil temperature. So simple.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.75 from 24 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 4

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 1 ½ lb potatoes - about 3 medium or 3 large
    • 4 cups oil - (peanut, canola or other vegetable with high smoking level). Just enough to cover.
    • salt - to taste

    Instructions

    • Start with about 1 ½ pounds of potatoes. About three medium or two large. Usually Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes.
    • Clean and cut potatoes into ⅜ inch fries. Very easy with a  mandolin or use a sharp chef's knife. Be careful especially with the mandolin.
    • Add fries to a Dutch oven or other large pan and cover the fries with oil.
    • Place over high heat. Do not cover. Cook for 15 minutes without touching. It will reach a hard boil after a few minutes.
    • After 15 minutes using tongs or wooden spoon, stir and scrape the bottom to release any stuck fries and to break apart any clumped fries. This is the only time you stir.
    • Continue to cook for about another 10 minutes until golden brown.
    • Place into a large bowl lined with multiple paper towels to drain. Salt to taste.
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    My Private Notes

    Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. Use the potatoes you want.
    2. Scale to the amount you want. You can double this recipe but more than that will not work well due to the mass of potatoes.
    3. You can make fries or wedges but avoid very thin, less than ⅜ inches wide.
    4. Use a higher temperature oil like peanut, corn, or canola.
    5. No need to rinse the cut fries in cold water. The starch helps in the browning.
    6. Keep the lid off the pan to let moisture out.
    7. Only stir the one time, otherwise, you will be breaking them apart.
    8. Salt after removing from the oil.
    9. You can reuse the oil several times. I strain and refrigerate after use.
    10. Estimate about ¼ to ⅓ of a pound of raw potato per serving.
    11. I don’t recommend frozen potatoes for this recipe.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Calories : 258 kcal (13%) | Carbohydrates : 31 g (10%) | Protein : 4 g (8%) | Fat : 14 g (22%) | Saturated Fat : 1 g (5%) | Sodium : 590 mg (25%) | Potassium : 709 mg (20%) | Fiber : 2 g (8%) | Sugar : 1 g (1%) | Vitamin C : 10 mg (12%) | Calcium : 22 mg (2%) | Iron : 1 mg (6%)
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Vegetable
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Editor's Note: Originally Published August 6, 2010. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

    Lilly in Flowers 2018
    « 8:3:1:1 Dry Rub
    Crispy Baked Split Chicken Breasts »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chip

      July 04, 2021 at 6:18 pm

      5 stars
      These turned out amazing!! Thank you, thank you!!

      I have tried and failed with fries so many times, but, I followed this to the letter and they are perfect!

      Reply
    2. Rose

      May 21, 2021 at 7:42 am

      5 stars
      I usually make my fries in the oven, but I found this recipe for stovetop yesterday and thought I would give it a try last night. It was so easy, and worked like a charm! I must have cut my fries a bit too small as they were turning brown after 15 minutes when I gave them a stir. I took them out about 6 minutes after I stirred them, and they were already a but overcooked (but still very good.). Next I will try cutting the fries a bit bigger. I did cool and strain the oil for the next time I make fries. Thank you for this great recipe!

      Reply
    3. Alexis

      April 02, 2021 at 7:50 pm

      5 stars
      Made tonight! Absolutely delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
    4. Lodi

      March 20, 2020 at 11:03 am

      DrDan,
      I'm embarrassed to admit it at my age, but how do you strain the oil? I know that the colanders/etc. that I have would not do the job. What kind of "strainer" do you use?
      I actually have had this 'problem' in the past with various recipes.
      Stay safe!

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        March 20, 2020 at 11:13 am

        Hi Lodi,

        Welcome to the blog.

        I use a food strainer. You can usually pick up a package of 3 sizes for about $10. I use them to rinse beans and things like that. They are fairly fine and can substitute for a flour sifter if needed.

        I generally reuse the oil 3-4 times then it makes me nervous and it change it out. Initially, I used peanut oil but corn/canola works fine for me.

        Stay safe.
        Dan

    5. Suzanne

      April 01, 2017 at 6:10 pm

      Eek! I bought new Yukon Gold potatoes, cleaned and cut 1 lb 8.25 oz into 1/4" strips, and put them in room temp. vegetable oil. Next the pot went on high sear induction heat. (FYI: High is 425 degrees. Sear doesn't specify a specific temp) The fries were at a rolling boil in about 2 1/2 Min. I touched NOTHING until 15 min had passed. Using tongs I insured nothing was clumping or sticking. They weren't. 10 more min passed with the oil boiling on. After 25 min I had a pot of greasy, little potato sponges that had not changed color at all. I knew they were trash so I left them for 15 more min just to see if they would get any golden hue at all. The bottom ones did brown slightly. 1 1/2 lbs of Yukon Gold potatoes soaked in oil into the trash....

      I apologize for writing all of that out, but you have been so kind in answering posts that I hoped perhaps you would see something I did differently than instructed. The only variable I can see is the induction, but since it boiled in the time specified and stayed at the temp specified (I used my Thermapen) I don't see how the induction could be the problem. Any thoughts?

      I'm not letting this deter me. Your crock pot penne pasta is dinner Mon. I'm very much looking forward to working my way through your site.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        April 01, 2017 at 6:24 pm

        I'm wondering how much of the boil you saw was just the moisture from the potatoes. Since the manufacture of the stove says 425 degrees is the max. which is nowhere near the 572 degrees that is the boiling point for oil. So my guess is it never got to temperature correctly. Nothing you can do about that. It sounds like a disgusting mess.

        Good luck with the other recipes.

        Dan

    6. Suzanne

      March 27, 2017 at 1:38 pm

      Another question: what temp is considered "high"? I just got a new induction cooktop, and I need to set it by actual temperature. If I try it at my mom's house, it would be an electric range. Does it matter whether it is "high" on gas or electric? We don't have gas lines so I have never used it, but I can imagine it might make a large difference on a recipe like this. Thanks in advance for the answers. I'm very excited to have just found your blog. I can't wait to work my way through your recipes. I will be sure to rate them as I go.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        March 27, 2017 at 6:23 pm

        Hi Suzanne,
        Welcome to the blog. Here high is as hot as it will go until you reach a rolling or hard boil of the oil. Cooks Illustrated states 5 minutes to get there and they use massive gas stoves. My electric took about the same time or a minute longer. The boiling point of cooking oil is about 300 C (or 572 F). Like boiling water, it can't go above that temperature. If you have a massive stove, you might cut it back a little once you get there but CI did not. An induction cooktop... I have never tried but again, turn it up.

        Hope that helps.
        Dan

    7. Laura Plumb

      May 25, 2016 at 7:06 pm

      Brilliant! So easy it makes me want to try it. Just two quick questions: what kind of oil do you use, and how do you keep the oil from burning? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Rob.C

        April 18, 2021 at 2:31 pm

        5 stars
        This recipe worked very well for me. Curiously, the fries were not greasy. I especially liked that I didn't have to deal with the possibility of hot oil boiling over when the potatoes were added at the start to cold oil. Other recipes call for adding potatoes to already hot oil. This recipe seems safer given the hazard that boiling hot oil can present.
        Question: would this recipe work for making sweet potato fries?
        Thanks!

      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        April 18, 2021 at 2:40 pm

        Hi Rob,

        Welcome to the blog. This is what I consider an "odd" method and I gave proper credit in the post to the chef who initiated it. I have done this quite a few times and never had an issue. Always work.

        Now about the sweet potato question... don't know. I have never got into the sweet potato fry thing. You are only one sweet potato away from an answer. If you try it, please comeback and comment.

        Dan

    8. Joan Garneau

      October 26, 2014 at 7:37 am

      I bought an Actifry to use for French fries and other fried foods. The fries were very good and while not exactly the same as deep fried, close enough. One tablespoon of oil is all that needs to be used. I also used Russets and they worked well.

      Reply
    9. Dr Dan

      March 20, 2012 at 6:41 am

      I always reuse the oil several times. I use a strainer on it before I store it in the second fridge.

      Reply
    10. Chorister

      March 19, 2012 at 10:51 pm

      Tried this tonight solely to test my theory that Alabama White BBQ sauce would be good on french fries (it its.) I couldn't bring myself to believe the house wouldn't smell of oil after, so I did it outside on the grill burner. I have also heard you can reuse the oil. What are your thoughts on that?

      Reply

    Leave a Comment (Policy Link in Footer) Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    DrDan image Hi, I’m DrDan and welcome to 101 Cooking for Two, the home of great everyday recipes with easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions. About DrDan

    Popular Recipes

    • Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
    • Pan Seared Oven Baked Chicken Breast
    • Oven Baked Chicken Legs - The Art of Drummies
    • Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
    • How To Cook Sausage in the Oven
    • How to Cook Bacon in the Oven - Step by Step
    • Oven Pulled Pork - Low & Slow Pork Butt
    • Pan Seared Oven Roasted Strip Steak

    kitchen reference sheet graphic wide blue
    graphic of sites that I work with or have had recipes featured or referenced.
    SITES THAT I WORK WITH OR HAVE HAD RECIPES FEATURED OR REFERENCED.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top ↑

    About

    • About DrDan
    • Sign up for Emails
    • Contact
    • The Shop
    • Blog Business and Guest Posts
    • Helpful Links

    Top Content

    • Saved Recipes Collections
    • 101's Best Recipes
    • Recipe Index

    Policies

    • Comment Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Copyright Policy

    Educational

    • Food FAQ
    • Kitchen Reference Sheets
    • Guide To Cooking for Two

    dogs by the pond

    COPYRIGHT © 2010-2022 101 COOKING FOR TWO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | BASED ON FOODIE PRO THEME