French Fries

By Julia Moskin

Updated Sept. 10, 2025

French Fries
Total Time
1 hour, plus soaking
Rating
4(955)
Comments
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French fries are one of almost everyone’s favorite foods, but many home cooks hesitate to take it on. However, with this cold-oil method for making French fries, it’s easy to pull off with just a deep heavy pot and an open window. If you’d like, you can cut potatoes into round slices, medium-size chunks or wedges for frying, or use whole baby potatoes, peeled. Any kind of vegetable oil will work for frying; add a chunk of fatty bacon or some lard to oil in the pot for extra savoriness.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 6large Idaho potatoes
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Salt
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

672 calories; 49 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 35 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 763 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Peel potatoes and cut them lengthwise into slices, ⅜ to ½ inch thick, keeping the slices together. Give the sliced potato a quarter turn and cut slices into strips. Soak in cold water at least 30 minutes or overnight.

  2. Step 2

    Drain potatoes and pat dry. Place them in a deep heavy pot and pour in vegetable oil to cover, plus an inch or two. Heat to a bare simmer and let potatoes cook slowly for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until very soft.

  3. Step 3

    Raise the heat to medium. Line a large bowl with paper towels. Let potatoes fry in bubbling oil until golden and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes more.

  4. Step 4

    Lift out potatoes and place in a paper towel-lined bowl. Shake to drain, remove paper towels, add salt, and shake again. Serve immediately!

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Ratings

4 out of 5
955 user ratings
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Comments

Mike in Asheville

Soaking the potatoes leaches excess starch; prevent/reduces fries from sticking together, AND, increases crispiness to the outside texture.

Max Neumeyer

Making french fries at home is deceivingly difficult. Let this be a warning to all non-expert home cooks: consider skipping this one!

philipj

Much preferred approach to putting cold potatoes into super hot oil. For those getting a soggy mass of potatoes during the initial simmer, it really is a bare simmer. Use a thermometer to make sure you don't go above 95 Celsius for this step, if you do your potatoes will start to fall apart. I have had good success with simmering at 90 C for 25-30 minutes, and then cranking the heat for the final fry (max heating on my old stove), an additional 5-10 minutes. Super crispy, delicious fries.

Dan W

This didn't work. The 30 minutes of simmering turned the fries into mush. Stick with the classic method and drop the fries into the oil when its already piping hot

K

Followed as written. Fries completely fell apart, and even what was left never browned. Was left with inedible mush. Clarity on specific oil temperature might help, but I can’t fathom how people have found success with Idaho potatoes using this method.

Cheryl

These rival McDonald's fries. So good.

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