Garlic Fries

Calling all garlic lovers: these Garlic Fries are your new favorite side dish! Bake them up crispy and warm from the oven, then season with both garlic powder and a homemade garlic oil. Take one bite and they’re irresistibly garlicky, yet not so intense you’ll have to immediately brush your teeth (or get complaints from your partner!). Here’s how to bake up a tasty pan of fries that will wow everyone.

What you need for garlic fries

Garlic fries are French fries seasoned with garlic, using either fresh garlic or garlic powder. In the case of this recipe, we’ve used both for maximum garlic flavor! You’ll use garlic powder on the fries in the oven, then brush them with a homemade garlic oil when they’re hot and crispy. Here’s what you’ll need:

Russet potatoes: russet potatoes are the best variety for French fries: they get crispy on the outside and fluffy on the insideOlive oilGarlic powderSalt and pepperGarlic clove

The basic idea? Cut the fries, soak them, then season with garlic powder, salt and pepper and bake. Grate the garlic clove into olive oil, then when the fries are crispy brush or toss them with the garlic oil. It’s a simple way to infuse big flavor into fries!

How to cut homemade French fries

The main trick to homemade garlic fries? Cutting the fries! There are two main methods: by hand or with a French fry cutter. We’d only recommend this French fry cutter if you make homemade fries often and have a lot of storage space for a big gadget. Otherwise, here’s our fast and easy method for how to cut fries with a knife (or watch this video):

Slice off the ends and side: Slice off the ends of each potato, then slice off part of the side to make a base.Cut slices, then strips: Place the potato half cut side down and cut off a 3/8-inch slice. Then lay the slice on its side and cut it into several long 3/8-inch wide strips.Repeat: Repeat until all potatoes have been cut into fries.

Tip: soak the fries before baking

Another secret to homemade Cajun fries? Soak them before baking. This is not required if you’re frying up the fries, of course. But for baking, this makes the best texture. Here’s what to know about this method:

Soaking makes the outside crispy and inside fluffy. In extensive recipe testing, we found this makes for just the right tender interior and crispy exterior.All you need is 10 minutes! Some fry recipes call for soaking for 1 hour or more. In our testing, we found that the 10 minute soak was actually better!Soak while your oven preheats. This step doesn’t cost you any time when making the recipe, because you can do it while the oven is preheating. Ideally you can cut, soak and season the fries before the oven is ready to go.

Shortcut: use frozen fries instead!

Don’t have the time and patience to cut and soak fries? That’s ok too. You can make garlic fries using frozen fries, too! Buy a bag of frozen fries and add the garlic oil (in Step 6 of the recipe card below). The quantity in this recipe should work with 1 pound of fries. Find a great brand you love: our favorite brand is Alexia.

Variation: add Parmesan

Want a variation on these garlic fries? Toss them with grated Parmesan cheese once they’re out of the oven! Add 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and toss to combine.

Dips for garlic fries

Want to up the garlic flavor even more? Add a garlicky dip to these Garlic Fries! Or, accentuate them with a complimentary flavor. Aioli is a top dip choice in our family, so we love pairing these with a simple aioli (truffle is our favorite). Here are some tasty ideas for a dip for garlic fries:

Try Classic Aioli or Lemon AioliGo for classy Truffle Aioli or our favorite Pesto AioliOpt for some heat with Chipotle Aioli or Spicy Sriracha AioliTry Homemade Ketchup instead

More fries recipes

And that’s it! Let us know in the comments below how you enjoy these garlic fries. And when you’re ready for more fries, here are a few additional recipes to try:

Go for classic Seasoned Fries or Baked French FriesOpt for Cajun Fries or Baked Sweet Potato FriesAdd a topping with Cheese Fries or Classic Chili Cheese FriesGrab Easy Steak FriesGo fresh and fun with Greek Fries