^{These parmesan garlic fries are a classy twist to your standard fast food favorite. No need for the fryer because they get perfectly crisp in the oven. Just add parmesan and garlic and you have a winner!}

Do you ever just have a craving for french fries? Like, you don’t even need the burger because you’re pumped for the the fries? I mean who doesn’t like fries? It’s almost painful when I go to a restaurant that gives you the option of fries or green vegetables as the side. You want the fries, but you know that you can really feel good about getting the side salad or slaw instead.

This version was based off a recipe I had in Disneyland that was absolutely incredible. I can eat fries in a variety of ways but the added garlic and parmesan just makes them a little more special. I’m sure I’ll post more fry posts down the road because that seems to be a favorite guilty pleasure.

When I first made this version with the parmesan and the garlic I went to sample them and squeezed roasted garlic on them. Ten minutes later the entire batch was gone! It’s almost like I never even made them.

The best thing to do is roast garlic with the fries and squeeze out all the little creamy, roasted cloves all over your fries. If you haven’t noticed already, roasted garlic just makes everything better.

I do have another confession, I don’t eat ketchup. Not only do I not eat it, I don’t touch it, look at it, buy it or use it unless my life depends on it, which would still be a tough decision for me in the moment. I just think it’s one of the worst condiments ever. When I do make fries, I want them to have some sort of flavor on their own. If they don’t, I’m from the Midwest…we dip everything in ranch!

For this recipe I served with a side of my jalapeño ranch dressing and I even squeezed another head of garlic in the ranch and blended it up. That was a personal preference and strategic, seeing that I wasn’t going to see or talk to anyone for a few days 😉

If you’re in the mood for fries, get the fries instead of the side salad every now and then. If you’re REALLY in the mood for the fries…make them at home and eat your heart out!

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Baked Parmesan Garlic Fries

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These parmesan garlic fries are a classy twist to your standard fast food favorite. No need for the fryer because they get perfectly crisp in the oven. Just add parmesan and garlic and you have a winner!

Prep Time:3 30

Cook Time:45

Ingredients

2 tablespoons salt
2 medium-large russet potatoes
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon pepper divided
3 medium garlic heads roasted

Instructions

In a large bowl, fill with cold water and a few cups of ice. Add about 2 tablespoons of salt.
Cut a russet potato into fry form approximately 1 centimeter thick. Make sure all the potatoes are cut equally in size, or close enough. Place the cut potatoes in the salted ice water and allow to soak for at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 425°.
For roasted garlic****Preheat oven to 400-425 degrees. Drizzle a square foot of foil with olive oil. Slice the top of a head of garlic and place the sliced side face down on the oiled foil. Wrap the head of garlic completely in the foil and set in the oven for 25-40 minutes. Allow to cool before opening and squeeze out all the garlic.
Drain the water from the potatoes, quickly rinse, drain and then lay out the potatoes on a clean towel or several layers of paper towels. Using an additional clean towel, press and pat dry the potatoes as much as possible. Add to a dry bowl and toss with olive oil, garlic powder, pepper and one teaspoon of salt.
Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with non stick cooking spray. Lay out the potatoes and spread them out as much as possible. Spray the top of the fries with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook for 17-20 minutes. Remove the pans and toss the fries, or flip each fry over and cook for another 17-20 minutes. Remove pans when the fries become golden brown and crispy around the edges. Immediately sprinkle on the other teaspoon and a half of salt and all the grated parmesan.
Top with chopped parsley and roasted garlic cloves.

Notes

Ingredients

Like most recipes, fresh is best. You certainly can use a potato in this recipe that has seen better days, but I suggest a really firm potato for this recipe if you have the choice.

Fresh parmesan is also fun to shred on your own. It melts better and looks prettier (if you’re asking me). If you want to use the jarred parmesan cheese you can but it doesn’t melt the same.

I added fresh parsley at the end because every time I have had parmesan or garlic fries it was always served with some fresh herb. I think I should have tried chives because I love how the oniony flavors pair with garlic and parmesan…but I only had parsley and it was fine.

How long does it last and where?

The reality is, these are best fresh out of the oven as the cheese is melting. You can store them in the fridge and reheat them or pop them back into the oven for a few minutes the following day but it’s just not the same.

Can you freeze it?

I haven’t tried, and I am sure there is a method for doing so before they’re cooked but it’s not something I am willing to test. So I am going to stick to a solid “no!” on this one.

Substitutions?

You can make fries with a few different types of root vegetables. We will get there at some point but for now, stick with the potato.

You can swap out for another cheese such as pecorino or an asiago…or even an aged gouda. You would need some sort of cheese that packs a ton of flavor in small amounts. These aren’t cheese fries, just fries flavored with cheese.

Tips and tricks

The most important reason I am sharing this recipe is to help teach you the best way to make crispy, no-fry, baked fries.

As you read the instructions you may question why there are extra steps. First, these are simple steps. There’s no skill in soaking cut potatoes in salted ice water. There is a reason though. Soaking the fries, also known as blanching, removes extra starch that interferes with the crisping process.

While soaking the fries in ice cold water, add a small handful of salt. This helps release more of the moisture from the potato so that you can steer away from steaming the potato and get a nice golden color to your potatoes while they are roasting in the oven.

These are silly tricks, but I can assure you that after years of making these this way, I have never gone back. It’s also nice because you don’t have to oversaturate the potatoes with oil. You can simply toss them in oil and then spray down baking sheets with parchment or foil with nonstick cooking spray, and that’s it. You want a little oil on them but not a ton or else it would defeat the purpose of baking these.

What to serve with it?

My two favorite ways to eat these is as follows… 1) As as side to my lettuce wrap burger. Cut the bread carbs on the burger and then feel GREAT about eating my carbs in the fries. And 2) Underneath my turkey chili on game day! You can omit the parmesan cheese for that one because you will top those with shredded cheddar cheese!