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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Side Dishes / the perfect stovetop french fries

    the perfect stovetop french fries

    Aug 13, 2015 · 36 Comments

    the perfect stovetop french fries | The Baking Fairy

    My friends, I am here today to blow your ever-living, ever-loving mind. I have stumbled upon this method of making french fries on the stove that is complete and utter genius. It's pretty well-known that I am not a big fryer, as frying times and oil temperatures {and boiling hot oil spatters...ouch} basically baffle me. But this technique is so easy and almost impossible to mess up, and it yields fries that are perfectly fluffy and tender on the inside, while being crisp and crunchy on the outside. You ready for this? You dump your fries in cold oil. Nope, that's not a typo. COLD oil. Here, let me explain.

    the perfect stovetop french fries | The Baking Fairy

    You know how they say the secret to really great fries is the fact that you have to fry them twice? You're supposed to fry them at a lower temperature first, to cook the actual potato, and then again, in really hot oil, to crisp them up. Well, I'm here to tell you that you can do that in one pan, with a single cooking process, by starting off with cold oil. The genius to this method is that as the oil slowly heats up, the potatoes cook all the way through. Then, by the time the oil is boiling hot and spattering, the inside of the potatoes is cooked, so they are ready to be crisped up. So easy! So good! Who needs fast food french fries, anyways?

    the perfect stovetop french fries | The Baking Fairy

    I have always been a big fan of baked fries, and my mom makes some roasted fries like you wouldn't believe...but sometimes, you need a good, old fashioned french fry, and this is basically the best recipe ever. The only downside is that you are a bit limited by the size of your pan, and since these take a good 15-20 minutes to cook, making batch after batch isn't really ideal. But if you're willing to have multiple pans going at once... then totally go for it. These fries are worth it!

    the perfect stovetop french fries | The Baking Fairy

    I, personally, cannot lay claim to this genius technique, but for the life of me I just cannot remember where I read about it! It might have been somewhere on Pinterest, but to be honest, I'm thinking it might have been in Bon Appetit or another cooking magazine, back in the pre-Pinterest day. Yes, children, my blog is actually older than Pinterest. I'm practically a senior citizen in blogging years. When I started, we had Facebook and we had Twitter. That was pretty much it. No Pinterest, or Instagram, or Google Plus, or any of the other {complicated and ridiculous} networking websites. "But I don't like change!" Yep, I definitely sound like an old lady.

    the perfect stovetop french fries | The Baking Fairy

     

    4.7 from 15 reviews
    the perfect stovetop french fries
     
    Save Print
    Prep time
    10 mins
    Cook time
    20 mins
    Total time
    30 mins
     
    Author: Valentina | The Baking Fairy
    Recipe type: Vegetarian
    Serves: 2-3
    Ingredients
    • 2-3 potatoes
    • 1 cup vegetable oil
    • salt and pepper, to taste
    Instructions
    1. Wash and peel your potatoes, and cut into french fries.
    2. Place the fries into a cast iron skillet, making sure that they are in a single layer and not overlapping, and pour just enough oil to almost cover them completely {it may or may not be the whole cup, just go with the visual}.
    3. Turn heat onto medium-low, and let the potatoes cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep them from sticking together. The fries are ready when they are golden brown and crisp on the outside.
    4. Remove the fries from the oil, and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Toss with salt and pepper, or any other desired seasonings, and serve immediately.
    3.3.3077

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. ryan says

      August 16, 2018 at 11:48 pm

      This made great fries. Thank you. I made them for fish and chips. Still had to double fry because I cooked them too early but they would have been perfect.

      Reply
    2. Susan says

      January 21, 2019 at 1:28 pm

      Best French fries ever!!!!!

      Reply
    3. EL Mehdi says

      February 20, 2019 at 8:10 am

      consider yourself earned a new fan! these French Fries are so darn delicious <3

      Reply
    4. davely says

      June 23, 2019 at 6:57 pm

      This is weird. I always found if oil was too low a temperature that the fries became more oil-soaked (as in did not form an immediate protective crust from quick frying)...

      But it sounds interesting enough to try so I will do that and see for myself! Thanks!

      Reply
      • RB says

        September 26, 2020 at 4:07 pm

        Why do people rate recipes before making them? It's one of the dumbest things I've ever seen.

        Reply
        • Mikey says

          December 15, 2022 at 7:44 pm

          Lol agreed

          Reply
    5. Richard Johnson says

      July 06, 2019 at 6:36 pm

      Medium low didn't seem to work for me. I have an electric stove and cooked on medium for about 15 minutes and then medium high for about 5 minutes to get the outside crispy. They were the best fries I have ever cooked. Crispy but not hard and the insides were soft and fluffy.

      Reply
    6. Ana Maria says

      July 19, 2019 at 9:43 pm

      I tried this method tonight and I can't believe how great my fries came out. Even cold they were good. I will be making french fries more often.

      Reply
    7. Za. Rizik says

      September 06, 2019 at 4:20 am

      This is a wonderful recipe! It looks super easy and I know it tastes amazing!

      Reply
    8. Jane says

      October 23, 2019 at 6:22 pm

      These are DANGEROUS! I will freely admit I'm not the best cook - probably because I hate cooking lol. I was desperate for something different for a side dish tonight and found this recipe - it was so easy even I didn't mess it up lol. I was a bit worried they would become soggy sitting in the oil that long but they were nice and crispy. Normally I rarely fry anything, mainly because my hips - among other body parts - don't need it and to be honest I hate the smell of oil that lingers in the house. This might be a bit too easy and good to make too often !

      Reply
    9. J. LaHue says

      February 07, 2020 at 10:16 am

      These made the best stove top fries!!! My kids, who are 5 and 7, LOVED these! They’ve never been crazy about fries I’ve made in the pan and the oven before. And your method has a lot less oil splatter too. I’m a fan!

      Reply
    10. Akayla says

      February 17, 2020 at 9:38 pm

      Worked great! Will definitely keep this method in the repertoire...

      Reply
    11. Raflin says

      April 11, 2020 at 2:32 pm

      That looks awesome but how how do I make more than one portion if they need to be cooked in cold oil?

      Reply
      • Kristy says

        April 22, 2020 at 1:50 pm

        Raflin you have to use multiple pans if you want to make a bigger batch.

        Reply
    12. Lexi says

      May 09, 2020 at 10:01 am

      This worked great, but question can you or have you tried sweet potatoes?

      Reply
      • valentina says

        May 09, 2020 at 10:48 am

        Hi Lexi! Great question - I have not tried this with sweet potatoes. I am not sure if they would work the same way since they tend to get very mushy when cooked.

        Reply
    13. Catherine O’ Connor says

      May 16, 2020 at 12:30 pm

      Yes, this really works! I don’t usually make fries because it’s such a pain, but this is easy and very very good.

      Reply
    14. Andrea says

      June 24, 2020 at 11:51 pm

      This worked really well and my toddler, who doesn't like skillet fries or baked fries, loved them!

      Reply
    15. Mary Beth Elderton says

      July 14, 2020 at 2:49 pm

      This is a game-changer! I tried this technique today. Easiest fries ever and perfectly cooked. Thank You!

      Reply
    16. Bea says

      January 22, 2021 at 2:45 pm

      I tried it with my cast iron pan and peanut oil on an electric stove. They turned out ok, not oily like I expected. After 20 minutes, the fries were not brown so I started turning up my stove in 10 minute increments until at the end I was on medium. After about 40-45 minutes total, they were finally brown.

      Reply
    17. Patrick Gbur says

      February 01, 2021 at 6:01 pm

      I have an electric skillet that you can adjust the temp on. What temperature should I use? 350F or 375F or? Recipe sounds wonderful.

      Reply
      • valentina says

        February 04, 2021 at 12:15 am

        Hey! Honestly I have no idea - I have never used an electric skillet like that. I would say start on 350F as that is always a safe bet and you can increase the heat as needed. The oil and pan will also retain heat so you don't want it to be too hot and cause the potatoes to burn.

        Reply
        • Brad Douglas says

          December 19, 2021 at 8:41 pm

          Just made the french fries this evening. Just as everyone else has said, it was easy and delicious. Made a perfect accompaniment to the hamburger sliders.

          Reply
    18. Eve says

      May 21, 2021 at 5:10 pm

      I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. The first time I made these they came out PERFECT. So crispy, yum. But the last 3 or 4 times they came out soggy. I have no idea what I am doing different. What could it be?

      Reply
      • valentina says

        June 01, 2021 at 2:17 pm

        Hi Eve! I am not sure honestly! These always work out for me. If the fries are coming out soggy, they may need to be cooked a bit longer? I would also make sure the fries are cut thin to medium sized so that they are not taking too long to cook. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    19. Melody says

      December 06, 2021 at 11:07 am

      Thank you for posting this recipe. This is the way my mom always made french fries. I was telling my husband how easy she always made it seem super easy, just cooking it up in a pan, with no preheating or pre-cooking. My husband and I have bought deep fryers and fry pots only to end up giving them away after a few uses due to the mess and stress they entail. But reminiscing this morning about my mom's fries inspired me to google pan fries and I found this genius recipe that also confirms my memories! We will be making a batch later today and I already know they will be delicious !

      Reply
    20. E says

      December 22, 2021 at 7:41 pm

      Tried this method today, my fries came out slightly soggier than I'd have liked but overall I'm super pleased with how they turned out - especially since it's my first time deep frying anything. Thanks for sharing your recipe 🙂

      Reply
    21. Rochelle says

      January 05, 2022 at 2:57 pm

      This is the only way I was taught to fry potatoes to make French fries. I’ve been doing this for 30 years plus and always turn out perfect..I’ve never preheated the oil.

      Reply
    22. Martina says

      February 28, 2022 at 7:45 am

      i just made these on a whim at 9 am lol -- they turned out amazing! very crunchy and soft inside, i totally recommend it

      Reply
    23. Bill says

      May 22, 2022 at 1:49 pm

      If you put the fries in the pan first then add the oil the potatoes will soak up a lot of oil. You want to preheat the oil first before adding the potatoes.
      Poorly written directions.

      Reply
      • valentina says

        May 29, 2022 at 10:38 pm

        Hi Bill, if you would actually read the full post and directions you will see that you intentionally place the potatoes in the cold oil to cook them thoroughly before frying them. I have never had any issues with the potatoes soaking up the oil, they come out perfectly light and crispy.

        Reply
    24. Erlene Johnson says

      August 28, 2022 at 10:12 am

      Can the skin be left on Russtes? And what type of pan is used?

      Reply
      • valentina says

        August 28, 2022 at 5:59 pm

        You can absolutely leave the skin on if that is your preference! And I usually use a cast iron skillet but any frying pan will work.

        Reply
        • Jenifer says

          September 26, 2022 at 11:16 am

          Thanks for answering this question. I do not have a cast iron skillet...will be making this tonight.

          Reply
    25. Tony says

      November 12, 2022 at 5:13 pm

      I was craving french fries but I can't afford to go out for fast food anymore because my budget is really stretched thin. I didn't have a deep fryer so I typed in stovetop french fries and this was the first hit on the search results. This recipe is really simple and worked so well. I can't taste really any difference from what I would have otherwise expected from fries at a restaurant. Thanks for the recipe. It's so easy, I'll remember this one and use it again and again!

      Reply
      • valentina says

        November 18, 2022 at 12:37 am

        Thank you for your comment, Tony! I am glad you enjoyed them 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi! My name is Valentina and I'm The Baking Fairy! Pediatric physician assistant by day and food blogger extraordinaire by night. Full-blooded Italian, but I've lived in Texas for most of my life. I love margaritas, brownies, avocados, and my mamma's homemade pizza. Married to my high school sweetheart (who is ALSO a pediatrician). My mission is to make plant-based cooking fun and delicious, one recipe at a time. I want to show people that vegan food is not just for vegans!

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