Steak Fries
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This steak fries recipe turns out perfectly crispy and seasoned, thanks to a few tricks including a secret ingredient. Plus, this oven-baked method is healthier and less messy than frying!
Serve these with our Smash Burgers, Sloppy Joes, or Lemon Garlic Chicken for a delicious meal!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- They taste like restaurant quality.
- They are much better for you thanks to the oven baking method. (Same goes for our homemade chicken nuggets.)
- Steak Fries are easy to make.
- They are cheaper than store-bought french fries.
Ingredients Needed
The ingredient list is pretty simple, but I’ve added one that really takes these over the top.
- Russet potatoes – You can also use Yukon Potatoes.
- Avocado oil – An oil with a high smoking point is important in this recipe; do not use extra virgin olive oil.
- Salt and pepper
- Sugar (aka secret ingredient) – Just a little bit to help with caramelization.
- Garlic powder
How to Make Steak Fries in the Oven
Once your ingredients are ready, here’s how to ensure your oven-baked fries turn out perfectly crispy.
1. Soak the cut potatoes in a bowl of water for 30 minutes or more. Then, drain and rinse them. This removes some of the starch from the potatoes.
2. Dry the potatoes really well using a dish towel or paper towels.
3. Season with our secret ingredient in this recipe! Believe it or not, just a little bit of sugar in the seasoning mix helps the potatoes to caramelize in the oven and produces delicious flavor.
4. Bake the fries. Be sure to flip them halfway through.
Tips for Success
- Make sure the potato wedges don’t touch or overlap so they can get nice and crispy on both sides.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easier cleanup.
- Be sure to season these fries well. You can also add more seasoning after they are cooked.
- Eat them fresh. Steak fries are best right out of the oven. The longer they sit the softer they get.
- Sliced into similarly-sized wedges for even cooking.
What to Serve with Steak Fries
Wondering what to serve with your amazing homemade taters? Try whipping up one of these tasty entrees.
FAQs
Yes. I have used Yukon Gold potatoes with this recipe and they work.
Experiment with various seasonings like onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, or herbs like rosemary or thyme to add flavor to your fries.
No. While soaking does remove some starch yielding crispier fries, it isn’t necessary.
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is high-quality, minimally processed, and ideal for raw applications due to its robust flavor and lower acidity. Regular olive oil has a milder taste, higher acidity, and is suitable for high-heat cooking. EVOO is favored for distinctive flavor, while regular olive oil is chosen for versatility in cooking.
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Steak Fries
Try your hand at these yummy, healthy oven steak fries. With just a bit of sugar added, you’ll amaze your friends and family with how good these taste.
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed clean (no need to peel them)
- 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil (sub: olive oil)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons sugar (this addition makes a big taste difference!)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and then slice into steak fry wedges, about 1/4-1/2 inch wide each. (Just make sure they are all about the same size to ensure even cooking.)
- Soak the fries in a large bowl of water for about 30 minutes or until you’re ready to bake them. (This helps remove some of the starch and makes them crispier in the end.)
- Drain the potatoes in a colander and then pat them very dry with a dish towel. (This is a VERY important step! They must be really dry.)
- Rinse and dry out the large bowl and return the potatoes to it. Toss with enough oil to coat them, sea salt, a few cranks of fresh ground pepper, garlic powder, and sugar.
- Spread out the potatoes in a single layer on the two sheet pans. Make sure none of the fries touch, so they can get nice and crispy all around.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Then, flip the fries over with a spatula, and rotate the pans by moving the one on the top rack to the bottom and vice versa. We also recommend rotating the pans themselves 180 degrees, so the front is now in the back of the oven and vice versa. (Rotating the pans like this helps with even baking.) Bake another 10-20 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Keep an eye on them, so they don’t burn.
- Sprinkle a little more salt and pepper, as desired. Serve while hot with ketchup or our Avocado Aioli.
Notes/Tips
- Feel free to experiment with other seasonings like onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, or herbs like rosemary or thyme to add flavor to your fries.
- If fries are crispy enough at the end of baking you can give them a quick broil to help.
- Use a toaster oven or air fryer to reheat. Microwaving will cause them to loose their firm texture.
- An oil with a high smoking point is important in this recipe; do not use extra virgin olive oil.
Jerry says
Best Steak Fries I have ever made. And in my opinion it was the secret ingredient that put the SPUDS over the top. I also raised oven temp to 475 for the last 15 minutes.
Carla from Thriving Home says
Yay! Thanks for the review Jerry – so glad you enjoyed these!
Patricia says
Made these today for dinner with friends, big hit everyone wanted the recipe . I upped the oven to 475* half way through and added rosemary . Perfect!! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Carla from Thriving Home says
Oooh, the rosemary addition sounds yummy! Thanks for sharing Patricia.
Jenn says
These the next day cold, are amazing as well!! Turned my husband into a lover of steak fries!
Rachel Tiemeyer says
Good to know. We never have any leftover. Ha, ha. Thanks for leaving a review!
Norma says
I am thinking of doing the first 15 minutes and them letting them cool completely. Put pan and all into the freezer and after the fries are frozen, putting them in a freezer bag into the freezer. Do you think this would work? Would they still crisp up if doing them like store bought freezer fries? Cook from frozen 20-30 mins? I’d love to have these in the freezer already ready to go!
Rachel Tiemeyer says
That sounds like a good idea to me, but I haven’t tested it. If you try it, please let us know your results!
Rachel Tiemeyer says
Norma, are you in our Facebook group? This would be a great question for that community. You can find it here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freezerfoodies
Dawn says
Thanks for making these recipes so healthy!