Hot, fresh, baked spicy fries are going to come out of your oven tonight. They just are. And I’m putting you under citizen’s arrest if you don’t cover your face in garlic cheese sauce.
Did I say face? I meant fries. Fries, face, maybe both.
As you can see from my extreme close-up photos, I’m having trouble keeping my face away from these little guys.
Here’s the deal, you guys. I LOVE FRENCH FRIES. I would go so far as to say that French fries are currently my number one restaurant food. Which is saying a lot because I go to a lot (probably too many) restaurants and I eat a lot of (probably too much) delicious food.
When we go out to eat, there are three possible French fry scenarios.
- I order an innapropriately large platter of fries (waffle, please) and the waitress asks would I like some seasoned sour cream? And yes I would. YES. I. WOULD.
- I restrain myself from ordering fries which causes me to get the shakes and break out in a cold sweat, so I eat all of my husband’s fries instead.
- I don’t order fries, and my husband doesn’t order fries, and we have to stop at McDonald’s on the way home. Regrettable.
When doing fries at home, I’ve always relied heavily on the frozen fries in a bag (Alexia Spicy Sweet Potato Fries, anyone?). Then I realized that those frozen fries in a bag are supposed to serve 8 people, not 2. Thanks a lot, frozen fries in a bag. Thanks a lot.
So for the last few weeks, I have been testing homemade French fry recipes like crazy. Sampling all those fries and all…. well, let’s be real. It was pretty strenuous. But all that sacrificial work has come to a close now that I’ve found my all-time best and favorite French fry recipe.
These fries are spicy, but not actually spicy, just loaded with salty flavor. They’re crispy, but not too crispy, just golden brown and soft on the inside. They’re healthy, but not too healthy, just baked so you can eat a few extras. YUMYUMYUM!
And the garlic cheese sauce? Seriously. No explanation needed. YUM.
Baked Spicy Fries with Garlic Cheese Sauce
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
These baked spicy fries use egg whites to get the fries crispy and golden on the outside. Topped with a lighter garlic cheese sauce.
Ingredients
- 7–8 medium Idaho baking potatoes
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon seasoning salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- coarse sea salt to taste
- 2 ounces light cream cheese
- a splash of milk
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 ounce good quality shredded cheese of choice (I used a sharp white French cheese… honestly I can’t remember the name! woops.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 430.
- Wash and dry the potatoes. Cut them into french-fry sized strips – about 3/4 inches wide. Pour egg whites over fries, pour seasonings over fries, and stir to combine.
- Place a large sheet of parchment paper over each baking sheet (I used 2 baking sheets). Scoop the potatoes onto the parchment paper. Do not dump the whole bowl out because there will be some leftover egg whites in the bottom of the bowl and you don’t want that on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, take the baking sheets out and remove the parchment paper and slide the fries directly onto the baking sheet. They should slide off easily. Bake for another 5-8 minutes; remove from oven and stir, being careful to keep the shape of the fries. Continue this (bake, stir, bake, stir) until the fries have a puffy golden brown outside that is dry to the touch. They should be a little crispy but soft on the inside. Total bake time will be about 25-35 minutes.
- For the cheese sauce, melt the cream cheese in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Whisk in the milk, garlic, seasoning salt, and oil until smooth. When smooth, add the cheese. Melt for another 20-30 seconds and whisk again until totally smooth, adding more milk to thin out the sauce to your desired consistency. Pour over fries and enjoy!
Notes
I used a microwave for the sauce because I was short on time, but you could also use a regular saucepan on a stovetop.
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: french fries, baked fries, garlic cheese, spicy fries
PS. Remember when they were called Freedom fries?
PSS. Garlic Cheese Sauce loves you.
Pinterest
Hi! I just found your blog during my craft tutorial search on Pinterest and I’m happy I found this!! I’m currently on a weight loss journey. So, when I saw this I realized that I can have fries if I make them myself! I have been suffering through those withdrawal shakes for close to a year now lol. Thanks!!!!
★★★★★
What could be better than this….a fry with good spice, that is baked not fried and then you add cheese and garlic. I’m sorry this is a food group not a side item!
making this for my hubby for our friday night ‘date’ night. love this website!
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You are hilarious first of all! Secondly…this looks amazing! I want this sauce on my nachos. Question…where do you get the nutritional info graph?
https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp
Right there! 🙂
Hey y name is Ty and I am looking for the perfect French fries but
I have no idea what to do. I would like to make different flavor type
Fries with the different sauces. Do you know of any company or yourself
That can help me develop these different flavor fries and sauces.
google and ye shall find.
Were the potatoes peeled? Doesn’t look like it says anything about that in the recipe. Can’t wait to try it!
You could do it either way! Depends on if you like potato skins on your fries. 🙂 I didn’t peel them for this recipe.
Whoah. Mind blown. My sister in law was bragging that she was stopping at Portillo’s in Chicago, which gave me a mega pregnancy craving for French fries. Then, she made it even worse by bragging about cheese sauce. So, off to Pinterest I went to find something to keep me from driving three hours for French fries.
I will admit, I was losing faith as my fries just weren’t puffing and looking very good, but I kept flipping and baking like you said. Then, it happened! I made the cheese sauce minus garlic, and now I am in French fry with cheese sauce perfection!
Who needs a stinkin’ drive thru when you can make your own French fries?! Oh happy day!
Glad you liked them Tasha! 🙂
Yum I always think about baking fries. That’s as far as I have gotten. thinking LOL so I think I am going to take the plunge with these. hubby will love the sauce. I like the humor you add to your blog
★★★★
Thanks Jewel!
I’m lazy….if I come to Minnesota, will you make some for me? lol But seriously, I just found this on Pinterest and I’m definitely going to try it very soon. My husband will love the fries but he won’t be crazy about the cheese sauce, which means more for me! I just have one question….how much do you beat the egg whites? I assume just enough to break them up, but I’m not much of a cook so I wanted to make sure just in case. Thanks a bunch!!
Hi Lindsay,
These sound great, and would love to try them. Unless I have missed reading something, can you tell me what the purpose of the egg whites is?
thanks!
It gets tossed with the sweet potatoes to make them more crispy. 🙂
Not that they’re would ever be leftovers… But any tips for reheating? Thanks!
Hi Anna Lisa! My suggestions would be to reheat these in the oven. Preheat to 400 degrees, and put them in for about 7-10 minutes. I think this would be the best way to get them crispy and fresh-tasting again. 🙂
What kind of person writes a recipe, and days she cannot remember the name of an ingredient?
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another recipe I am trying. Thank you
https://crumbsandtrails.blogspot.com/
Hi Lindsey! I just saw this recipe and I’m wondering if you could use sweet potatoes on this recipe? Or is the texture too different? Thanks! Love your recipes!
No, sweet potatoes would be great!
Well this is well explained and you cahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hhWsbauPog&t=868sn check out the Amzing french fries recipe here :
Do you whisk the egg whites first or just pour onto sweet potatoes?