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French Fries

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BY Mark Bittman

PUBLISHED November 6, 2025

You better double-fry French fries, or just don’t bother. The fries will not only stay crisp longer, but the first step can be done well in advance, leaving you only a quick final fry right before serving. And that takes a lot of stress out of the recipe. Starchy potatoes are the only option here; waxy potatoes never quite crisp up right. Other vegetables you can use: sweet potatoes, parsnips, celery root.

 

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French Fries

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 30 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds starchy potatoes
  • Good-quality vegetable oil for deep-frying
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Scrub the potatoes; peel them if you like. Cut them any way you like—from shoestrings to big sticks—and dry them thoroughly.
  2. Put at least 3 inches oil in a large pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high; heat to 300° to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with towels or fit it with a wire rack.
  3. Fry the potatoes in batches, stirring occasionally and adjusting the temperature as necessary, until just tender and beginning to color slightly, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the cut. Drain on the towels or wire rack. (At this point, you can set the potatoes aside for an hour or so before proceeding. Be sure to take the oil off the heat.)
  4. Heat the oil again, this time to 350°F. Fry and drain the potatoes the same way, working in batches this time, until crisp and deeply colored, just a couple of minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper while still hot and serve right away.

– How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition

Recipe variations

Potato Chips
No prefrying necessary. You’ll need a large, deep pot, and be prepared for the potatoes to absorb more oil. Use a mandoline or a sharp knife to cut the potatoes lengthwise for curls or crosswise for classic chips. You want the slices pretty thin, but not too wispy. Heat the oil to 350°F. Fry the chips in batches, using a slotted spoon or strainer to fish them out of the hot oil as they turn golden. Drain on towels or paper bags. Season while hot and serve.

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