Homemade French Fries

Method and Freezer Prep

There’s something so comforting about a batch of homemade french fries. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and made just the way your family loves them. Over the years, this has become our go-to method for making perfect fries fresh or stocking the freezer for quick, cozy meals.

How To Make Homemade French Fries

Start with nice, large, long potatoes. These give you those classic long fries everyone reaches for first.
Wash the potatoes really well if you’re happy to leave the skins on, or peel and wash thoroughly if you prefer them peeled.

I like to use a french fry press for uniform fries, but before I owned one I used a V-slicer/mandoline. A sharp knife works just fine too, just aim to keep the fries as uniform in size as possible so they cook evenly.

Place the cut potatoes into a bowl of cold water and let them soak. This helps remove excess starch and improves both texture and crispness. After soaking, drain and dry the fries well using a clean dish towel.

Deep fry the fresh-cut fries until golden and tender. This usually takes about 10–15 minutes for fresh fries, or about 6 minutes if they have been parcooked. Once done, sprinkle with salt or your favourite seasonings and serve with dips or toppings of your choice.

Prepareing Fries For The Freezer

To prep fries for later, follow the same steps: cut, soak, and dry the potatoes. Then par-fry them just until they begin to turn lightly golden, don’t fully cook them yet.

Drain the oil well and spread the fries in a single layer on lined baking pans. I like to use silicone baking liners, and empty cereal bags also work wonderfully for layering between batches (they’re surprisingly handy for so many kitchen tasks!).

Place the trays in the freezer to flash freeze until the fries are firm. Once frozen, remove them from the trays and transfer to freezer bags or vacuum seal bags.

  • In Ziplock-style freezer bags: use within 3–6 months

  • In vacuum-sealed bags: use within 8–12 months for best quality

To Cook From Frozen

Simply fry the frozen fries in hot oil until golden and crisp, then season and serve. No thawing needed!

Homemade Convenience

Taking the time to prepare homemade fries in bulk is so worthwhile. You get the flavour and comfort of from-scratch cooking with the convenience of a quick freezer meal. Whether served as a simple side, turned into poutine, or enjoyed with favourite dips, these homemade fries bring a little extra warmth and nostalgia to every plate.