Vegan French Fries

Learn how to make vegan french fries at home. This french fry recipe includes two versions: regular and sweet potato fries. Enjoy a batch of crispy, homemade fries that you won't be able to resist.

Making fries at home gives you the power to control every little detail, from the type of potatoes you use to the oil you fry them in. One of our favorite ways to enjoy homemade fries is as Vegan Loaded Fries. We're talking comforting fries piled high with creamy avocado, tangy tomato dip, and other toppings such as melty vegan cheese, protein-packed beans, or savory shredded tofu. It's a flavor explosion in every bite!

📋 Ingredients

To make vegan french fries at home you need few ingredients:

• Russet potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Avocado, or other vegetable oil suited for frying
• Seasoned salt

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

👩🏽‍🍳 How to make fries at home

They are really simple to make, in a nutshell: Cut the potatoes, soak 'em in ice, dry potatoes, (air) fry or bake them - enjoy!

• Brush and rinse the potatoes, then pat them dry. Cut them into sticks by slicing the potato into 4 or 5 vertical pieces, then cutting each piece into sticks. Alternatively, you can use a fry cutter.
• To make regular french fries: Place the sticks in a large bowl and cover them with ice water. Soak for 1 to 3 hours, or overnight in the fridge. Drain the water and pat dry the potatoes with a kitchen towel until completely dry.
• To make sweet potato fries: Soak the sticks in cold water for 1 - 3 hours. Preheat the oven. Drain the water and pat dry the potatoes with a kitchen towel until completely dry.

Once your fries are prepared, you have three options to cook them:

1. Air-Frying: For regular fries, add the sticks to a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon or more of oil until coated. For sweet potato fries, toss with ½ tablespoon or more of oil. Place the sticks in the air fryer basket in max. 2-3 layers. Air fry for 12 to 15 minutes (flip halfway) at 190°C / 380°F, until crispy. If the fries aren't crispy enough, air-fry them a little longer. Sprinkle with seasoned salt to serve.
2. Baking: For regular fries, add the sticks to a bowl and toss with ½ tablespoon or more of oil until coated. For sweet potato fries, toss with 1 tablespoon or more of oil. Spread the sticks evenly in a single layer on a parchment-lined pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 190°C / 375°F. Turn the oven up to 220°C / 425°F and cook the fries until golden, about 20-25 minutes more. Sprinkle with seasoned salt to serve.
3. Deep Frying: Heat oil (suitable for high-temperature frying) in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 135°C / 275°F. Gently add the sticks to the hot oil for about 5 minutes, stirring and flipping occasionally. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel to cool. Heat oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 175°C / 350°F. Fry the sticks again until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Blot with a paper towel. Sprinkle with seasoned salt to serve.

Tip: Soaking the potatoes in ice water makes them extra crispy, so you don't want to skip this step!

🍟 Variations

You can also experiment with different potato and vegetable types:

• Purple potatoes - add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish, or banana peppers
• Vegetable fries - use zucchini, carrots or eggplant

There are endless variations of homemade fries that you can try, such as loaded fries with various toppings, vegan truffle fries with truffle oil and plant-based parmesan cheese, or flavorful cajun fries with cayenne powder and smoked paprika.

🍽 Equipment

To make both regular and sweet potato fries, you will need a sharp knife and cutting board, or alternatively a fry cutter. In addition, you need a large bowl, parchment paper, a baking sheet, and either an oven, air fryer, deep fryer, or saucepan for frying.

🥣 Storage

To store cooked fries, let them cool down to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container or ziplock bag and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat them in the oven, air fryer, or toaster oven.

To store uncooked fries, place them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze them for 1-2 hours until they are partially frozen. Then transfer the fries to a ziplock bag or reusable silicone bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can either store them separately from one another or make a fry mix!

When you're ready to cook, you can bake, deep or air fry them straight from the freezer, or thaw them in the fridge before frying them.

💡 Top Tip

With this recipe, you'll have plenty of fries to go around, so why not save some for later? Simply pop any extra fries into a zip lock or reusable silicone bag and stash them in your freezer. Next time you want a quick and easy meal or side dish, just pull them out and cook them up in no time!

💭 Recipe FAQ

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