Crispy Oven Fries

I believe there should be balance in everything. Everything should have a counterpart to complete it. Like yin and yang. Peanut butter and jelly. Macaroni and cheese. Abbott and Costello. One without the other just seems strange. Lacking. I get the same feeling about my dinner plate. My meal feels unbalanced if I don’t have some sort of accompaniment to my main course. Even if it’s just a slice of garlic bread with a pasta meal, I need something else on my plate. The problem is, my hatred of all things veggie leaves me with few options to balance the plate scales.

Which is why most times you’ll find me with some form of potatoes on my plate. Mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, French fries. Oh French fries, how I love you. Crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside—there’s nothing better than a hot fry. But for all my love of fries, I’d much rather they come from a bag (fast food or frozen) than actually attempt to make them myself.

Google “French fry recipe” and you’ll come up with nearly 2.8 million results. And nothing within the first few pages is anything I wish to try in my kitchen. Soaking the potatoes in ice water for hours before dropping them in hot oil? No thanks. Sacrificing that crunchy exterior by throwing them into the oven instead? I want none of it. I just want a crunchy/creamy fry that I don’t have to spend 3 hours on a splattered kitchen and a burnt hand to make. Which is why I now think of Shawn at I Wash You Dry as a complete and utter genius.

Potatoes coated in breadcrumbs, parmesan, and seasonings, baked in the oven until golden brown—the perfect crunchy/creamy scenario without all the hassle! Okay, so maybe they’re not McDonalds or Ore-Ida, but they’re dang good. And so easy. You don’t even have to get your hands dirty. Throw the potatoes in a ziptop bag, drizzle in some oil and swish it around, then dump in the coating ingredients, seal it up and shake. Couldn’t be any easier! And you can customize it with any seasonings you want--from hot and spicy to italian flavors, it's completely up to you.

I’ve made these 3 times in the past week and a half, and I see these becoming my new go-to dinner companion. I may never eat French fries from a bag again. Or at least a frozen bag. Cause, let’s be real. I wouldn’t give up fast food French fries for anything. No matter how good these oven fries are.

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Crispy Oven Fries
Adapted from I Wash You Dry
Serves 4



2 large russet potatoes (or 3 medium potatoes), peeled and sliced into ½-inch strips
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup plain breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper until combined.
3. Place potatoes and oil in a ziptop bag and toss to coat evenly. Add breadcrumb mixture to bag, seal, and shake until potatoes are coated evenly.
4. Arrange potatoes on prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake, turning potatoes halfway through, until crust is golden brown, about 25 to 27 minutes.