As if French fries could get any better, these Garlic Parmesan Fries are loaded with flavor and easily baked in the oven for a quick, and secretly healthy, weeknight recipe! If you follow a few simple tips and tricks you’ll also get the perfect fry with a crispy exterior and soft inside. Serve them up at your next game day or Super bowl party, or as a fun side dish for dinner tonight!
Easy Garlic Parmesan Fries Recipe
We can all admit that EVERY type of fry is pretty darn delicious.
And trust me, I’ve both tried and COOKED them all: from Air Fryer French Fries to Baked Sweet Potato Fries and even unique variations with these Avocado Fries, Air Fryer Zucchini Fries, and Asparagus Fries.
But never have I ever tasted a fry as good as these Garlic Parmesan Fries!!
The trick? Well, there’s actually a few things that make this recipe so unique:
- The fry shape: Cutting your potatoes, and the right TYPE of potato, into the perfect shape is the first step in getting yummy fries.
- The oven: Yes, we’re baking them in the oven, and not deep frying! This means they’re both healthier AND clean-up is easier!
- The toppings: While regular fries are delicious as is, the flavor gets kicked up a BIG notch with the addition of both garlic AND Parmesan cheese.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Potatoes. Russet potatoes are the best option for fries and are easy to find at the grocery store. You want the extra starch they offer, rather than waxy varieties that might get soggy.
- Garlic. It’s in the name! Definitely opt for fresh garlic because garlic powder won’t cut it for these crispy fries.
- Oil. A neutral oil with a higher smoke point is better for making these fries. Look for extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil for the best French fries. Even though you’re not deep frying them, you want an oil that stands up to the high heat of the oven. Avoid less healthy peanut oil or vegetable oil, however.
- Butter. You can easily sub for additional oil if you’re avoiding butter.
- Cheese. Finely grated Parmesan cheese is key! You don’t want huge pieces that overpower a bite.
How to Make Parmesan Garlic Fries Recipe
Please see the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and more detailed instructions.
1. Prep the Potatoes
Before getting started, preheat the oven to 425°F.
Then, wash and dry the potatoes to remove any visible dirt.
The key to good fries is good cutting. Cut potatoes into matchstick-style slices that are ¼- to ½-inch thick. Smaller and they’ll burn; bigger and they’ll be soggy.
You can peel the skin or leave it on, it’s completely up to you.
Place the thin strips of potato in a large mixing bowl and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Toss to coat. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and the black pepper, then toss again.
2. Bake the Fries
It’s important to bake the fries in a single layer. So, use one large half-sheet pan or two regular-sized baking sheets to ensure they all fit. If any sides are touching, they won’t get as crispy.
Sprinkle ¼-cup of the Parmesan cheese evenly over the fries. Bake in a preheated 425℉ oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Flip the fries halfway through cooking and sprinkle another ¼-cup of cheese. The cooking time will vary based on the size of the fries. They will end up being golden brown and crispy.
3. Make the Garlic Butter
When there are about 5 minutes left of cooking, it’s time to make the delicious garlic butter. Melt the butter and add minced garlic over medium heat in a saucepan for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir constantly.
When the garlic starts to turn brown, remove the pan from the heat. If needed, use additional oil rather than butter.
4. Season and Serve
After the fries are done cooking, transfer them back to the large bowl. Pour the garlic-infused oil or butter over the top of the hot fries, tossing well. Season with additional salt, to taste, remaining ¼-cup Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley.
Toss well and serve your homemade garlic fries!
FAQs
To ensure crispy homemade French fries, toss them in plenty of oil and don’t let any of the potato slices touch while baking.
Russet potatoes are the best potato to use when making garlic parmesan French fries, or any type of fry! The starch gives the best texture and crisps up perfectly.
The best way to re-heat these Parmesan garlic fries is to wrap the amount you want to eat in a packet of foil, place them in a pre-heated 300°F oven (or toaster oven) and bake until heated through. This will take about 10-15 minutes. Then, crank up the oven temperature to 350°F or 400°F, open the packet of foil to expose the fries and bake for another 3-5 minutes.
Parchment paper all… the… way!! Parchment paper is superior in all things baked and crispy. What generally happens with aluminum foil is the food tends to stick to the foil instead of being easily removed (like they are on parchment paper!).
Yes, it is necessary to flip the fries halfway through the baking process for the most evenly crisped Parmesan garlic fries. Otherwise, one side of the fries will be super crispy and the other side will be ultra soggy.
What to Serve with Baked French Fries?
French fries just might be the perfect side dish, and it turns out they go with everything!
You can’t go wrong with a burger, like an Air Fryer Hamburger, Salmon Burger, Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger, or Greek Turkey Burger.
And don’t forget the dipping sauce for the best homemade fries! Try Secret Sauce, Ranch Dressing, Remoulade Sauce, or Avocado Ranch Dressing.
More Potato Recipes
Potatoes are so versatile and delicious. Try these other recipes for an easy side dish next.
- Instant Pot Potato Soup
- Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes
- Instant Pot Potato Salad
- Breakfast Potato Hash with Eggs
- Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
- Melting Potatoes
- Baked Potato Wedges
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Baked Garlic Parmesan Fries
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs. russet potatoes
- 2 Tbsp. oil olive or avocado
- 1 ½ tsp. salt to taste, divided
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. butter or additional oil
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- ¾ cup Parmesan finely grated
- ¼ c parsley fresh, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Prep the Potatoes: Rinse and scrub potatoes to remove any visible dirt and then dry thoroughly. Cut potatoes into matchstick slices, ¼ to ½-inch thick. Add potato slices to a large bowl and drizzle in olive oil. Toss until the potatoes are coated. Then sprinkle the potatoes with 1 teaspoon salt and the black pepper, tossing again until evenly coated.2 lbs. russet potatoes, 2 Tbsp. oil, 1 ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. black pepper
- Bake the Fries: Line one large baker’s half sheet pan with parchment paper or two regular-sized baking sheets. Layer potato slices in a single layer on the pan(s). (Try not to have any of the fries touching as these sides won’t get as crispy!) Sprinkle ¼ cup Parmesan cheese evenly over the fries. Bake fries in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Flip halfway through cooking and sprinkle on an additional ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. (Make sure to spread the fries back out into a single layer after flipping.)
- Make the Garlic Butter: During the last five minutes of baking, heat butter and garlic over medium heat in a small saucepan for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. When garlic starts to brown, remove from heat.2 Tbsp. butter, 2 cloves garlic
- Season and Serve: Add the cooked fries back into the large bowl along with the melted garlic butter, ½ teaspoon salt, to taste, remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley. Toss until fries are evenly coated. Serve immediately and enjoy!¾ cup Parmesan, ¼ c parsley, 1 ½ tsp. salt
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Notes
- Be picky. Stick with Russet or another starchy potato variety for the best results.
- Consistent is key. Be sure to cut all of the potato slices the same width so they cook at a similar rate.
- You choose. Peel the potatoes or not, it depends on your personal preference. Skin is a great way to add flavor and texture, though.
- Flip away. Turning the potatoes while cooking will yield crispy potatoes on all sides.
- Spread out. Don’t let any of the potatoes touch when baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love, love, love these!!
Aren’t they awesome, Katie!
Can you do this recipe in an air fryer?
Hi Ellen! I am not sure? I have not tried these in an air fryer, but would love to hear if you do!
I used olive oil and vegan parmesan cheese, and they were fantastic!
Yay!! So happy you enjoyed them Kalley and were able to make them vegan 🙂
These look absolutely amazing, but I’m really sorry to tell you that Parmesan cheese isn’t vegetarian :/ Calf rennet is used to make it. There are vegan parmesan cheeses though!
Thanks again for the post!
Oh wow!! I had no clue. Thank you so much for letting me know. I have updated the post to reflect this new info! Thanks again, Erin. 🙂
OMG You are my life savior, I’m gluten intolerant (just found out about it 3 weeks ago) and I was so sad because I just didn’t know what to do or eat and I’ve been looking for recipes easy to make but at the same time tasty, and no lie I have been for the past 2 hours reading your blog and writing all my favorites recipes. Thank you so so much <3
I am so happy you found it!! Eating gluten free is definitely challenging but once you figure out how many things you CAN eat, it’s really not so bad 🙂 So excited to hear what you think about the recipes! Thanks so much for your sweet comment!
i’m the person who scoops up the extra garlic leftover from garlic fries and happily eats it (eh who cares about garlic breath), so these sound delicious! and i still haven’t gotten oven baked fries down (they either end up soggy or kind of hard/leathery), so i’ll have to try these out soon (:
Hahahaha…. I am SO with you Heather!! Can’t wait to hear how they turn out for you! A big thing with getting perfectly crisp baked fries is to use the right amount of oil 🙂 Can’t wait to hear how they turn out for you!
Oh! These fries look so good!
Thanks so much, Bethany!!