Healthier Homemade Crispy Oven-Baked French Fries

Who doesn’t love French fries? The problem is they’re not exactly super healthy, which is why oil-free fryers, aka air fryers, are so popular. In reality, these do use oil, just very little, and they’re basically fans with heating elements, toss in a bit of oil and voilà, pseudo-fried! But an oven, especially one with convection, is basically the same thing, isn’t it? ;D

And they’re right! Frying potatoes in the oven or in an air fryer with a little oil will always be much healthier than frying potatoes immersed in oil. The result isn’t exactly the same, oven fries will be drier, the texture isn’t perfect, but it’s still a delicious alternative to the more typical French fries. I personally love them! I think traditional deep-fried ones can sometimes be too greasy, while these end up having more variations and textures. Let’s get to the recipe!

Healthier Homemade Crispy Oven-Baked French Fries

Servings: 2
Time: 1hr
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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Nothing better than some french fries and having some with less calories just makes it even better! ;D

Ingredients

Potatoes – 8
Olive Oil – A Drizzle
Dried Oregano – A Pinch
Dried Thyme – A Pinch
Pepper – A Pinch
Salt – A Pinch

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a baking tray with non-stick paper.
Wash, peel, and cut the potatoes into sticks. When frying, it is important to cut them all to roughly the same thickness so that they fry evenly. However, when baking, cutting them too thin will make them drier, so cut them evenly but a little thicker.
Place the potatoes in cold water to wash them and remove excess starch. This will help them fry crispier and prevent them from sticking together.
Drain and dry the potatoes with a kitchen towel or paper towels, place them on a baking sheet, and try to ensure that no potatoes are on top of each other.
Season everything with a drizzle of olive oil, followed by oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Bake in the oven. Depending on the thickness of the sticks, they should take between 45 and 55 minutes, so every 20 minutes or so, open the oven and turn the potatoes over so that they cook evenly and one side doesn’t end up better than the other.

When they are golden brown, try one to see if it’s good. That’s it, they’re ready to serve. Bon appétit!

Notes: Keep your potato sticks uniform in size for even cooking, but don’t go too thin or they’ll dry out completely.

Don’t skip this step! It removes excess starch and is crucial for achieving that crispy exterior.

Overcrowding the pan leads to steaming instead of roasting. Use two baking sheets if needed.

Every 20 minutes is your friend, this ensures even browning and prevents burning.

They should be golden brown and crispy outside, fluffy inside. If they’re still pale, give them more time.

Feel free to experiment with rosemary, paprika, garlic powder, or whatever herbs you love.

These are best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be reheated in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up again.

These pair beautifully with homemade aioli, ketchup, or your favorite dipping sauce! ;D

This recipe for Healthier Homemade Crispy Oven-Baked French Fries was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Batatas em Palito Fritas no Forno foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.