Crispy Homemade Baked French Fries (Oil-free)

Learn how to make perfectly baked french fries every time that are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and completely oil-free. Simple, delicious, and healthy!

Can we just all go ahead and agree that french fries are the best? Honestly, I could care less who agrees with me. I think they’re awesome and ain’t nothing wrong with a good carb coma every now and then.

There’s just something about biting into that crunchy starch stick laced with a little sodium and ketchup. It’s so freaking comforting and good! Am I right? Who’s with me?

That being said, french fries are not always the healthiest food. Because they’re usually covered in a crap ton of oil and weird processed ingredients. But, never fear Shane is here.

My friends, I have a baked french fries recipe that will blow your mind and bring a smile to your face and taste buds every time. These delicious baked spuds are golden brown, crunchy, and completely oil-free. Let’s get it on!

Ingredients You’re Going To Need

That’s the best thing about this recipe. You only need 1 ingredient – POTATOES!

I do like to toss my potatoes in different seasonings and spices for added flavor. But, that is completely up to you. You can make this recipe as simple or complex as you like.

• Potatoes: there’s no debate on this issue. russet potatoes, also known as Idaho potatoes, are the best for making french fries because they’re high in starch and low in moisture. This is very important since we are doing whole food, plant-based cooking with no oil. I would not suggest using Yukon golds (Yukon gold potatoes) as I have not had much luck with them in this recipe.
• Seasoning: depending on your taste feel free to use different spices to season your spuds. A few of my favorites are garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, smoked paprika, and oregano. And, of course, nothing replaces just good old-fashioned salt and pepper.

How To Make Crispy Oven-Baked French Fries?

1. Preheat your oven to 450˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Slice the potatoes into long, thin strips about ¼″- ½″ wide, add them to a large bowl or pot of ice-cold water, and soak them for 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes using a colander, lay out the cut potatoes on a clean dish towel, and pat them dry with a paper towel.
3. Spread the potatoes evenly on the lined baking sheet and sprinkle with your favorite seasonings.
4. Bake the french fries for 15-20 minutes, then flip the potatoes and bake for 15-20 more minutes until the potatoes turn golden brown and crispy.
5. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.

See how simple? Now, just wait until you taste these bad boys.

Why Should I Soak The Cut Potatoes in Cold Water?

Soaking the potatoes in cold water before cooking removes a lot of the starch and will help them to cook more evenly.

You only need to soak them for about 10 minutes, but you can soak them overnight in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. However, I would not soak them for more than 24 hours as they can lose their texture and flavor.

Best Sauce For Dipping Baked French Fries

Great question and I’m glad you asked. Yes, there are options other than ketchup. I’m not knocking ketchup, in fact, I love it and use it quite often. But, we all get a little variety from time to time.

Here are a few of my favorite dipping sauce alternatives:

• healthy vegan cheese sauce
• vegan tartar sauce, it’s not just for vegan fish filets.
• vegan sriracha mayo adds an incredible kick and flavor to baked french fries
• cashew mayo or tofu mayo, because…mayo.
• tofu sour cream – mix in a little dill and oh, baby!
• the best vegan ranch dressing

Can I Make These Baked French Fries In My Air Fryer?

Yes, absolutely! And, it’s incredibly easy to make delicious and crispy air fryer french fries.

• Basket Style Air Fryer: Load the basket up with the cut fries and pile them on top of each other. Cook the potatoes at 400˚F for 20 minutes. Then, stop and shake the potatoes to mix them up and cook another 20 minutes. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir them around a bit if you need to.

• Toaster Oven Air Fryer: Place a piece of parchment paper on the baking pan and spread the cut potatoes evenly. Cook the potatoes at 400˚F for 15 minutes, stop and flip the potatoes with a spatula, and then cook for 15 more minutes.

Please keep in mind that all appliances are different and cooking time will ultimately depend on how many potatoes you are trying to cook, their size, etc. So, be sure and keep an eye on your fries.

How Do I Get The Seasoning To Stick To Oil-Free French Fries?

Most people fear that without oil or cooking spray the seasoning won’t stay on their potatoes before baking. But, there are a couple of very simple options that work beautifully:

• Spritz: give your pre-cooked french fries a little spritz of Bragg’s liquid aminos before sprinkling or tossing them with your seasoning.
• Drizzle: a light drizzle of low-sodium vegetable broth works great as well before adding your spices.

Tips & Suggestions

• Season your french fries: I usually just sprinkle the seasonings on my french fries after I’ve laid them out on the baking sheet. But, when I’m not being lazy I like to toss the fries and seasoning together in a large mixing bowl so they get coated really well.

• Boil the potatoes: If you like really soft potatoes you can boil them for 15 minutes, then drain them, and slice them into french fries. You will need to decrease the cooking time by about 10 minutes or so.

What To Serve With Crispy Baked French Fries

• Cajun Blackened Tofu Sandwich
• Sweet Potato Reuben Sandwich
• Vegan BBQ Tempeh Sandwich with Kale Slaw
• Black Bean Burger
• Barbecue Sweet Potato Chickpea Burgers

If you try this crispy baked french fries recipe or have any questions, I'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment, rate it down below, and don't forget to tag a photo #shaneandsimple on Instagram.