17 Next-Level Fries You Need to Make at Home

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French fries, done well, are truly one of life’s greatest pleasures. Crispy on the outside, pillowy and potato-y on the inside, they can be eaten plain or loaded with toppings. As an homage to what we recognize as the perfect side dish, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite recipes, including a currywurst poutine (yes, please) and oven fries dusted with fresh herbs and Pecorino Romano—plus, some “fries” made from zucchini and other non-potato ingredients, in case you’re feeling creative. Read on for our absolute favorite French fry riffs.

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Louisiana Cheese Fries with Crayfish and Gravy

In chef Kelly English's Southern twist on Canadian poutine, the fries are topped with spicy pimento cheese, andouille gravy and crawfish, crab or shrimp.

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Oven Fries with Herbs and Pecorino

Made with starchy baking potatoes—flavored with garlic, fresh herbs and Pecorino Romano cheese—and tossed with just a little extra-virgin olive oil, these fries emerge from the oven crisp and delicious.

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French Fries with Bulgogi and Caramelized Kimchi

Jae Kim tops hot french fries with caramelized kimchi, grilled Korean-style beef and a mayonnaise spiked with Sriracha.

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Hand-Cut Fries with Smoked Aioli

These ultra-crispy fries pair perfectly with a homemade smoky aioli, comprised of garlic, smoked paprika, lemon juice, parsley, salt, pepper, and mayonnaise.

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Basque Steak Fries

Gerald Hirigoyen tosses wedges of fried Yukon Gold potatoes with plenty of Piment d'Espelette, a smoky Basque chile powder, to give the crispy potatoes a slightly spicy kick.

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Sweet Potato Fries

These sweet potato fries are flavored with furikake, a Japanese seasoning made from salt, sesame seeds and nori spiked with chile or hot paprika. If you can't find furikake (sold at Asian markets), substitute chipotle chile powder.

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Chickpea Fries

Scott Dolich serves these crisp-outside-tender-inside jumbo fries with homemade pumpkin ketchup, but they're also wonderful on their own. He spikes the fries with sambal oelek, a bright red Southeast Asian chile sauce available at Asian markets.

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Pimento Cheese Fries

To take his french fries over the top, chef Jonathon Sawyer broils them with a tequila-spiked pimento cheese topping. It’s wonderfully decadent melted into the fries and also excellent as a dip.

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Oven Fries with Roasted Garlic

Skin-on potatoes, like the ones used for these crispy, low-fat fries, are high in vitamin C and potassium; they're also a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin B.

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Pommes Frites

Jonathon Sawyer is something of a french fry expert: There are never fewer than three kinds on the menu at the Greenhouse Tavern. This version, tossed with chopped garlic and herbs, is his most straightforward. At the restaurant, he serves the fries with garlicky aioli.

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Thrice-Cooked Fries

MATTHEW ARMENDARIZ

These fries have a cult following at The Breslin. Boiling makes the potatoes tender; double-frying makes them insanely crispy.

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Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries

Jen Causey

These baked zucchini fries satisfy your craving for golden, crispy french fries and help you use up extra summer zucchini all at once. A quick dusting with flour followed by a dunk in beaten egg helps lock the panko-and-Parmesan coating in place during broiling, making these perfect for dipping.

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Kwame’s Waffle Fries

Kyle Schmitz

These waffle fries with berbere salt are a crowd favorite from Chef Kwame Onwuachi’s pop-up days. The Ethiopian spice blend brings a citrusy sweet heat to the fried spuds.

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Currywurst Poutine

Currywurst is a traditional dish of bratwurst served with curry ketchup and a side of fries. Here,Food & Wine’s Justin Chapple turns that into a variation on poutine, the Canadian dish combining French fries with cheese curds and gravy. In his version, crispy fries get piled with creamy cheese sauce, juicy bratwurst and curry ketchup.

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Corvino House Fries

Eric Wolfinger

Chef Michael Corvino shares his meticulous eight-step method for better-than-ever french fries. His obsession pays off: These are the best fries we’ve ever tasted.

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Asparagus Oven Fries

These easy, baked asparagus fries are a fun and healthy alternative to traditional French fries. Serve them as a side with your favorite burger.

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Garlic Bread "Fries" with Marinara "Ketchup"

In this imaginative party snack, garlicky bread sticks and marinara sauce resemble French fries and ketchup.

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17 Next-Level Fries You Need to Make at Home

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Louisiana Cheese Fries with Crayfish and Gravy