Perfect Pommes Frites Recipe (French Fries) (2024)

Published August 4, 2021.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

The old fast-food chain fries will never taste the same again once you try these perfect homemade pommes frites.

I am such a huge potato fan, I seriously want them at every single meal. If you love them as much as I do and are in a rut with how to prepare them, then you definitely should make my German potato salad or my twice-baked potato recipe.

Pommes Frites

Pommes frites is a French term that translates to fried potatoes. To break it down, even more, they are simply French fries. The most interesting thing is that the Belgians are the creators and founders of pommes frites, which literally makes no sense.

They are said to be founded from soldiers in WWI who thought they were in France because everyone was speaking French and when the folks from Belgium were serving them up, they were considered French Fries. Weird, I know. Classically pommes frites would be fried in something called tallow, which is rendered beef or mutton fat. Good luck getting enough of that to make some pommes frites.

How to Make Perfect Pommes Frites from Scratch

Follow along with these step-by-step instructions for making these perfect pommes frites using the Belgian fry’s process:

Cut the potatoes to the size of your liking.

Keep the fries in a container of cold water for about 10 minutes. Using your hand move them around to help get more starch off the potatoes.

Drain the fries and rinse them well under cold water for about 3-4 minutes and then drain for an additional 2-4 minutes.

Add a few handfuls of the fries to hot oil in a pan or in a deep fryer at 300° for 3 minutes. Shake after 90 seconds. You may have to do this in batches.

Remove the fries and set them aside until ready to serve them. Turn the heat up until the oil reaches 350°.

When it comes time to serve the fries, this can be done right away, add the pre-fried fries to the fryer a few handfuls at a time and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the edges are browned. Feel free to cook longer for more browning.

Season the fries with salt and serve.

Baked French Fries

You can absolutely make really good baked French fries using a lot of the same process as this pommes frites recipe. Once you’ve cut them, held them in water, and rinsed them, here is how you do it:

1. Coat the potatoes in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl.

2. Spread the potatoes out completely on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Make sure they are not stacked or touching one another.

3. Bake in the oven at 450° for 15-18 minutes.

4. Toss the fries around and flip them over and bake for another 10 minutes at 450°, season and serve.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: These are meant to eat right away. You could keep them warm in the oven on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper at 175° for 10-20 minutes before serving.

How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. Once they are cooked, they will not freeze that well.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of pommes frites to a cooked sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven at 350° for 3-6 minutes or until hot and crispy. You can re-fry in oil at 350° for 1 to 2 minutes or until hot.

More Potato Recipes

• Potato Salad
• Baked Potato
• Potato Soup
• Latkes
• Oven Roasted Potatoes

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