Baked French Fries with Garlic & Parmesan Cheese

You will not be able to stop at just one…or 5…of these garlic Parmesan baked French fries. Perfect for game day snacking or serving up with burgers.

Oven baked French fries are the way to go if you are a fry fiend but are steering away from fried food. If I’m going to mindlessly consume golden brown, garlicky, crispy French Fries, it seems prudent to cook them in a way that won’t send my cholesterol sky-rocketing and double my fat cell count in one fell swoop.

I have somewhat romantic notions about French Fries. Whether dipping Belgian frieten into the nectar of steamed clams or mussels, nibbling on pommes frites alongside a juicy steak au poivre, or munching on British chips from a newspaper cone, fried potatoes have the potential to transport us to quaint bistros in distant lands.

Having had great success with Baked Zucchini Fries, I wanted to create a French fry recipe using the same method. For this recipe, I slice russet potatoes into thin strips, toss them with olive oil, and bake with garlic until golden brown. While still hot, the fries are tossed with chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese. The result? Crispy, savory fries without the guilt.

How to make baked French fries crispy:

There are three key parts to ensuring that baked French fries come out crispy on the outside, tender on the inside.

It starts with slicing the potatoes thinly. I find that 1/3- to 1/2-inch thickness works best. Slice each potato into 1/3-inch slices, then cut each of those slices into 1/3-inch strips.

Next up? This part is key. After slicing the potatoes, dry them VERY well using paper towels or clean kitchen towels.

The final part of this trifecta is heat. You are not going to be rewarded with crispy fries by cooking them at 350 degrees F. Be bold and crank up the heat to 425 degrees F!

Other tips for making these oven baked fries:

There are two ways you could go with the garlic. If you prefer a really pungent garlic flavor, add the garlic to the fully baked fries, along with the Parmesan cheese and parsley. If I eat raw garlic like this, it seeps from my pores for the next couple of days (I swear it’s true), which makes me a friend to neither vampires nor my family.

So, I opt for the alternative method, which is adding the garlic in the last 10 minutes of cooking the fries. Ten minutes is just enough cooking time to tone down the pungency without burning the garlic. Burnt garlic is bitter, so I suggest no adding the garlic any sooner.

Are baked French fries gluten free?

While many restaurant French fries cooked in a fryer are first dusted with flour, rendering them a “no go” for people with any gluten intolerances, these baked French fries are made without any gluten. Potatoes are naturally gluten free. The only other ingredients used in this recipe are olive oil, salt, Parmesan cheese and parsley – all of which are also gluten free.

Other light game day recipes:

Healthy Mediterranean 7-Layer Dip {Cookin’ Canuck}
Turkey Pesto Tortilla Roll Ups {Cookin’ Canuck}
Cauliflower Hot Wings {Organic Authority}
Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats {Downshiftology}

Baked French Fries with Garlic & Parmesan Cheese

You will not be able to stop at just one...or 5...of these garlic Parmesan fries. Good thing they're baked! Perfect for game day snacking or serving up with burgers. 151 calories and 5 Weight Watchers SP

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Appetizers, Side Dishes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Baked French Fries, Garlic Parmesan Fries

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 151.4kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

• 2 pounds russet potatoes (about 3 large) unpeeled
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese (see note below)
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
• Salt to taste

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Cut potatoes lengthwise into slices that are 1/3-inch thick and then cut each slice into 1/3-inch thick strips. Dry the potatoes between paper towels or kitchen towels. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Divide the potatoes between 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spread into a single layer.
• Bake until the potatoes are golden brown, about 40 minutes, turning the potatoes every 10 minutes and rotating the racks halfway through baking. In the last 5 minutes, sprinkle the garlic over the fries.
• Place the cooked potatoes in a large bowl and toss with the Parmesan cheese and parsley. Taste (careful – they’ll be hot!) and season with additional salt if necessary. Serve immediately.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 5 (Blue - Freestyle SmartPoints), 5 (Green), 2 (Purple)

*If you follow a vegetarian diet, be aware that most Parmesan cheese contain animal rennet. Choose a different hard, grate-able cheese for this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 151.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.4g | Protein: 21.3g | Fat: 4.7g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 257.5mg | Fiber: 3.7g | Sugar: 1.3g

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

This post was originally published on January 10, 2010 and updated on January 28, 2020.

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