How to Cut Potatoes Into Fries

Co-authored by Andrea Lawson Gray and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: September 28, 2024 References

Whether you're air frying, oven roasting, or deep frying french fries , you need to decide how you're going to cut them. Fortunately, there's no right or wrong way to cut french fries and you've got lots of options. All you need is a knife and cutting board to cut classic french fries, thick wedges, or rustic home fries. If you'd like to make shoestring fries, use a mandoline to get the skinniest fries possible.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Cutting Classic Fries

Download Article

1
Rinse and peel the potatoes . For classic french fries, scrub russet potatoes under cold water and then remove the peels. To make them easier to handle, you can pat the potatoes dry with a towel before you put them on a cutting board. ^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Cut away eyes or rotten parts from the potato.
2
Cut each potato into ¹ ⁄ ₄ to ³ ⁄ ₄ inch (0.64 to 1.91 cm) slices. Trim off a sliver from the bottom of a potato and set the flat part of the potato on your cutting board. Then, use a sharp knife to carefully cut ¹ ⁄ ₄ to ³ ⁄ ₄ inch (0.64 to 1.91 cm) slices lengthwise. ^{[2]
X
Research source}
- You'll now have several potato planks on your cutting board.
Advertisement
3
Stack the potato slices and cut them into ¹ ⁄ ₄ inch (0.64 cm) wide strips. Lay 2 to 3 slices of potato on top of each other and line them up. Then, slice the stack into ¹ ⁄ ₄ to ³ ⁄ ₈ inch (0.64 to 0.95 cm) slices. Repeat this with all of the potato stacks.
- Try to make the slices as even as possible so your fries cook at the same rate.
4
Cook the classic fries until they're crispy. Once you've cut the fries, you can fry them in a skillet or deep fryer. If you prefer, spread them on a baking sheet and bake them until they're browned. ^{[3]
X
Research source}
- You can also make crispy french fries using an air fryer .

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using a Mandoline to Cut Shoestring Fries

Download Article

1
Adjust the mandoline to the very fine julienne setting. Place the mandolin on a flat surface and follow the owner's manual to adjust the setting. You may need to insert an extra blade to julienne the potatoes or raise a knob to adjust the blade for very fine julienne.
- Your owner's manual may also recommend that you wet the surface of the mandoline with a few drops of water. This can help the potatoes slide across the blade easier.
- Always use extreme caution when working with the mandoline, since it's easy to accidentally cut yourself on its sharp blade.
Ensure that the rinsed potato is firmly in place and doesn't wiggle. If you'd like your shoestring fries without their skins, peel the potato before you put it on the safeguard. ^{[4]
X
Research source}

Variation: If you don't have a mandoline but want to make shoestring fries, try grating the potatoes against the coarse side of a box grater. Keep in mind that these fries will be much shorter.
Hold the safeguard that has the potato stuck on it against the top of the mandoline's board. Rub it down the board so the julienne blade slices the potato into shoestrings. Keep going back and forth until all of the potato is cut. ^{[5]
X
Research source}
4
Soak the shoestring potatoes until you're ready to fry them. Put the cut potatoes into a bowl of ice water and let them soak for 10 minutes to remove excess starch. Then, drain the potatoes and pat them completely dry. Fry the shoestring fries in 350 °F (177 °C) oil for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them. ^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Fry about 1 cup (325 g) of shoestring fries at a time so you don't lower the temperature of the oil too quickly.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Chopping Potatoes for Home Fries

Download Article

1
Cut each potato into ¹ ⁄ ₂ inch (1.3 cm) thick slices. Rinse each potato under cold water and pat them completely dry. Set the potatoes on a cutting board and hold one securely with one hand. Use your other hand to carefully make ¹ ⁄ ₂ inch (1.3 cm) thick slices lengthwise. ^{[7]
X
Research source}
- Decide if you'd like to peel the potatoes or leave the skins on. Keep in mind that the skin of russet potatoes can be tough.
Variation: If you're turning baked potatoes into home fries, remove the peels and then cut each potato in half. Then, cut the halves into ¹ ⁄ ₂ inch (1.3 cm) slices.
2
Stack the slices of potato and cut them into ¹ ⁄ ₂ inch (1.3 cm) wide strips. Set aside the bottom slice of potato that's round so it's easier to cut the rest of the potato. Then, arrange the slices on top of each other and cut them into long strips. ^{[8]
X
Research source}
- At this point, the cut potatoes will look like classic french fries.
3
Cut the potato strips into ¹ ⁄ ₂ inch (1.3 cm) cubes. Keep the potato strips together and use your knife to cut them at a 90-degree angle. You can make the cubes around ¹ ⁄ ₂ inch (1.3 cm) if you want them to cook quickly or make them around 1 inch (2.5 cm) for more substantial home fries. ^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Keep in mind that larger home fries will take longer to cook.
4
Cook the home fries in a skillet until they're crispy on the outside. For the best texture, boil the chopped potatoes for about 5 minutes. Then, drain the potatoes well and fry them in a skillet for another 5 to 6 minutes over medium heat. ^{[10]
X
Research source}
- If you're using already cooked potatoes, you don't need to boil them since they'll fry up quickly.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Making Wedges for Steak Fries

Download Article

1
Rinse the potatoes and pat them dry. Get out your choice of potatoes and scrub them gently under cold water to remove dirt. Then, use a clean towel to dry them completely. ^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Most steak fries leave the skin on the potatoes, so there's no need to peel them.
Tip: It's important to thoroughly dry the potatoes so they crisp up in the oven.
2
Slice the potatoes at an angle to make ¹ ⁄ ₂ inch (1.3 cm) thick wedges. Cut each potato in half lengthwise and lay them flat on the cut side. Then, hold your knife at an angle and cut down across each potato half to make wedges. Don't worry if the wedges aren't perfectly even. ^{[12]
X
Research source}
- If the potatoes are very long, you can cut the wedges in half crosswise so they cook faster.
3
Bake the steak fries for 30 to 40 minutes at 400 °F (204 °C). Toss the wedges with a little oil and seasonings of your choice. Then, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast the fries until they're golden brown. ^{[13]
X
Research source}
- To get the fries crisp on both sides, try to flip them over halfway through the baking time.
- For an easy seasoning, sprinkle the fries with a dry steak seasoning mix.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

Why do you soak potatoes in water before frying them?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Soaking the potatoes helps get rid of extra starch, which can cause your fries to stick together and keep them from getting as crisp.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 3
Question

Do you have to boil potatoes before frying them?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

If you wish, you can boil your potatoes for about 5 minutes before you fry them. This helps the potatoes fry up faster and more evenly.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1
Question

What happens if you deep fry a whole potato?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

There’s no reason you can’t make a whole potato into a giant French fry! However, you might risk ending up with a potato that’s crispy on the outside and raw on the inside, especially if it’s a large potato. Boiling or baking the potato first can help prevent uneven cooking. Poke some holes in the potato with a fork so it doesn’t pop in the fryer.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 2

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Read Video Transcript

Tips

Use your favorite type of potato for fries. For example, try russets for fluffy french fries or yukon golds for buttery tasting fries.

Thanks
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Things You'll Need

Cutting Classic Fries

Knife
Cutting board
Vegetable peeler, optional

Using a Mandoline to Cut Shoestring Fries

Vegetable peeler
Mandoline
Bowl

Chopping Potatoes for Home Fries

Knife
Cutting board
Skillet
Vegetable peeler, optional

Making Wedges for Steak Fries

Kitchen towel
Knife
Cutting board
Vegetable peeler, optional

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

Log in

How to Cut Potatoes Into Fries

Steps

Cutting Classic Fries

Using a Mandoline to Cut Shoestring Fries

Chopping Potatoes for Home Fries

Making Wedges for Steak Fries

Community Q&A

Video

Tips

Things You'll Need

Cutting Classic Fries

Using a Mandoline to Cut Shoestring Fries

Chopping Potatoes for Home Fries

Making Wedges for Steak Fries

You Might Also Like

References

About This Article

Did this article help you?

Quizzes

You Might Also Like

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Watch Articles

Trending Articles

Quizzes

Explore Categories