Waffle Fries Recipe for Crispy Homemade Perfection

Waffle Fries

Waffle fries bring extra crunch and hold dips better than any straight cut fry. This homemade version comes out crispy on the outside while staying soft and fluffy inside, with a delicate texture that is close to shoestring potatoes.

Serve them as a game night snack, or pile them next to burgers for a side that disappears fast. A quick homemade dipping sauce comes together in one bowl and takes the whole plate over the top.

What You’ll Need to Make Waffle Fries

This recipe keeps the shopping list tiny, which is one reason it works so well for a busy weeknight or a lazy weekend. You need just three ingredients for the fries themselves:

• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
• Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or the seasoning of your choice

Seasoned salt works in place of plain salt if you want a bolder, more savory finish. The potatoes go straight from the cutting board into an ice water bath, so there is nothing else to buy and nothing to prep ahead.

Best Potatoes for Waffle Fries

Idaho or russet potatoes are the best choice for waffle fries, and they are the same potatoes that make great French fries. They are dense and hold less moisture than other varieties, which is exactly what you want here. Less water inside the potato means more crispness outside instead of a soggy, limp fry.

If russets are not in the pantry, Yukon gold potatoes are an acceptable substitute. They still fry up nicely and taste good. What you want to avoid are waxy potatoes such as red potatoes or fingerlings. They hold more water and tend to turn out dense rather than fluffy.

Russets are also high in starch, and that starch is what gives you the fluffy interior with a crisp shell. Look for firm potatoes with no green spots and no sprouts, and store them in a cool, dark spot until you are ready to cook.

How to Cut Waffle Fries

The signature grid pattern comes from a mandoline fitted with a waffle blade, sometimes called a crinkle cut blade. Set the blade to 1/4 inch. Place a peeled potato on the mandoline and slice it crosswise.

Then rotate the potato 90 degrees and slice again. That second pass creates the crisscross, and you repeat the turn and slice for every fry.

A crinkle cutter works the same way if you do not own a mandoline. It takes a bit more patience, but the pattern comes out just as good. Keep the slices even, since thin fries will brown faster than thick ones.

Recipe Tips

Season the waffle fries with the seasoning or seasonings you love most. Test Kitchen ideas include Old Bay, Tajin, Cajun seasoning, or grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle while the fries are still hot so everything clings. If you are feeding a crowd with different tastes, season in batches and keep a shaker of plain salt on the table.

Can You Air Fry Waffle Fries?

Yes. Recipe developer Juliana Hale confirms that these waffle fries work well in an air fryer. The method is a little different from deep frying, but the results are just as crisp.

Start by cutting, soaking, and draining the waffle fries as the recipe directs. Bring water to a boil in a large pot, add the fries, and simmer them for 1 minute to par cook. Drain and blot dry with paper towels.

Once the fries are cool enough to handle, drizzle them with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and toss to coat every surface.

Air fry in batches in a single layer at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 8 minutes, turning them once. Season with salt as soon as they come out of the basket. While the remaining batches cook, hold the finished fries in an oven preheated to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).

Single layer batches matter here. If you crowd the basket, the fries steam instead of crisping, and you lose that crackling edge. Give them room and turn them once so both sides brown evenly.

Whichever method you choose, the fries need to be dry before they hit the heat. Moisture is the enemy of crunch.

Test Kitchen Tips

Always wear cut resistant gloves when you work with a mandoline. The blade is extremely sharp, and a single slip can end the cooking session fast. A glove is cheap insurance, and it also gives you the confidence to slice quickly and evenly.

Never rush the slicing step, and always protect your hands with a cut resistant glove when a mandoline is on the counter.

For a make ahead option, Juliana says you can par cook the fries and hold them until you are ready to serve, then do the final fry at the last minute. That way the fries hit the table hot and crackling, which is exactly when they taste best.

Leftovers keep well too. Store cooled waffle fries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. To bring back the crunch, reheat them in an air fryer or an oven at 400 degrees F for a few minutes. Skip the microwave, since it steams the fries and leaves them limp.

What to Serve With Waffle Fries

Test kitchen experts created a zippy fry sauce made with just mayonnaise, ketchup, dill pickle brine, and Sriracha. The recipe is below, and it takes about a minute to stir together. The brine is the quiet hero, adding a tangy kick that cuts through the richness of the mayo.

The fries also pair well with old standbys such as ketchup or honey mustard. If you are feeding a crowd, set out two or three dips so everyone can choose a favorite. The wide surface area of each fry holds a generous scoop, so nothing drips off before it reaches your mouth.

Beyond dips, waffle fries fit into plenty of meals. Serve them with burgers, fried chicken, or a grilled cheese. They also work as a loaded snack with melted cheese, crumbled bacon, and sliced green onions piled on top.

Ingredients

The recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts adjust automatically when you change the serving size, but cooking times and steps stay the same, and not every recipe scales perfectly. The original 1X version makes 8 servings.

For the waffle fries:

• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
• Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or the seasoning of your choice

For the zippy fry sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon dill pickle brine, from a jar of pickles
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or bottled chipotle hot sauce

Directions

Set up your station before you turn on the heat. The frying moves quickly, and having everything within reach keeps the process calm and the fries crisp.

Waffle Fries:

Gather all ingredients and preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Put two wire racks over paper towels so the fries can drain and stay crisp. Fill a large bowl with ice water.

Using a mandoline with a waffle blade set to 1/4 inch, slice the potatoes crosswise, then rotate each one 90 degrees and slice again. A crinkle cutter can be used the same way. Add the cut fries to the ice water as you finish them so they stay cold and do not discolor.

In a large heavy saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil over medium heat to 310 degrees F (155 degrees C). Check the temperature with a candy or oil thermometer attached to the pan. This first fry is a gentle blanch, so keep the oil steady and do not let it climb.

Drain the fries and blot them dry with paper towels. Any water left on the surface will make the oil spit and will soften the crust.

Fry in batches until just cooked through but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Move them to the wire racks with a slotted spoon, and give the oil a moment to recover between batches.

Raise the oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and fry the fries in batches until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. This second pass is what builds the crackling shell.

Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and keep the finished fries warm in the preheated oven while you fry the rest. Serve with Zippy Fry Sauce.

Do not overcrowd the pot or the fryer basket. Too many fries at once drop the oil temperature, and you end up with pale, greasy fries instead of crisp ones. Fry in small batches, even if it takes an extra few minutes.

If you have the time, an optional 30 minute soak in cold water before frying helps pull extra surface starch from the potatoes. It is not required here, since the ice water bath already does part of that job, but it adds another layer of crunch.

Zippy Fry Sauce:

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, pickle brine, and Sriracha until smooth and evenly blended.

Taste it and add a little more brine or hot sauce if you like a sharper kick. Serve right away, or cover and chill the sauce until the fries are ready.

Photos of Waffle Fries

This section displays photos of the waffle fries from Dotdash Meredith Food Studios.

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