Cheesy fries, while deliciously decadent, sometimes garner a bad rap. When made with neon nacho sauce and lukewarm frozen fries, the resulting dish—and stomachache—can leave something to be desired. But when made from scratch and paired with complementary toppings, cheesy fries become a new twist on a childhood favorite, elevated enough to serve to guests (we promise!).
Much like building a house, to have a successful dish you must have a strong foundation. In this case, we’re talking about the perfect fry. While you can certainly use frozen varieties when you’re short on time (just be sure to oil ’em up first), making your own french fries from fresh potatoes can really make a huge difference. Follow these tips for a perfect baked fry, every time.
Now for the delicious part: the cheesy toppings. Start simple, and simply pour a whole mess of five-ingredient fondue cheese over crispy fries. For something a little sharper, sprinkle blue cheese over your fries as they bake. Most of the cheese remains soft and melty, but the crumbles that come in contact with the pan will become browned and chewy.
Ready for more than just cheese? Try loaded Greek steak fries, topped with cucumber, tomatoes, tzatziki, and feta. Or blur the line between fries and nachos with fiesta fries. Smothered with all of your usual taco toppings and served with a margarita, it can make any weeknight a special occasion.
For the more advanced cheese fry eater, someone has made a behemoth dish of french dip mac ‘n’ cheese covered french fries—with bacon. Or for perhaps the greatest mash-up yet, try a french fry pizza, using fries as the “crust” and cheese as the glue to hold it all together. As the author cheekily points out, “At least it’s gluten free?”
It’s hard to argue with that logic.
Still hungry for more? Check out our report on Canada’s version of cheesy fries: deliciously curdy poutine.
Photo by Ciao Veggie
Alicia Hahn
Alicia Hahn excels at eating and enjoys writing, crosswords, and cooking (preferably with cheese). Originally from San Francisco, she moved to Boston for school and fell in love with the city (despite an annual campaign against winter). Her favorite place to be is the farmers’ market, where she finds weird and exciting ingredients to make or break her next meal.
