These crispy Greek fries are the ultimate side dish! They’re showered with Mediterranean-style toppings: feta cheese, onion and herbs.
Sure you can eat French fries with ketchup…but what’s the fun in that? Here’s a unique way to dress up your fries, Mediterranean style. Make homemade Greek fries! These crispy Yukon gold taters are thin sliced and baked with a homemade seasoning blend starring oregano, garlic and dill. Out of the oven, they’re showered with feta cheese crumbles, fresh parsley and red onion, which add just the right Greek-style vibe. Better yet, serve them with lemon dill sauce for dipping! They’re the best pair for a falafel burger or baked shrimp. Let’s get cooking!
What are Greek fries?
What are Greek fries? Are they authentic to Greek cuisine? Well, yes and no. The authentic Greek-style French fries that you’d get at a restaurant are called Patates Tiganites (here’s an authentic recipe from a Greek recipe writer). These are thick-cut potatoes, usually a waxy potato like Yukon gold, fried and topped with dried oregano.
You’ll also find that Greek or Mediterranean restaurants may make French fries and top them with feta cheese and herbs. Some restaurants in Greece even serve them this way. There’s no real “authentic” definition to what exact toppings go on Greek fries. So our recipe for Greek fries is a spin on Mediterranean flavors and the style of fries we enjoyed while traveling in Santorini.
Use a waxy potato, like Yukon gold
Standard French fry recipes use russet potatoes, to get that fluffy on the inside texture that restaurant fries have. But in our research, we found that Greek fries recipes use a waxy potato like Yukon gold. This has a smoother texture on the interior, with a bit sweeter flavor. It definitely tastes like a different type of French fry! Use this type of potato if you can find it: but russet potatoes work just as well.
The seasoning for Greek fries: a homemade blend!
Another thing that makes this Greek fries recipe special: our homemade Greek seasoning blend! This blend features dried herbs and spices that are often used in Greek cuisine. These seasonings really make the dish! Make up a batch and you’ll have leftover to use in other recipes: we love it sprinkled over potatoes, sauteed vegetables, and fish. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Dried oregano
- Dried dill
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt and black pepper
Toppings for Greek fries
The toppings in these Greek fries are what make it shine! Here are the fry toppings you’ll need to add the Mediterranean-style flair to this recipe:
- Feta cheese crumbles: As you crumble them, break them into smaller pieces with your fingers. Very large chunks won’t stick to the fries.
- Red onion: If you don’t like spicy red onion, rinse the chopped onion a few times first, then drain completely. This helps to soften the flavor.
- Fresh parsley: Curly parsley is the way to go if you can find it: it brings the best Greek flavor like in our quinoa tabbouleh. If all you can find is flat leaf or Italian parsley, that works too!
Sauces for dipping Greek fries
The last element to these easy homemade baked French fries that adds a Greek vibe is the dipping sauce! We have a few different sauces that would work well here. Pick from the following:
- Lemon dill sauce: Top pick! This Lemon Dill Sauce has a mix of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise, which makes it ultra savory and perfect for fries.
- Tzatziki: This authentic tzatziki is a Greek cucumber sauce traditional for falafel sandwiches: but you can also use it for fries!
- Cucumber sauce: Or try a faster spin on tzatziki: this Quick Cucumber Sauce.
- Aioli: This Mediterranean-style dipping sauce is great for fries of any kind! Here we’d recommend Classic Aioli, Mayo Aioli (Shortcut), or Lemon Aioli.
How to cut fries
The part of making these healthy Greek fries with the most technique is cutting the fries! There are two methods you can use: hand-cutting or using a fry cutter. Here’s what to know about how to cut fries by hand:
- Watch the video first: Go and watch this video.
- Make a base: Slice off the ends of each potato, then slice off part of the side to make a base.
- Cut planks, then strips: Place the potato half cut side down and cut off a 3/8-inch slice, then lay the slice on its side and cut it into several long 3/8-inch wide strips. Repeat until all potatoes have been cut into fries!
A shortcut? You can use a fry cutter! It’s rather large so you’ll need to have good storage space. But it works like a charm! Here’s a link to the French fry cutter we use.
Tips for making Greek fries perfectly crispy
Last up: how to make these Greek fries perfectly crispy? Here are a few of the tips we use to make a crispy baked fry:
- Soak the fries 10 minutes while the oven preheats. This gets the perfect soft inside and crisp exterior.
- Use parchment paper. This helps with clean-up and makes for crispy bottoms. Don’t use a silicon baking sheet, or they’ll get too soggy.
- Space apart as much as possible, keeping them in a single layer. No stacking! You need maximum space around each fry to get them crispy (even better, use a “half sheet” baking sheet that’s large enough to fit the entire oven rack).
And that’s it! We hope you love these Greek fries as much as we do!
This Greek fries recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, use dairy-free feta crumbles.
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Greek Fries
(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Prep Time: 15 minutes -
Cook Time: 30 minutes
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Total Time: 45 minutes
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Yield: 3 to 4 - Diet: Vegetarian
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Pin Recipe Description
These crispy Greek fries are the ultimate side dish! They’re showered with Mediterranean-style toppings: feta cheese, onion and herbs.
Ingredients
- 6 medium Yukon gold potatoes (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds)*
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon homemade Greek Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup feta crumbles
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped curly parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 4 lemon wedges, for serving
- Optional: tzatziki, lemon dill sauce (our favorite), or aioli, for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Evenly space the oven racks to ensure even cooking.
- Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into fries: (Watch this video or use a fry cutter.) Wash the potatoes, leaving the skins on. Slice off the ends of each potato, then slice off part of the side to make a base. Place the potato half cut side down and cut off a 3/8-inch slice, then lay the slice on its side and cut it into several long strips. Repeat until all potatoes have been cut into fries. The pieces can be uneven, but aim for as uniform of thickness as possible. See the video for full instructions!
- Soak in cold water (10 minutes): Place the cut fries into a medium bowl and rinse with cold water until water is clear. Then fill the bowl with cold water and allow to rest for 10 minutes (while the oven preheats). Then drain the potatoes and dry them thoroughly with a clean dish towel.
- Season the fries: Add the fries to a dry bowl and toss them with the olive oil, Greek seasoning and kosher salt. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the fries in straight lines on the paper, placing them as far apart as possible.
- Bake: Bake the fries for 20 minutes. Take them out of the oven and carefully flip each fry. Return to oven (reversing the pans on top and bottom racks). Bake additional 8 to 10 minutes until they are crisp and golden brown, watching carefully as the bake time depends on the fry thickness and your oven. (If the majority of the fries seem soft, continue to bake a few more minutes.)
- Season: Taste and add a few more pinches salt if desired.
- Garnish: Transfer fries to a platter and top with the feta cheese crumbles, breaking larger chunks into small pieces with your fingers. Add the finely chopped parsley and red onion. Serve with lemon wedges and tzatziki or lemon dill sauce.
Notes
*This makes a good amount of fries, but much less than a restaurant portion (that’s as intended!). The largest quantity of fries that fits on two baking sheets is 2 pounds, you can increase to that much if desired (adjust seasonings accordingly).
Category: Side dish
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Greek inspired
Keywords: Greek fries
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