How to Bake French Fries

Transform red potatoes into delicious baked french fries.

While most people crave the taste of deep-fried french fries from time to time, fries can be quite unhealthy, especially if you don't know what type of oil is used to fry them. Break the cycle of fast-food fries by trying a gourmet variation on french fries. You can use your oven to bake a batch of french fries at home that are healthier and more flavorful than fried spuds. This recipe uses red potatoes and rosemary as key ingredients to jazz up your basic potato side dish.

Things You'll Need

• 6 red potatoes
• 9-by-11-inch baking pan or larger cookie sheet
• Canola oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Fresh Parmesan cheese (grated)
• Long-handled spoon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Wash the potatoes. Cut them into pieces about 1/4 inch wide on each side. The smaller the fries, the quicker they will cook.

3. Spread about 1 tbsp. of canola oil onto the bottom of the baking pan. A spray-on oil also works.

4. Spread the potatoes on the bottom of the cooking pan in one layer.

5. Sprinkle about a teaspoon each of salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary on the potatoes, or to taste.

6. Sprinkle grated cheese atop the whole pan, to taste.

7. Place pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are slightly browned. After about 15 minutes, use the long-handled spoon to mix up the fries to separate them from each other.

8. Let cool for two minutes and serve.

Tips & Warnings

• The oven is hot.

References

• Food Network: Herbes de Provence Red Potato Oven Fries; Rachael Ray