Cottage Fries

Cottage Fries are crispy, flavorful, and addicting in the best way. Made with simple ingredients including russet potatoes, olive oil, and a blend of spices, they’re tasty and come together easily!

Cottage Fries: Crispy and Full of Flavor

If you’ve never tried cottage fries, you’re in for a treat! They’re my favorite kind of fries to whip up. And the best part? You bake them instead of deep frying them, so no need to worry about lots of excess oil.

The first time I tasted these fries, I was blown away by how perfectly crispy and flavorful they were. And, because you cut the potatoes into circles rather than strips, you have all the more surface space to add your favorite dips. After all, fries are only as good as the sauce you dunk them into — or at least that’s my opinion!

I love serving them as a side for burgers, sandwiches, wraps…or basically any other meal you can think of! They also make a wonderful addition to an appetizer spread, and there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy them as a pre-dinner snack. I think you get what I mean — this is one versatile dish.

Ready in about 30 minutes, you’ll have deliciously crispy fries before you know it.

Why you will love this recipe

• Made with simple ingredients
• Baked, not fried
• Kid-tested and approved
• An update on traditional fries!

How to make perfect Cottage Fries

Recipe prep. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and be sure to wash the potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt from the skin.

Prepare the potatoes. With the skin on, chop the potatoes into even slices that are about ⅙ to ⅕-inch thick. Soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes to help remove any excess starch that would prevent the fries from crisping up. You can always skip this step if you’re in a hurry!

Drain and pat the sliced potatoes dry with some paper towels or a clean tea towel, then place the potatoes into a large bowl.

Add the seasonings. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes, then add the dried thyme and paprika. Use your (clean) hands to coat the spuds evenly.    

Bake. Arrange the potato slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Flip the cottage fries over and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until they become golden and crispy.

Season and serve. Use salt to season your fries to your liking and serve them while they’re hot with your favorite dipping sauces! I love ketchup, mayonnaise, honey mustard, or even sour cream.

Pro Tips

• For the crispiest results ever, season the fries with salt before serving. If you add it before baking the potatoes, it will cause them to release excess liquid which will make them soggy.
• Choose the right potato. Russets hold up great, but they have a rougher skin — it’s typically not an issue for most people, though! Yukon gold varieties are another good choice thanks to their thin skin.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan. Make sure that there is plenty of space between each fry on the baking sheet — overcrowding will cause them to steam instead of crisp up!

Key Ingredients and Substitutions for Cottage Fries

Potatoes: You can make this recipe with russet or Yukon Gold potatoes. They’re sturdy and cook up perfectly in a skillet. That said, if you have a bag of a different variety of potatoes at home, you could get away with using those instead.

Spices and seasonings: I love the flavor I get out of a simple combination of dried thyme, paprika, and salt. You could also use oregano, cayenne pepper, basil, rosemary, or another one of your favorite seasonings if you prefer!

Frequently asked questions about Cottage Fries

What are cottage fries made of?

You’ll only need a handful of very simple ingredients to make cottage fries! All recipes will differ slightly, but mine is made with russet potatoes, olive oil, dried thyme, paprika, and salt.

Why is it called cottage fries?

They’re called cottage fries thanks to their shape. Rather than slicing the potatoes into strips as you would for traditional fries, you cut them into circles. They look a little bit like shingles on a cottage, which is where the name comes from.

Why do you soak potatoes before making French fries?

I’ve already briefly mentioned that you should soak your potatoes in cold water before adding the olive oil and seasonings. Potatoes contain a lot of starch, and if you don’t soak them, they will release excess water when baked. Soaking them essentially cooks them twice — blanching them before baking will pretty much guarantee crispy results. Again, you can always skip this step if you’re pressed for time.