If you are a fan of fries, you know that there are many different types out there to try.
For those who think they have tried all the fries that there are to try, you may want to think again.
Even as we were pulling together the 35 types of fries, we learned quite a bit about how these tasty snacks are prepared, the best ways to get them crisp, and where you can find them.
Whether you are planning on making fries yourself or heading out to get some from a local establishment, this is a roundup that you will read and then be quite hungry!
Here are 35 types of fries and how to prepare them.
35 Types Of Fries
1. Standard Fries
Standard french fries are the go-to choice for fry lovers.
These are made with potatoes.
They are fried in oil, and they are incredibly tasty.
Homemade standard fries typically have a crispy exterior, and they are long and thin.
The interior of a standard fry is also softer and will be a bit mushy.
You can make standard fries at home, but you will have to fry them to get the taste that you are used to in a restaurant.
If you don’t fry them, and you bake them instead, it is hard to get that same crisp outer shell that makes fries so good.
When preparing fries, all you will need is potatoes and salt, and the rest will come together quite easily.
Sometimes you can purchase a fry cutter that will make cutting the potatoes considerably easier.
This is a great way to save time and ensure that your fries are really tasty.
2. Bistro Fries
Bistro fries are soft and crispy fries, and they are prepared in a unique way.
With a bistro fry, you will first blanch the potato, and then it will be fried.
In some restaurants, the bistro fries are fried twice.
This, of course, allows them to absorb a bit more of the oil, and it becomes even more difficult to stop eating these delicious snacks.
The bistro fries are known for being paired with a sandwich or a wrap at lunch restaurants across the world.
Bistro fries can be cut to a variety of lengths, but for the most part, they will be similar in size to the standard fries.
3. Cheese Fries
If the fries themselves don’t have quite enough flavor for you, then cheese fries may be a good alternative.
Chees fries are typically topped with several different types of cheese, and then they are baked again to ensure that the cheese will melt.
Most commonly, the cheeses that we see used on cheese fries are parmesan, mozzarella, and even swiss or cheddar.
Cheese fries have a really gooey taste to them, and they are not spicy.
These can be quite messy to eat, and you will have to ensure that you fry your french fries before you cover them with cheese.
The cheese is most certainly a topping, but if it is covering the entire fry, chances are these can be categorized as a cheese fry.
4. Home Fries
Home fries look more like a shredded potato than a french fry, but they are considered a type of french fry.
Home fries are made by taking potato and shredding it, and then frying them.
Most of the time, home fries are fried in a pan, but they can be fried as well.
The home fries will also typically be served with bacon, sausage, or eggs.
This is a very popular dish to have with your breakfast.
For those who don’t have access to a fryer, the home fries can be a great option to consider making.
5. Chili Cheese Fries
Chili cheese fries are similar to cheese fries, except that there are a few extra ingredients.
The chili cheese fries are topped not just with cheese but also with a healthy serving of chili.
With this fry style, expect that there will be a good amount of meat and a very spicy and delicious chili sauce.
This is something that you can make however you would like.
There are ways to modify the chili cheese fries.
If you simply want chili spice and not the meat, that is also an option.
The chili cheese fries are a popular option at amusement parks and other similar attractions.
This, of course, is not the healthiest food on the planet, but it can feel a bit like a full meal because of the combination of potato, meat, and some cheese.
6. Zucchini Fries
Zucchini fries are made out of zucchini instead of potato.
Surprisingly, the zucchini does quite well when it is breaded and fried.
This ensures that you will be able to cook the zucchini in the fryer without it falling apart.
The result is a crispy outside and a slightly softer inside than a typical fry.
You will still be getting some of the nutrients from the zucchini when you eat zucchini fries.
Many times, zucchini fries will have a unique breading with parmesan cheese included in the crust.
This will help ensure that there is enough flavor in the zucchini fries.
Even those who don’t like zucchini have found this to be a great tasting fry.
7. Carne Asada Fries
Carne Asada fries will be a typical bowl of french fries that also have a topping of carne asada and other toppings placed on top.
For this, we would recommend making all of the ingredients separately and then putting this together when you are ready to eat.
The fries will be your first ingredient, and then they are topped with carne asada, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, and even pico de gallo.
You can pick and choose the topics that work the best for you and your tastes.
8. Boardwalk Fries
Boardwalk fries are typically long and thin.
In addition, these types of fries are also more of a square or rectangular shape.
Many of the boardwalk fries are also going to have ridges in them.
These are typically sold on a seaside boardwalk where people can walk around with the fries in their hands and enjoy a tasty snack.
9. Curly Fries
Curly fries are those that are no longer straight, but instead, have a long, curling shape.
The curly fires are typically seasoned, and they are typically medium thick.
When making curly fries, you will have to use a unique tool that will help you peel the curly fries with ease.
Curly fries typically have a coating on the top that makes them a bit crunchier.
With how much potato there is in a curly fry, make sure to eat these quickly, or they can get a bit soggy.
10. Steak Fries
Steak fries are thick and typically served with a steak.
If you are someone who likes a bit more potato with your fry and doesn’t really want to have something incredibly crispy or greasy, the steak fry is a good choice.
With steak fries, you can use a dipping sauce or ketchup to help with some of the bland potato taste.
Steak fries will typically have a good amount of seasoning on them, and they are often served in higher-end steakhouses for those who don’t want traditional mashed or baked potatoes.
11. Seasoned Fries
One of the great things about french fries is that you can season them any way that appeals to you.
If you are making a batch of fresh french fries, it makes sense to experiment with several different types of spices.
The classic spice to use on french fries is salt, but many people will use other herbs and spices.
One of the more common herbs that you may use is parsley, as it can help to brighten up the dish, and it will not alter the flavor of the fries all that much.
Seasoned fries are good for those who are looking for more than that grease fix, and would like to have a snack that has some great flavor to it.
12. Poutine
Poutine is not just a type of french fry, but it is almost like an entire meal.
With poutine, you can expect to get french fries as the base layer of the dish, and then it will be topped with brown gravy and cheese curds.
Those who like poutine typically enjoy a southern home-cooked meal, and this can be a great option on a cold winter’s night.
If you make poutine, you will also have to make the gravy and the cheese, so this could be a bit more of a project when it comes to the cooking that will be involved.
13. Crinkle-Cut Fries
The crinkle-cut fries are wavy and crispy, and they are really popular at certain restaurants or hamburger establishments.
With the crinkle-cut fries, you will be able to enjoy a really clean tasting fry with plenty of crispiness to it.
Sometimes the crinkle-cut fries will also have a less greasy taste.
It seems as though when these fries are cooked, quite a bit of the oil will drain off, a bit differently than it does with standard french fries.
14. Garlic Fries
Garlic fries are exactly like you may think, coated in garlic.
With garlic fries, you can be expected that the flavor of garlic will be quite strong.
The fries will sometimes be served with garlic on top and even fried in garlic oil.
There are also times when these will be served with parsley on the top, and that can cut the garlic taste just a bit.
15. Newfie Flavored Fries
The Newfie flavored fries are unique as they incorporate beef gravy as well as stuffing.
This is interesting and something that you may have the ingredients available to make when you are near the Thanksgiving holiday.
The beef gravy is what helps pull these fries together as, without the gravy, they would be a bit dry in the overall taste and texture.
16. Parmesan Fries
A parmesan fry is made like a typical french fry, but then before serving, it is topped with parmesan cheese.
The great thing about the parmesan fries is that they have a really nice flavor that pairs well with a variety of foods.
For meals that may not have all that much flavor, the parmesan fries can really help make things taste quite a bit better.
Parmesan fries are best when they are served hot, and they will typically have a bit of parsley served with them to give them a fresh look.
17. Chimichurri Fries
Chimichurri sauce is typically served with steak, but it can be amazing on fries as well.
The chimichurri fries will have chimichurri sauce, feta cheese, and sometimes even some scallions on them.
With chimichurri fries, you may also have some steak, but for the most part, this would be an alternative to a chimichurri steak meal.
Most of the time, chimichurri sauce is not all that spicy, so that should not be a concern for those who really enjoy this type of food.
18. Oven-Baked Fries
The oven-baked fries are not going to be nearly as crispy as they are in the fryer, but they can come out really tasty.
If you are smart about the preparation that goes into oven-baked fries, expect to get a really good end result.
The biggest key here is to ensure that your fries are dry before you make them.
Sometimes using a bit of cornstarch can help.
If a fry is wet, it will typically never get crispy at all.
The crispy type of fry really only comes from the frying that takes place when the oil is a very high heat.
Oven-baked fries are great for those who are trying to cut back on calories but still want to enjoy crispy potatoes.
Our trick for making great oven-baked fries is to cut them a bit smaller so that they have an easier time crisping up.
Keep a close eye on these baked fries so that you don’t let them burn, over baking the fries will not result in a great taste.
19. Julienne Fries
Julienne fries are very long and thin.
If you have ever had the popular snack called potato sticks, then you are probably familiar with the way the julienne fries look.
These fires are known for how easy they are to eat.
They are typically really crispy and can be dipped or just served completely plain.
Julienne fries take some kills with the knife in order to create and get on the plate.
However, once you have the right skills down, these will fry up quickly and offer some really great taste.
20. Root Vegetable Fries
We mentioned zucchini fries, but there are other root vegetables that you can use to make fries as well.
In fact, there are so many options out there that you may be able to use a mix of root vegetables to have a variety of fries all at once.
With root vegetable fries, you will always want to make sure you remove as much of the moisture as you can, and you get to enjoy something that is crispy and fun to eat.
Root vegetable fries may come out in several different colors, but this can make them look even better on the plate.
21. Disco Fries
In some areas of the country, disco fries are quite well known.
The disco fries will have gravy and mozzarella cheese on the top.
Some may say that these are similar to the Poutine fries, but it depends on the way this is served and the way the gravy is made.
Overall, you can see that there is an absolute trend with putting some type of gravy and some type of cheese on your french fries.
22. Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potato fries are a sweeter and healthier treat than traditional potato fries.
Even though the sweet potato fries will end up being soaked and fried in oil, they still hold on to some of their natural benefits when it comes to overall health.
The sweet potato fires can also be baked, similar to how you would bake a traditional potato fry, but it is easier to get these crispy if you put them in the fryer.
WIth sweet potato fries, you have to be careful what you pair them with because the flavor can take over a bit.
With the sweeter overall taste, it doesn’t blend quite as well with some meals that you may be serving.
Some restaurants will take the sweet nature of the sweet potato fries to the next level.
You will see these fries served with brown sugar, syrup, or even honey in some places.
The level of sweetness that works for your taste buds is something that you will have to figure out on your own.
23. Wedge Fries
A wedge fry is made from a wedge of potato, and then it is sometimes breaded and fried or just fried as it is.
The wedge fries are very simple to make because of the way that a potato is shaped.
After a few practice rounds, you can get a perfect wedge shape from your french fry.
With wedge fries, you will want to ensure that you are careful to season them properly.
Since these fries are a bit thicker and will have more potato to eat, they can get a bit bland and dry.
Simply putting a little extra spice on the wedge fry will really help to make sure it’s a great addition to any meal.
24. Tater Tots
The tater tots are a classic type of fry that consists of small cylinders of shredded potato that is fried and typically seasoned.
Tater Tots have really gained in popularity, and people will eat these fries as a base for nachos or with breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Many times tater tots do not seem as greasy.
You can also get these in the freezer department at the grocery store and then bake them for a slightly lighter taste.
If you like hashbrowns, chances are you will also enjoy tater tots.
25. Tornado Fries
Tornado fries are sometimes sold at locations like a carnival where you can get all different types of food that you wouldn’t normally find.
With a tornado fry, you can expect the fry to be sold on a stick, and it will be circular in shape and go up the length of the stick.
The tornado fry typically looks a bit like a tornado, and you can take bites of it off the stick.
Those who make tornado fries really have the process down, and this is not something you would likely make when you are working on your cooking from home.
26. Waffle Fries
Waffle fries have a waffle pattern.
When making waffle fries, there is a special tool you can use to ensure that the potato is cut in a waffle shape.
These are really fun fries to eat, and they make a great base for something like a nacho or a fry that you may add cheese sauce, too.
The only thing to be aware of with waffle fries is that they cool off really fast.
If you like something hot when you eat it, make sure to eat this fry as soon as you can after making it.
27. Shoestring Fries
When you think about a shoestring you may think about a shoestring budget or maybe even your actual shoelaces.
The shoestring fries should make you think of your shoelaces.
The shoelaces are thin, and that is exactly how these fries are created.
Shoestring fries will cook really quickly because of their smaller size, and this is something to keep in mind if you need a quick side.
The shoestring fries work best when they are made in the fryer.
If you put them on a baking sheet, they often get stuck together, and the moisture content is a bit too high.
We have had really good luck but throwing these in hot oil for just a few minutes, and you will get long and really crunchy great-tasting fries.
28. Matchstick Fries
Similar to shoestring fries, matchstick fries are a bit thinner and crispier than standard fries.
The matchstick fries, however, are considerably shorter than shoestring fries.
You can expect the matchstick fries to be about the same length as a traditional matchstick.
Some will find that these are a great fry to feed kids because they are already small enough that you don’t have to cut them up all that much.
Matchstick fries are really easy to make, and you can simply chop the potato into small stick-like pieces and then place them directly in the fryer.
Pair these with any seasoning that you think would taste great with your meal.
29. Parsnip Fries
Parsnip is a really great vegetable because there is so much you can do with it.
Whether you are looking to put this in a casserole or make a french fry, part of the battle is to cut the parsnip the correct way.
Always make these fries a bit thinner than standard as the parsnip fries don’t do all that well if they are made more like a steak fry.
With parsnip fries, try to coat them in a bit of a breading like you would with zucchini fries.
We found that the overall results were quite a bit better.
Parsnip has a bit of a unique flavor.
If you have never had parsnip before, you may want to first taste some before getting involved in making the fries.
Since the process is a bit involved, the last thing you will want to do is create fries that you don’t even enjoy the taste of.
30. Carrot Fries
Carrot fries are great for those who are trying to watch overall calories but still really enjoy eating french fries.
One of the things to remember about carrots is that they are really hard.
When making carrot fries, we had the best luck when we first parboiled the carrots for a bit.
We then breaded them and fried them.
Although the process is considerably longer and a bit more involved, the results were well worth it when the carrots came out fully cooked.
The french fry is supposed to have a soft interior, and you can change the vegetable you use, but if the interior is suddenly hard, people will probably not like your fries all that much.
31. Green Bean Fries
Green bean fries are a great treat as long as you can prepare them properly.
Simply frying green beans and trying to call them green bean fries is a bit of a tough sell.
However, if you coat these in a batter and then fry them, you will notice that the overall texture is very similar to french fries, and the taste is incredibly good.
The green bean fries are a bit healthier for you than many people like, but you can doctor them up to have some really great flavor.
Overall, adding something like this to a meal that needs an extra vegetable prepared in a unique way will make it a smart addition to the table.
32. Vinegar Fries
Another type of fry that you will often see sold in British countries is vinegar fries.
With vinegar fries, the potato is cooked almost exactly as it is for a standard french fry.
However, the vinegar fries often have a bit of extra crisp to them to make sure they hold up well once the vinegar is in place.
After the vinegar fries are prepared, they will then have vinegar put on them to give a really tangy and almost sour taste.
When eating these types of fries, you may find that they pair really well with something like a fried fish.
When you are in another country and want to order these fries, don’t be surprised if you have to call them chips.
The chips are the same things as fries at times, and you may see this listed on the menu as fish and chips.
If you are not a fan of vinegar, make sure you let that be known before you place your order.
33. Patatas Bravas
Patatas bravas are crispy french fries that are deep-fried and sometimes even parboiled before they are deep-fried.
This extra process of parboiling before the deep frying really helps to ensure that the result is extra crispy.
With the patatas bravas, expect to have a spicy tomato sauce coating the finished product.
The entire purpose of this particular fry is to serve it with a spicy tomato sauce.
If tomato sauce sounds weird to you for a topping on french fries, you may want to take a look at the main ingredients of ketchup!
For some reason, the tomato flavor and the french fries go really well together.
34. Patatje Oorlog
The Patatje Oorlog are Indonesean style of fries.
These are sold with a satay sauce, raw onions, and mayonnaise.
You may have a hard time finding the Pataje Oorlog if you are not in an Indonesian restaurant.
However, this combination of ingredients sold on top of the french fries is incredibly good and something that you may want to look for.
If you know how to make a satay sauce from scratch, you can also put this recipe together yourself if you would like.
However, we recommend trying this in a restaurant first to ensure you get the correct mix of ingredients in place before you make them at home.
35. Cottage Fries
Last but not least are cottage fries.
Cottage fries are unique looking in that they almost look like a pickle chip.
They have ridges and are slightly larger than a quarter, close to the size of a half-dollar.
The cottage fries are sold with sandwiches, and they are very often an alternative for having chips with the meal.
Cottage fries are nice because they fit in your mouth with just one bite and really make a great addition to a plate.
To make these fries, you won’t have to do anything special.
Simply cut the fries properly, throw them in the fryer, and you will get these smaller cottage fries that are quite satisfying.
This can also be a good shape to make in the oven as they are smaller in size and won’t take quite as long to crisp up.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you now feel as though you can determine which types of fries are the best for your needs.
Whether you are a really great chef or just starting out in the kitchen, there are plenty of different fries that you can learn to make.
Start with learning how to make a standard fry and then go from there to create something that is a bit more unique.
Most people like a great french fry, but it can take a few batches before you have your seasonings and frying times down.
Overall, french fries are a great side to pair with so many different meals, and people of all ages enjoy them. This is partly what has made the french fry such a major part of the American diet.
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