These Cajun Fries are a flavor-packed twist on everyone's favorite side dish. Serve up a heaping plate of golden-brown fries, each one dusted with the perfect blend of Cajun spices.
They are so easy to make; all you need are some basic potatoes, a dash of oil, and a mix of Cajun spices. And if you are pushed for time, use some oven fries.
You can serve these Cajun Fries up however you like - as a sidekick to a juicy burger, alongside a grilled chicken breast or steak, or even solo with your favorite dipping sauce.
Ingredient Notes
These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients. For a complete ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.
Potatoes: You want a dense potato high in starch, as this will give you a nice fluffy interior and crispy exterior. Russet, Maris Piper, King Edwards, or Sebago are perfect. Or you can use a bag of oven fries.
Vinegar: Soaking your fries in vinegar water helps them crisp up in the oven without giving them any vinegar flavor. I use white vinegar, but you can use apple cider vinegar instead. Skip this step if you are using oven fries.
Cajun Seasoning: A staple in Southern cuisine, cajun seasoning has a bold and spicy flavor. And it pairs wonderfully with potatoes. I use a this homemade cajun blend, but you can use a store-bought blend.
Oil: I use vegetable oil, but you can use canola oil or olive oil.
Recipe Tips
We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you. Have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!
Soak the potatoes: Once you've chopped the chips, soak them in a bowl of cold water mixed with vinegar. Give them a 30-minute soak - it works wonders to remove excess starch, ensuring a crispy outside and a fluffy inside.
Dry the potatoes: Don't skip the drying stage: Damp fries spell disaster for achieving that perfect crunch. Lay the fries out on a clean tea towel and give them a gentle pat-down. You want them bone dry before they hit the oven, guaranteeing a bake, not a steam.
Cook at two temperatures: Cook your fries with a bit of patience. Start with a lower temperature to let them cook through and become soft and fluffy inside. Then, crank up the heat for that golden, crispy exterior we crave.
Season immediately: As soon as those fries sizzle out of the oven, place them into your serving dish and generously sprinkle on the cajun seasoning. Hot fries are like flavor sponges, so hit them while they're still hot and glistening.
Why You'll Love These Cajun Fries
- They are packed with flavor.
- They can be eaten as a snack or with almost any Western main course.
- They are easy to make; you can always substitute store-bought oven fries.
- You can use a homemade seasoning so you control the salt and sugar.
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Recipe Adaptions
These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.
- Swap the potatoes: Use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. Or use store-bought oven fries.
- Add some sweetness: Add a bit of brown sugar to your cajun seasoning. The sweetness and the spice are an excellent combination on the fries.
- Cook them in the air fryer: Full instructions are in the recipe card, but these work just as well in an air fryer as in an oven.
- Cook your fries in a deep-fat fryer: Cook until golden brown and cooked through, then drain and toss with the seasonings.
Serving Suggestions for Cajun Fries
You can serve these Cajun fries with anything that would go with regular fries! They are also great as a snack with some aioli.
Some of our favorite pairings are:
Enjoy x
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Get the Recipe
Cajun Fries
Ingredients
For Homemade fries
- 4 large potatoes ((see notes 1&2))
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar ((see note 3))
- ¼ cup oil ((see note 4))
If using Frozen Fries
- 1 lb frozen french fries ((see note 2))
Seasoning
- 1½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning (more to taste (see note 5))
Instructions
For homemade fries in oven/air fryer (See below for frozen fries)
- Cut the potatoes into thick slices and then cut into even-sized fries.4 large potatoes
- Transfer to a large bowl and cover with cold water, add the vinegar and leave to soak for at least 30 minutes, but you can leave them for a couple of hours.2 tablespoon white vinegar
OVEN COOKING
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF/190°C
- Place two baking sheets in the oven to heat up.
- Drain and rinse the potatoes, then dry well on a clean tea towel.
- Place the potatoes in a dry bowl and pour over the oil.¼ cup oil
- Turn the potatoes with your hands until they are all evenly coated.
- Remove the trays from the oven and line them with parchment/cooking paper.
- Add the potatoes to the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake the potatoes in the middle to bottom of the oven for 25 minutes. Increase the heat to 425ºF/220ºC and cook for a further 20 minutes.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven, tip into a bowl, and sprinkle with the cajun seasoning while they are still hot.1½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning
AIR FRYER COOKING
- Preheat your air fryer to 375ºF/190ºC and your oven to 200ºF/90ºC
- Drain and rinse the potatoes, then dry well on a clean tea towel.
- Place the potatoes in a dry bowl and pour over the oil.¼ cup oil
- Turn the potatoes with your hands until they are all evenly coated.
- Add the first batch of fries to the bottom of the air fryer basket, making sure not to stack them on top of each other.
- Cook for 15 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
- Place the cooked fries on a rack on a baking sheet.
- Place in the warm oven while the other batches of fries are cooking.
- Once you are done with all the potatoes, remove them from the oven, tip into a bowl, and sprinkle with the cajun seasoning while they are still hot.1½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning
For Frozen French Fries (See above for homemade fries)
- Cook the fries as per the packet instructions.1 lb frozen french fries
- To make the most of your frozen fries, preheat your oven/air fryer and don't allow the fries to defrost beforehand.
- If you can, bake the frozen fries on an oven rack to ensures they cook evenly.
- Once cooked, sprinkle with the cajun seasoning and serve.1½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning
Notes
- Yukon Gold, Russet, Sebago, Red Delight, King Edward or Desiree potatoes are all good for making fries/hot chips.
- You can make your own fries using the instructions, or for a quicker alternative use frozen French fries.
- I use white vinegar, but you can use apple cider vinegar instead.
- I use vegetable oil for making fries but you can sub with olive oil/canola oil/sunflower oil/melted coconut oil.
- You can buy a store-bought cajun blend or make your own with this recipe: Cajun Seasoning Blend
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Sheri says
I love your cajun seasoning for the french fries! I would have never thought about combining the two but the extra flavor just takes this simple side dish to another level. Thank you for a great recipe!
suzie says
I absolutely ADORE French fries. These Cajun-spiced fries turned out perfectly and are a great side for many of my Mardi Gras favorites this time of year.
Anna says
I'm always on the hunt for new seasoning ideas to jazz up regular fries, and this combo of spices did not disappoint. This recipe was so easy to throw together too. I'll definitely be making a bigger batch of the seasoning next time to have on hand.