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These homemade Cajun fries take a classic French fries recipe and turn it into something spectacular. Fried to a perfectly crispy golden brown and tossed in a savory, smoky, spicy seasoning, they are truly something to write home about.
Jump To
- Why You’ll Love This Cajun Fries Recipe
- What Are Cajun Fries?
- Recipe Ingredients
- How to Make Cajun Fries
- Can Cajun Fries be Made in an Air Fryer?
- Recipe Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- How to Store and Reheat Extras
- What is the Difference Between French Fries and Cajun Fries?
- More Tasty Side Dishes
- Homemade Cajun Fries Recipe
Kick your taste buds into high gear with this easy Cajun fries recipe, perfectly seasoned to deliver that essential pow of heat and crispiness! It’s my take on those awesome Five Guys Cajun Fries everyone loves. The best part? You can play around with the spices. More garlic? Sure. Extra kick with Cayenne? You got it. Your fries, your rules.
Why You’ll Love This Cajun Fries Recipe
- A little heat. The seasoning really makes these homemade French fries stand out. It provides the perfect kick of heat for your taste buds to ponder.
- Texture. That crispy fried exterior beside the soft, cooked potato beneath it is SO good.
- Versatile. This is a fantastic recipe for fries. The Cajun seasoning is just the icing on the cake. Play with it as much as you’d like or try concocting your very own seasoning.
What Are Cajun Fries?
Cajun fries are simply french fries tossed in a classic Cajun seasoning mix. I made my own because I like having full control of the flavors here, but you could just as easily grab a store bought jar of Cajun seasoning.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make this Cajun fries recipe. We’ll use a simple blend of spices to create our homemade seasoning mix, potatoes for that flawless crunch, and canola oil for frying to perfection.
- For the Cajun spice mix: To make the homemade Cajun seasoning, you’ll need some smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, dried oregano, ground black pepper, and cayenne. I suggest using 1-1/2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper. I like a little heat here, but if your taste buds are slightly less interested in spice, reduce the amount of cayenne to your liking or down to 1/4 teaspoon.
- Russet potatoes: Nailing homemade french fries is all about picking the perfect potato, like Russet or Idaho. These are the spuds that turn fluffy and light once they’re cooked, giving you that unbeatable French fry crunch.
- Canola oil: For frying. You can also use peanut oil or vegetable oil.
How to Make Cajun Fries
Got your potatoes ready? Great! Here’s a straightforward guide to frying our Cajun fries to a golden perfection.
- Prepare the seasoning. Whisk together the ingredients for the seasoning.
- Cut the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into thin, even strips to make fries.
- Fry. Heat 3 inches of oil to 360°F and deep fry the potatoes in batches for about 9 min per batch, moving them around occasionally for even cooking. Transfer the fries to a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
- Season. Once the oil has drained off of the fries, toss the fries with the Cajun seasoning.
- Enjoy. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce, such as ketchup, ranch, or yum yum sauce. Add a curry chicken salad sandwich to the spread, too!
Can Cajun Fries be Made in an Air Fryer?
Absolutely, you can. Toss the sliced potatoes with olive oil and place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer without the potatoes touching each other. You will have to work in batches. Air fry for 12 to 15 minutes at 380˚F, flipping them halfway through the cooking process. If the fries are not as crispy as you like, continue to air fry them a little longer. Take them out, spray them with cooking spray, and toss them in the seasoning mix.
Recipe Tips
- Consistent sizes. When slicing your potatoes, be sure to keep the fries as uniform in thickness as possible to ensure even cooking.
- Make crispy fries. If you’d like a crispier fry, soak the potatoes in cold water for 20 minutes, which helps them achieve a crispier texture when cooked.
- Temperature matters. Bring the oil up to 360˚F before you start frying. I highly recommend using a candy thermometer to make sure you are hitting the mark. Oil that is too cool will not crisp up your fries properly. Instead, it will seep into the potato strips, making them soggy.
- Don’t crowd the oil. If you try to cook too many potato strips at once, the oil temperature will drop quickly and you will end up with soggy fries. Fry in batches.
- Keep it moving. Use a spider skimmer to move your fries around a bit as they cook. This will help ensure that they get nice and golden brown and crispy on all sides.
- Adjust the spices. Feel free to play a little with the spices here. If you like a more mild french fry, decrease the amount of cayenne. Feeling drawn to that smoky flavor from the smoked paprika? Use more!
Serving Suggestions
You can dip these flavorful Cajun fries in ketchup, garlic aioli, Honey Mustard Sauce, or even my Blender Hollandaise Sauce. You could also add a drizzle of this Homemade Garlic Butter Sauce.
Serve them with some main courses and keep the Cajun theme going with this recipe for Grilled Tilapia with Cajun Butter, my Slow Cooker Cajun Jambalaya, or this simple yet delicious Grilled Blackened Chicken.
I love fries with burgers, too. Who doesn’t? Make my Juicy Turkey Burgers, these Easy Black Bean Burgers, or my Salmon Burgers!
How to Store and Reheat Extras
To store, allow the fries to cool completely before sealing them in an airtight container and storing them in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe bag.
To reheat, spread the fries in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven at 425°F until heated through; 5 to 10 minutes for refrigerated fries and 10 to 15 minutes for frozen fries.
What is the Difference Between French Fries and Cajun Fries?
French fries and Cajun fries both start with sliced potatoes that are deep-fried until crispy. The primary difference lies in the seasoning. French fries are typically seasoned with just salt, whereas Cajun fries are seasoned with a blend of spices known as Cajun seasoning, and the result is a spicier, more flavorful potato with a bit of a kick.
More Tasty Side Dishes
- Air Fryer Carrots with Honey Balsamic Glaze
- Parmesan Crusted Potatoes
- La Scala Chopped Salad
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Japanese Kani Salad
- Roasted Artichokes
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Homemade Cajun Fries
Ingredients
For the Cajun Spice Mix
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- ½ tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper, you can use less cayenne if you prefer a more mild seasoning
For the Fries
- 4 large russet potatoes, washed and peeled
- canola oil, for frying
Instructions
- Prepare the Cajun spice mix. Whisk together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne.
- Cut the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into thin, even strips to make fries. Make sure they are of uniform thickness to ensure even cooking.
- Prepare to fry. Add 3 inches of oil to a pot and heat it to 360°F (use a candy thermometer). While the oil is heating, set a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
- Fry. Add a batch of potato strips to the hot oil (don’t overcrowd the pot) and fry for about 8 to 9 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, moving around occasionally with a spider skimmer. Remove the fries from the oil with the spider skimmer and allow them to drain on the wire rack. Bring the oil back to 360°F and repeat with the remaining fries.
- Season. Once the oil has drained off of the fries, add them to a large bowl with the Cajun spice mix. Toss to coat the fries in the seasoning. Serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Uniform Fries: Aim for consistent thickness in your potato slices for even frying.
- Perfect Temperature: Heat the oil to 360°F before frying. Use a candy thermometer for accuracy.
- Fry in Batches: Avoid overloading the oil with too many potato strips at once to prevent temperature drop and soggy fries.
- Stir for Even Cooking: Use a spider skimmer to gently stir the fries, ensuring they brown and crisp evenly on all sides.
- To Taste: Customize the spice levels to your preference. Use less cayenne for milder fries or more smoked paprika for a smoky touch.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
