Truffled French Fries

By
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/23/21
Tested by
Renae Wilson
Photo of Renae E. Wilson
Tested by Renae Wilson
Renae has certifications in both Pastry Arts and Culinary Arts from the Institute of Culinary Education and works as a private chef and caterer, recipe tester and developer, and food writer. Renae has written and developed recipes for Rachael Ray In Season, the Kitchn, Food52, and more.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Truffled French Fries

The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Soak Time: 60 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
430 Calories
28g Fat
42g Carbs
5g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 430
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g 36%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 184mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 19mg 96%
Calcium 35mg 3%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 1066mg 23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Truffles have been a treasure in high cuisine for years. Due to how hard it is to find truffles and how expensive they are, truffles used to be out of reach for most people, incorporated into elegant and exclusive dishes that most home cooks wouldn't attempt to make. However, affordable truffle-infused oil became an alternative to the actual truffle and the mesmerizing flavor of this underground fungus captivated a new audience of adventurous eaters. Truffle fries popped up in restaurants across the United States, creating a hype that means truffles became less scary and more common.

Truffle oils are delicious, decadent, salty, and earthy. While they are great accompaniments to meat, poultry, and seafood, they also kick up tasty snacks to go alongside a beer or cocktail. Because fries when coupled with truffle oil have such a robust flavor, make sure you serve them alongside foods that can hold their own. An obvious choice is a steak, but for sheer indulgence, you can, of course, eat them on their own.

Casual and unconventional, these fries are a great addition to your recipe arsenal. Easy to make and packed with flavor, use our recipe as a base and experiment with the amount of oil you'd like, the seasonings, and the additions of other herbs.

They're cooked twice in oil for a crunchy outside and a perfect inside, so be mindful of the very high temperature of the oil in this recipe: fry the potatoes carefully, and keep kids and pets out of the kitchen.

1:38

Click Play to See This Recipe Come Together

"Not overpowering. Straight forward, extra crisp fries. Addicting." —Renae Wilson

Truffled French Fries Recipe Test
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 4 large waxy potatoes, peeled

  • 4 cups water, plus 2 cups of ice

  • 4 to 5 cups vegetable oil, for frying

  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons white or black truffle oil

  • 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley, optional

  • 1 clove garlic, sliced, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Truffled French Fries ingredients

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  2. Cut the peeled potatoes lengthwise into thin strips, about 1/3-inch wide.

    peeled potatoes cut into fries on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  3. Add the water and ice to a medium-sized bowl and soak the potatoes for one hour.

    potatoes in a bowl of ice water

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  4. Drain and pat completely dry.

    potatoes on a towel patted dry

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  5. Heat up the oil in a deep-fryer or deep skillet to 325 F and blanch the potatoes for 2 minutes by frying them in batches. Drain the fries on fresh kitchen towels or paper towels.

    potatoes on paper towels

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  6. Bring the oil to 375 F. Cook the potatoes for the second time. This time leave them for 1 1/2 minutes.

    potatoes frying in a skillet

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  7. Drain the fries on baking sheets lined with fresh kitchen towels or paper towels. Sprinkle them with salt to taste.

    potatoes on a paper towel lined baking sheet, sprinkled with salt

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  8. Drizzle the truffle oil over and dust with the optional grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the optional parsley for a colorful addition.

    Truffled French Fries on a platter

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

For the Best Truffle Fries

Keep in mind these recommendations when making our truffle fries:

  • The trick to making savory, earthy, and inexpensive truffle fries is to use premium-quality truffle oil. Cheaper truffle oil is made using synthetic flavoring, not a real truffle. But because a little goes a long way, you'll only need a few tiny drops to make your truffle fries perfect. Do not skimp on price.
  • Always use fresh cooking oil when preparing fries. Old oil can easily taint the flavor of the fries, plus any crumbs in the oil can burn when reheated, which, in turn, will spoil the taste of the fries. Always strain cooking oil once cooled before using it again. 
  • Truffle French fries do not keep well and can soften fairly quickly. Left too long, the scent of the truffle will disappear, and the potatoes will become soggy. If needed, reheat in the oven at 350 F for 10 to 15 minutes, and add a minimal amount of truffle oil to wake-up the flavor.

What Is a Truffle and What Is the Difference Between Black and White Truffle Oil?

A truffle is a type of fungus that grows at the base of certain trees. They're usually found and manually harvested in European grounds with the help of sniffing dogs and pigs. Truffle farming is now more common but wild truffles are the most sought-after because of their rarity, size, and flavor.

There are many varieties of truffles, but black and white, for their price and flavor, are the ones you'll hear about the most.


Truffle oil is an edible oil infused with truffles. There is white truffle oil and black truffle oil. Both oils have an intense flavor and go well with meats, eggs, vegetables, and seafood. But each has characteristics that pair better with some foods rather than others.


White truffle oil is garlicky and more delicate. Black truffle oil is rich and very intense. Because of their qualities, white usually goes well with delicate meats, and black goes well with game and red meats. But ultimately, what determines which oil is better for your fries is your palate.

If you have the chance to buy both oils, try the fries with one or the other, and make your own favorite recipe.