Baked French Fries

By
Kimberley Eggleston
Kimberley Eggleston
Kimberley Eggleston is a registered dietitian, nutrition class instructor, and food writer who specializes in healthy cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/28/22
Baked French Fries

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
101 Calories
2g Fat
18g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 101
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 598mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 6mg 31%
Calcium 19mg 1%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 416mg 9%
*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.)

The trick to these low calorie oven-baked fries is a hot, hot oven. You might have thought that you had to give up on french fries when you decided to try and eat a little healthier. After all, dropping slices of starchy white potatoes into oodles of piping hot grease is a red flag, and most of us know that by now. But these baked oven fries take the comfort and great taste of regular french fries and makes them not quite so unhealthy. Yes, white potatoes are of course still used. But, sometimes, what's so wrong with a little potato? They are still a vegetable and offer some key nutrients such as vitamin A and dietary fiber. Don't go overboard, and a bit of potato is just fine.

These fries aren't dumped in a pot of boiling oil, but are rather lightly coated with olive oil and dusted with a bit of salt.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound russet potatoes

  • 4 cups water

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Baked French Fries ingredients

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Coat a large baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. 

    baking sheet

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Peel the potatoes, and slice them into 1/2-inch strips.

    potato cut into strips

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. In a large bowl, combine the water with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the sugar. Drop the potato slices into the water solution, and soak for 5 minutes. This will help to draw some of the moisture out of the potatoes so that they can bake up a little more crisply. Drain, and pat the potatoes dry with a towel.

    potato pieces in a bowl of water

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes together with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the olive oil, and toss to coat the potatoes evenly. Spread the potato slices in a single layer on the prepared large baking sheet.

    potato pieces in a bowl

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. Bake at 425 F for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and turn the fries over with a spatula.

    baked potato strips on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. Raise the oven temperature to 500 F. Bake an additional 10 minutes, until the fries are crisp and golden.

    Baked French Fries on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni