How To Reheat French Fries
French fries are best served when they are fresh from the heat and are still crispy. It makes a perfect addition to every meal and snack. However, French fries have a short life. Leftover fries easily get soggy and harder to bring back to their original texture. Even an air fryer or oven baking sheet method will not guarantee reheating fries a better flavor and texture.
These reheating French Fry tricks will come in handy if you have been catering for a large group and have leftovers. See our Handy Table of Exactly how many french fries you need for a party of 10 to 100 people.
Plus how much ketchup is a packet and how many do you need for a large serving of fries.
So, some will immediately throw them out in the bin, adding food waste to the environment. Some may just eat soggy fries or worse even cold fries!.
As such, we have discovered easy tips on how to reheat French fries by using home appliances and do-it-yourself methods. We have also listed down tips on what to do with your leftover French fries to make the most out of them at home.
If you have Mcdonalds Fries – then learn how to reheat Mcdonalds Fries Properly.
And who does not like fries with seafood like crab legs – learn how to reheat crab legs in 8 different ways.
How Reheat French Fries Top 4 ways in 2024
French Fry Problem: The cooked french fries on my plate look like they were reheated too long. They taste fine though so I just eat them anyway. What am I doing wrong here?
Answer – If it looks like they’ve been cooked too long then there’s probably something wrong with their cooking method. Try frying them again using fresh oil and cook until golden brown before serving. Alternatively, if you’re feeling adventurous try adding some salt after heating them – that’ll make sure they stay crispy longer.
Top Solution For Crispy Reheat French Fries: Follow our top 4 ways to reheat french fries below.
How Do You Reheat Leftover French Fries
In this area, we will be using four different appliances: oven, air fryer, broiler, and skillet. Choose which works for you and see which method has the best results in reheating French fries.
Reheating French fries Oven
How to reheat french fries in an oven? Here we will show you how to do this step by step!
To reheat your fries through a hot oven or toaster oven, you will need to spend at least 25 minutes, maybe slightly longer for thicker fries or steak fries. Start by following these steps:
Preheat the oven to 350-400º Fahrenheit.
Spread the French fries on the baking sheet. You can place aluminum foil on top.
Reheat until it gets toasty and crispy. Check every five minutes to get the exact result you want.
Other heating fries tips for the oven.
Parchment paper, baking sheets are great ways to place them on an oven tray or even a cookie sheet. Aluminum foil may also be used. If your fries are really dry you could use a little oil – and only tiny. (I like olive oil). Cooking spray is another good solution
The best way to get french fries back to their original state is by using medium high heat.
Reheating French fries Air fryer
Using an air fryer to make reheated fries is a modern way to do it. This and the oven are the best ways to make crispy fries from McDonald’s french fries. This is also the best method if you want to get a closer result in refrying. I find it best to preheat the air fryer and it will only take 6-10 minutes to do this. The time for heating fries will vary – for loaded fries and steak fries it will take longer than old fries that are thin. See how to reheat nachos in an air fryer.
Cold french fries will also take slightly longer than fries which are already at room temperature and just need reheating.
- Spread a single layer of leftover fries in the basket and put a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
- Air fry for a maximum of eight minutes until you achieve your desired texture.
- Make sure that the air fryer basket is not congested to allow the heat to circulate at every angle of the fries.
Reheating French fries – Broil
Using a broiler for reheating French fries will only take at least 10 minutes of your time. This may not be very common to everyone but it still works anyway. The broiler will give a crispy result but it needs more of your attention since it tends to burn the fries, especially the thinner ones. A longer time of broiling the fries will also lead to being overcooked on the inside yet crispy on the surface. To do this, follow the steps below.
Place aluminum as the base and arrange a layer of fries for proper heat distribution.
Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes over low to medium heat.
Broil the fries for 5 minutes or until you get the desired texture.
Flip to the other side and wait until it gets golden brown and warmed.
Let it cool and serve.
These go well with Chicken Wings – here are the best ways to reheat Chicken Wings.
Reheating French fries through a skillet
Reheating French fries through a skillet is also one of the most common ways to do it, especially if you do not have any oven, air fryer, or broiler. And of course, you will need a stovetop for this method. Follow these steps to efficiently do it:
Prepare a medium-sized pan or deep fryer if you have at least one bowl of day-old fries to reheat.
Spread 1 tablespoon of oil (vegetable, canola, or olive oil) over medium-high heat. Make sure it gets very hot before reheating the fries.
Place an even, single layer of fries. Make sure it has enough space for proper even crispiness.
Cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until you get your desired result. Do not forget to flip on both sides for even crispness.
Once they are done, place them on a double-layered paper towel to excrete the excess oil
Spread salt or cheese on top.
Top 5 Recipes 2024– What to Do With Leftover Fries
If you have a bunch of leftover French fries stock in your fridge, it’s time to take them out and turn them into something new! These recipes work well when they no longer look like fresh fries. We will be giving you tips on how to turn your stale fries into a casserole, poutine, frittata, hash browns, and mashed potatoes. Check the simple steps below!
Leftover Fries Casserole
French fries casserole is a very easy recipe to do. Plus, the ingredients are easy to find in the kitchen. Get your leftover fries ready and follow this recipe:
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 kilogram French fries
- 3/4 cup melted cheese
- 1 medium-sized can mushroom soup
- pinch of salt and black pepper
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Get a medium-sized (9×13 inch) baking sheet and grease it with oil.
3. On a skillet, pour a little bit of oil and cook the onion, green pepper, and ground beef together for 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Season the beef with salt and pepper.
5. Pour the mushroom soup. Let it simmer over medium heat.
6. Place the beef mixture into the baking sheet and spread a single layer.
7. Spread the melted cheese over the layer of beef and top it with the leftover fries.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Poutine – Leftover Fries
Canadian Poutine recipe for leftover fries is very common to everyone. this food is full of fries, gravy, and cheese, which is everyone’s favorite!
Servings: 3
Ingredients:
- 1-quart oil
- 1 can gravy
- 1/2 kilogram French fries
- 2 cups cheese curds
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in the skillet to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Warm the gravy over medium heat. Stir regularly.
3. Pour the fries into the heated oil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Make sure you do not congest the skillet with fries, make space for heat to distribute evenly.
4. Remove the fries once it turns into golden.
5. Place it over a double layer of paper towel to remove the excess oil.
6. Sprinkle a generous amount of cheese over them.
7. Pour a generous amount of gravy over the fries.
Leftover Fries Frittata Recipe
Frittata works well with any leftover food you have in your kitchen and fridge, including your soggy, dry, and cold leftover fries. In less than 20 minutes, you can finish everything with this recipe.
Servings: 5 servings
Ingredients:
- 8 large eggs
- 1/2 cup melted cheese
- 1/4 milk
- 1/2 kg French fries
- 6 strips bacon
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare a medium-sized skillet and pour in the oil until very hot.
3. Chop and cook the bacon.
4. Combine the eggs, cheese, milk, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
5. Prepare a cast-iron skillet and transfer the bacon and eggs.
6. Add the leftover fries.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until the ingredients have fully set in.
Hash browns made from leftover fries.
This leftover fries recipe will be perfect if you want to use up all those leftovers from yesterday’s dinner or snacks. It is also great when you do not feel like cooking anything else but still need something warm on the table. This dish takes only 10 minutes to prepare and tastes delicious.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 lb frozen fries, chopped
- 1 stick butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 egg
- 1/2 lb ham, chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
Directions
1. Prepare a medium-sized cooking pan and melt the butter. Cook the ham over medium heat.
2. Add the leftover fries and scramble in the egg.
3. Add the garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Spread the shredded cheddar cheese on top.
5. Serve warm.
Mashed Fries
If you are looking for an easy way to get rid of that extra fries in your fridge, then try out this simple mash french fry recipe. You’ll love how crispy this dish turns out. They’re so good they might even replace regular french fries at home.
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
- 1 pound leftover fries
- 1-quart vegetable Oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup chicken stock powder
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions:
1. Prepare a large mixing bowl and mash the fries until they smoothen.
2. Add a generous amount of cornstarch, salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Combine well.
3. Pour the heavy cream into the mixture and combine well.
4. Take a scoop and shape it into a ball.
5. Sprinkle a tablespoon of cornstarch on a clean table and roll the fries.
6. Prepare a skillet and add the oil over medium heat.
7. Fry the mashed French fries and serve with ketchup or gravy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you reheat restaurant French fries?
You can either bake them in an oven or microwave them. If you are using microwaves, then place them inside a plastic bag first before heating them. The reason is that microwaving causes moisture loss which makes the potato chips lose their crispness.
How do you make French fries crispy again?
You should always fry it at a high temperature so that it dries out quickly. Then, after frying, immediately put them in an ice bath to stop the further drying process. Store in an airtight container when it has completely cooled down. The methods written above will also help you in making your fries crispy again.
How to bring French Fries back to life?
If you have too many leftovers, you can either reheat and make them crispy by using either oven, air fryer, broiler, or skillet. One of the important things to remember in bringing the fries back to life is to completely dry them out before cooking again.
What is the best way to reheat leftover French Fries?
The best and recommended way to reheat French fries is through an air fryer. It is healthier since you will not need plenty of oil and it only takes a few minutes to do it. As mentioned above, you only need to spread a single layer of fries in the basket, put a little bit of oil, and air fry for a maximum of eight minutes only.
What kind of toppings would go best with fries recipes?
There are a lot of sauces and dips that you can choose from. A few of which are: sour cream, cheese powder, bbq sauce, taco beef, chimichurri, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and queso fresco.
You can also use some of these tips and tricks to reheat the following
How to reheat potato chips
How to reheat baked potatoes
Of course you can serve your steak fries with Hamburgers.