These easy Cheese Fries are the ultimate indulgent comfort food.
Today I have a fun and easy snack/meal/midnight kitchen project for you, cheesy fries!
Easy Cheesy Fries
If you’re looking for something indulgent and comforting, you really can’t beat a plate of homemade fries loaded with creamy, glorious cheese sauce.
The good news (and maybe bad news) is that this is extremely easy to make at home, and all you need is a couple of russet potatoes, cheddar cheese, and some fridge and pantry staples.
Oven-baked Homemade Fries
If you have a bag of frozen fries in your freezer, you can absolutely use those, but these oven-baked homemade fries are *really* good and really simple to make.
A couple potatoes, a couple of minutes to cut them into wedges and toss them with olive oil, and about half an hour in the oven, and they’ll come out golden and beautiful, with crispy edges and creamy insides, ready to be drizzled with cheese sauce.
Ingredient Notes
- Russet Potatoes: Russet potatoes make the best classic potato wedges. I like to peel them, but that’s optional. If you prefer your fries with skin, just make sure your potatoes are well-scrubbed and cut them into wedges.
- Milk: You can use any percentage milk you’d like in this recipe, but the higher fat the milk, the smoother and creamier your sauce will be.
- Cheddar cheese: I recommend using freshly shredded cheese. The anti-caking additives in bagged, pre-shredded cheese can make your sauce lumpy. Sharp cheddar is my go-to for cheese sauces, but mild to extra sharp will all work.
How to Make Cheese Fries
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full printable recipe.
- Make your wedges: Toss potato wedges with olive oil, season, and then bake until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, flipping once about halfway through.
- Start the cheese sauce: Melt butter and whisk in flour until a thick paste forms. Cook until the paste begins to turn golden (this will cook the raw flour taste out of the sauce). Slowly add in milk and whisk until mixture is thickened and bubbly around the edges.
- Add cheese: Remove the sauce from heat and stir in the cheese a heaping handful at a time. Once the cheese is completely melted, add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
- Pour cheese sauce over fries: Serve and enjoy!!
Recommended Toppings
And if you’re feeling a little more ambitious, here are some additional cheesy fry topping ideas:
- Bacon (!!)
- Easy chili
- Sour cream
- Steamed broccoli (LOL)
- Carnitas, Barbacoa, or chopped up Carne Asada to make Carne Asada Fries
FAQ
Can I use a different type of potato for my homemade fries?
While russets are my preferred potato here, use whatever you have on hand. Smaller potatoes like reds will of course take less time to cook, so adjust the baking time as needed.
Can you make cheesy fries ahead of time?
I don’t recommend it. Both homemade fries and cheese sauce are really at their best when served immediately.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. You can scale the recipe up with no preparation changes needed except the sauce will take slightly longer to thicken when you add the milk. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
You Might Also Enjoy
- Nacho Cheese Sauce
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Microwave Baked Potato
- Microwave Sweet Potato
- Garlic Aioli
Cheese Fries Recipe Notes
- Keep a close eye on your fries in the last few minutes of cooking time. They tend to go from browned to over-browned quite quickly.
Easy Cheese Fries (With Homemade Fries)
Ingredients
Fries
- 2 medium to large russet potatoes peeled and cut into 8 wedges each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Seasoning salt or salt and pepper
Cheese Sauce
- 1 tablespoon (14g) salted butter
- 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup milk any percentage
- ¾ cup (3oz) shredded Cheddar cheese preferably sharp and freshly shredded
- Pinch of cayenne
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Oven-baked Fries
- Preheat your oven to 475°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
- Toss potato wedges with oil and arrange wedges on the baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with seasoning salt or salt and pepper.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Use a fork to flip the potatoes, sprinkle this side with seasoning salt/salt and pepper, and bake for an additional 10 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender and reach your desired level of crispiness. Watch closely in the last few minutes of baking time, as the edges will go from browned to burned quite quickly.
- Remove from oven, and immediately start your cheese sauce.
Cheese Sauce
- In a small pot, over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking continuously, until flour is lightly golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in milk, whisking out any lumps as they form. Continue to whisk the mixture until it is thickened and bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add cheese by the heaping handful and whisk until smooth after each. Once all the cheese is incorporated, and add cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste.
Assemble
- Transfer potato wedges to plates or bowls and drizzle cheese sauce over the top. Serve immediately, and enjoy.
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Krysta says
This recipe is so good reminds me of exactly how my grandmother used to make them. I totally recommend adding bacon if you want some crunch!
This is definitely going to be a favorite recipe for me and my family!
Tracy says
Thanks, Krysta! So glad you enjoyed it, and I totally agree with you about the bacon!!