Baked Thick-Cut Fries

Lazy Wives' Fries

The Spruce / Tara Donne / Getty Images

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Nothing beats a serving of piping hot salty fries, and after you've tried this Dutch take on the classic side dish you might never want to go back to thin, peeled fries. Unpeeled fries are called luie wijven friet or ''lazy wives' fries'' in Dutch, and while the name denotes old gender household roles, it also points out the fries' most relevant characteristic: not a lot of work. You simply need a few baking potatoes, oil, salt and pepper to taste, and any dried herb you'd like. That's it. No peeling, frying, or double frying: cut, season, bake. And then you'll have a beautiful side dish that is the perfect accompaniment to burgers, hot dogs, steaks, or any grilled protein such as fish or chicken. Even on their own, these are fantastic finger food to share with friends while having a pre-dinner drink.

By crisping up the potatoes in the oven, you're not only saving a ton of calories in frying oil, but also a lot of work, as you just need to place a baking sheet with the potatoes into the oven and come back after 30 minutes to take them out. You don't even need to soak the potatoes to remove excess starch. These thick wedges have a great rustic look and have a ton of flavor, as the crispy skin does add a touch of earthiness in addition to its delicious texture. Serve with any creamy sauce of your liking, like spicy mayo, tartare, Russian dressing, or chunkier preparations like artichoke or cheese dips.

For this recipe, you need baking potatoes, which means that you have to buy high-starch potatoes like russets, the best type for both frying and baking. They cook fast and have a light texture, so when frying or oven frying, these potatoes produce the best fries, with or without skin. Other potatoes with less starch like yellow potatoes might work too, but they won't be as long or yield the thick wedges this recipe is intended to have. But, no matter which route you decide to go, give a try to our lazy recipe, and discover how no-work doesn't mean that there won't be a ton of flavor.

Ingredients

  • 6 large baking potatoes, washed and cut into fat, thumb-sized strips or wedges

  • 4 to 6 tablespoons oil

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Dried rosemary, thyme, or chile flakes, to taste, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to 450 F / 250 C. Arrange potato strips in a single layer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, placed on the top oven rack.

  3. Drizzle with oil and toss with your hands. You want every bit of potato to glisten with oil, but you do not want them drenched. Add the optional dried herbs, if using.

  4. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the fries reach the color and crispness that you like.

  5. Drain on paper towels and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
621 Calories
22g Fat
96g Carbs
12g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 621
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 208mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 96g 35%
Dietary Fiber 10g 37%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 37mg 186%
Calcium 82mg 6%
Iron 5mg 27%
Potassium 2469mg 53%
*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.)