These loaded French fries are the ultimate snack for game days, movie nights or a low key Friday at home.
Made with crispy fries piled high with melty cheese, crispy bacon and all your favorite toppings, they’re a great appetizer or even a hearty side dish.
These loaded cheese fries are endlessly customizable so you can get as creative as you’d like!
Enjoy them as part of a game day spread, a side dish for burgers or a random Friday night when you just want to treat yourself.
Ingredients
- French fries. Try steak fries, crinkle cut, waffle fries, sweet potato fries or even make your own homemade fries. Anything goes!
- Cheddar cheese. The sharper the better for the best flavor. For best results, shred your cheese by hand. Pre-shredded cheddar contains an anti-clumping agent that won’t melt as smoothly.
- Bacon
- Seasoned salt
- Green onions
How to Make Loaded French Fries
Get the Fries Going in the Oven
Start by baking the fries. Spread them out onto a baking sheet in a single layer.
While the fries are baking, go ahead and prep the toppings.
Prep the Toppings
Grate the cheese, dice the scallions and cook the bacon. If you dice the bacon before you cook it, it will cook faster.
Season the Fries
Remove the fries from the oven about 5 minutes short of their full cook time. Then, toss them in the seasoned salt.
Place them back onto the baking sheet and load on the cheese and bacon.
Finish the Loaded Fries in the Oven
Place the topped fries back in the oven for another 3-5 minutes, until the cheese melts.
When you pull them out, garnish the fries with chopped scallions, sour cream and anything else you like.
Variations
1. The Fries. So many options here! Try thick cut fries, shoestring fries, steak fries, waffle fries, crinkle cut fries, sweet potato fries.. the list goes on! Or, swap out the fries entirely and try tater tots instead.
2. The Protein. Try adding seasoned ground beef or turkey, shredded rotisserie chicken or buffalo chicken for variations from the bacon – or in addition to the bacon. Depending on how you season the ground meat, you could do taco fries, buffalo fries or even BBQ chicken fries.
3. The Cheese. Cheddar makes everything better, but there are other delicious options too! Mozzarella is a Philly favorite for fries. Also try cheese curds for a poutine type of vibe. If you like more oozy cheese, try making homemade cheese sauce!
4. The Toppings. Experiment with hot sauce, ranch dressing, malt vinegar and more.
Air Fryer Instructions
An air fryer is a great option for cooking fries.
Spread the fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket, being careful not to overcrowd. The space allows the hot air to come in contact with all sides of the fries, which is what makes them golden brown and crisp.
Air fry them at 380 for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Different air fryers may have slightly different cook times, so be sure to check on your fries every few minutes.
Pro Tips
- Arrange fries in a single layer on the sheet pan for the crispiest results.
- Shred your own cheeses instead of using pre-shredded cheese for smoother melting.
- Don’t add cold toppings until after baking.
- Use a large bowl to toss homemade fries with oil and seasoning before baking.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover loaded fries in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat on a baking sheet in the oven to help bring back the crispy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Steak fries, waffle fries, crinkle cut fries and homemade fries all work great in this recipe.
Yes! Slice Russet potatoes, soak them in cold water, dry thoroughly, then bake or deep fry until golden brown.
Bake the fries on a sheet tray in a single layer and avoid overcrowding. This helps prevent soggy fries and gives maximum crispiness. You can then arrange them in a pile for the last 5 minutes of baking, as the cheese melts.
When you make this loaded French fries recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more French fries recipes, try these:
Loaded French Fries
Ingredients
- 32 oz. frozen French fries
- 6 strips bacon
- 3 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 1/4 cup scallions diced
- 2 tsp. seasoned salt
- sour cream garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F degrees.
- Dice the bacon. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, until crispy. Set aside.
- Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Arrange the fries in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the fries from the oven and toss them in the seasoned salt. Spread them back out onto the baking sheet. Cover with cheese and bacon. Bake for an additional 3 minutes, until cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven. Garnish with chopped scallions and sour cream.
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