Parmesan Truffle Fries are a chef’s dream come true. Simple, perfectly made double fried French fries topped with Parmesan cheese and shaved truffles. Absolutely decadent considered truffles cost between $150 – $300 dollars PER OUNCE, are difficult to find, are seasonal and have a ridiculously short shelf life.
So, over the years, I’ve seen dozens of recipes where French fries are tossed with grated Parmesan cheese and then drizzled with truffle oil. These are an option but often, truffle oil will get a bad rap for having an artificial taste and for being way too strong. Professional chefs have been known to rip the ingredient to shreds saying it can be overbearing and never seems to get used properly. I hear you Geoffrey Zakarian!
So, what is a girl to do? I can’t afford to put shaved truffles on my fries, and I must agree with the chefs, I really don’t like the truffle oils I’ve tried. Way too strong. I feel the same about truffle butter (Sorry, didn’t like that product either.) That’s why I was completely surprised by this new Parmesan Inspirations Truffle Infused seasoning from Shawhan Farms. It is subtle in flavor and just delicious. I’ve already used it to make a truffle mushroom pizza, truffle infused Parmesan & sausage stuffed mushrooms and Parmesan truffle pasta. I love the stuff!
With that said, make no mistake, this seasoning will not replace the rich, earthy flavor of fresh shaved truffles. But, as a poor man’s version of Parmesan truffle fries, this is a winner.
To get started with this recipe, let’s start with the potatoes.
PREPPING POTATOES TO MAKE FRENCH FRIES
There is an art to making the perfect French fry and I’m here to share all the tricks. And the best news is that it takes just three ingredients for the perfect fries: russet potatoes, canola oil and kosher salt. That’s it. More about turning these into my poor man’s Parmesan truffle fries later.
Start by peeling your potatoes. Rinse them and dry them. Next comes the cutting of the potatoes. Now, if you are lucky enough to have a French fry cutter at home (I’m impressed!) use that. I just don’t make fries often enough to warrant the expense. So, I hand cut the potatoes myself. You’ll want to slice the potatoes into 1/3-inch slices. Then, lay them flat on a cutting board, and cut the slices into 1/3-inch sticks (fries). The general idea is to keep all your fries about the same size, so they cook evenly. If you want skinny fries, cut accordingly. Steak fries? Cut them thicker. Crinkle fries? Use a crinkle fry cutter. You get the idea.
As you cut your fries, add them to a bowl of ice-cold water. You’ll want to be sure the potatoes are covered by at least an inch of water. You’ll let them soak for at least an hour and up to 24 hours. I just put the bowl in the fridge until I’m ready to fry up the potatoes. By soaking the potatoes, you are removing excess starch which will allow the fries to get super crispy. A must!
Don’t forget to dry them well before adding to the oil. Water and oil don’t mix, so you don’t want a lot of sputtering and oil splashing because of wet fries. That’s dangerous.
FRYING OIL
When you are ready, heat the oil in a large, heavy stock pot and make sure you have a thermometer attached inside the pot. Fill the pot halfway with canola oil and heat to 320 degrees F. You want to leave room in the pot for the potatoes and to allow the oil to expand without overflowing. (very dangerous). 320 degrees F. will be the temperature needed for the first of two fries.
Use a neutral flavored oil. I use canola oil which is neutral in flavor and affordable. You don’t want to use olive oil here which is too expensive and has a distinct taste.
After you fry your potatoes for 6-7 minutes the FIRST TIME, they should be a light brown, you’ll let them drain on a rack set over a baking sheet.
Let the potatoes sit for about five minutes. Reheat the oil to 350 degrees F. for the second fry. Gently add the potatoes into the oil and fry for another two minutes until golden brown. Using a spider, remove the fries and carefully shake off the excess oil. Place in a bowl and proceed to seasoning. Be sure oil is at 350 degrees F. for all batches of fries being fried for the second time.
The double fry method makes your fries crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Perfect fries every time.
Tips when frying:
1. Be sure to keep the heat at a steady temperature and always use a thermometer. Don’t guess.
2. Reheat the oil in between batches.
3. Skim the oil if there are a lot of particles floating around. It keeps your oil clean and your fries golden brown.
4. Have your oven preheated to 200 degrees F. and a rack set over a parchment lined baking sheet so you can keep the fries warm in the oven in between batches. (If necessary and cooking lots of fries).
SEASONING YOUR FRIES
It is imperative to season your fries as soon as they come out of the oil. You want to drain the fries and shake off excess oil but then add them to a large bowl and add the seasoning. Toss to coat the fries. Then, immediately serve and enjoy.
If you are making a lot of fries and/or must hold them for up to 20 minutes, put the seasoned fries on a rack set over a parchment lined baking sheet. The parchment will catch any excess oil and make cleaning up easier. Make it your mission to eat these as soon as possible when they are hot and crispy.
While these are Parmesan truffle fries, you could be seasoning these with anything you like from just salt to garlic powder, onion powder, grated cheese and more. Just be sure to do it while they are still hot and able to absorb those flavors.
DOUBLE FRYING
For years, I just threw my potatoes in the oil and fried them until brown. I thought they were fine. And then, I had double fried potatoes, watched a dozen cooking shows and tried the double fry method. There was no turning back. The double fry is the difference between OK Fries and amazing crispy on the outside, soft on the inside fries. Do NOT skip the second fry.
DIPPING SAUCE
These Parmesan truffle fries are good on their own and don’t need any sauce, but if you are a diehard ketchup person, go ahead and serve it on the side. Another fun option would be to serve warmed marinara sauce for that Italian flavor. Since I’m grating fresh Parmesan cheese on these fries, it is perfect.
So, are you ready to enjoy my poor man’s Parmesan truffle fries? You are going to love these. If you liked this recipe and love potatoes as much as I do, be sure to try some of my other favorite potato recipes.
Roasted Rosemary & Garlic Baby Potatoes
Smashed Loaded Potatoes
Crispy Parmesan Potatoes with Pomegranate Yogurt Dip
Roasted Crispy Garlic Potatoes
Dad’s Home Fries
Grilled Baked Potatoes
Potato Pancakes
Parmesan Truffle Fries
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 Six-inch-long russet potato, peeled and rinsed
- 1 Quart Canola Oil
- 1 tsp Shawhan Farms Gourmet Parmesan Inspirations Truffle Infused Seasoning
- Kosher Salt to taste
- Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Peel your potato and rinse. Cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch slices and then cut the slices into 1/3-inch fries. Place the potatoes in a large bowl of cold water and soak for at least an hour and up to 24 hours. Be sure the potatoes are submerged in the water (you can place a heavy plate on top to keep the potatoes under water.) This process removes a lot of the starch from the potatoes and will make these super crispy.
- Drain the potatoes and dry them well with paper towels.
- Heat the canola oil in a large pot fitted with a thermometer. Bring the temperature to 325 - 330 degrees F. Do not fill the pot more than halfway with oil. You need to leave room for the potatoes and for the oil to expand.
- Place a rack over a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Add a handful of the dried potatoes gently into the oil for the first fry. Fry the potatoes for 6-7 minutes until they are light, blond, brown in color. Lift the fries from the oil with a spider and place on the prepared rack. Continue with all the potatoes until the first fry is done. Be sure you bring the oil back to temperature between each fry.
- Next, fry the potatoes for a second time. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Add the par cooked potatoes in batches and fry until golden brown. About 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oil with a spider and shake off excess oil. Place in a large bowl and immediately season with the truffle Parmesan seasoning and salt. Toss to combine. Serve immediately for the best flavor. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the top. (optional) Alternatively, you can place them on the rack and keep warm in a 200-degree F. oven until all the fries are done. Serve as soon as possible for the best possible texture and flavor.
