If you've ever thrown away leftover fries, you've probably wished you knew how to reheat them. Luckily, it's very easy to heat French fries to restore their heat and crunch, but don't use the microwave. You can heat it in a skillet placed on the stove, in the oven, or place it in an air fryer for a few minutes. In no time you can have delicious fries like they were freshly removed from the frying pan!
Step
Method 1 of 4: Heating French Fries on the Stove
Step 1. Heat a skillet for 2 minutes over medium to high heat
Place the skillet on the stove and turn it on until it's hot before adding the fries to it. For crispy fries, use a cast-iron skillet as it retains heat better than a nonstick skillet.
If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, use the heaviest skillet you have at home
Step 2. Add 2 tsp. (10 ml) oil in a frying pan, then heat for about 20 seconds
To avoid burning the oil, choose an oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. Heat the oil before the fries are put in the pan.
If you have more than one handful of french fries, add another 1-2 tsp of oil. (5-10 ml)
Step 3. Add 1 cup (90 grams) of french fries to the pan
Spread the potatoes in a single layer so that each side is crispy. If you want to heat a few handfuls of potatoes, you may need to do this in batches to keep the pan from getting overcrowded.
Tip:
To heat large quantities of French fries, you can use the oven. This way, you can heat the fries in one pan at a time.
Step 4. Fry the potatoes for 2-5 minutes and turn them over
Allow the potatoes to fry for 1-2 minutes, then flip them over with a spatula. Continue to fry the potatoes for 1 minute and turn again so that all sides of the potatoes are hot.
To heat thin potatoes, you may only need 2-3 minutes. On thick potatoes, you should heat them for almost 5 minutes
Step 5. Transfer the potatoes to a plate that has been lined with paper towels and serve
Spread 1 or 2 paper towels on a plate. After that, transfer the fries from the pan to paper towels using a slotted spoon. Serve the fries while they are still crispy.
The tissue will absorb the oil in the fries
Method 2 of 4: Using the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 230 °C and cover a baking sheet with a sheet of aluminum foil
Prepare a baking sheet with a rim and place a sheet of aluminum foil on it. Aluminum foil is useful for preventing the fries from sticking to the pan.
Using a baking sheet with a rim is very important so that the potatoes don't fall out when you put them in the oven
Step 2. Spread the potatoes on the baking sheet
Try to spread the potatoes evenly on the pan so they don't stick together or get soggy. For crispy fries, lay out the potatoes in a single layer.
Tip:
If you want to heat a large batch of fries, it's a good idea to divide the potatoes into 2 pans for a nice texture.
Step 3. Bake the potatoes for 2-3 minutes
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and allow the potatoes to heat up. For thin potatoes, check 2 minutes later, or 3 minutes for thick potatoes.
Step 4. Remove the pan when the potatoes are hot and crunchy
Open the oven door and scoop out one of the potatoes using a spatula. Break the potatoes to see if they are all hot. The heating is complete when all the potatoes are hot and crispy.
If the center is still cold, leave the potatoes in the oven for 1 minute and check again. Remember, it won't take you long to heat the potatoes
Method 3 of 4: Using the Air Fryer
Step 1. Set the air fryer to 177 °C
Turn on the air fryer and heat for about 2 minutes before the fries are added to the basket. By preheating the air fryer, the french fries can be heated evenly.
Step 2. Put the french fries in the basket
Place 1 to 2 handfuls of potatoes in the air fryer basket and spread them evenly. Try not to put the potatoes more than halfway through the basket as this can make them less crunchy when heated.
If you want to heat a large batch of potatoes, try doing it in batches
Tip:
You can also heat other foods (such as pizza or tater tots) in the air fryer with the fries.
Step 3. Heat the potatoes for 3-4 minutes and shake the basket halfway through
Place the basket of potatoes in the air fryer and heat for 2-3 minutes. Next, turn off the engine and remove the basket to shake it a little. Return the basket to the machine and finish heating the potatoes for another 1 to 2 minutes.
To heat thick potatoes, you will need a little longer
Step 4. Spread the potatoes on a paper-lined plate before serving
Spread the paper towels on a plate and turn off the air fryer. Carefully pour the potatoes in the basket onto paper towels. The tissue will absorb the excess oil that sticks. Now, you can enjoy hot and crunchy fries!
Method 4 of 4: Getting the Best Taste and Texture
Step 1. Add seasoning to the fries before you serve them
Even if the fries are pre-seasoned, you can add more seasoning to enhance the taste after reheating. Buy or make a spice mix so the potatoes taste like they just came out of the restaurant. Mix the ingredients below to make the french fries seasoning:
- cup (70 grams) salt
- 2 tbsp. (13 grams) paprika powder
- 1 tbsp. (7 grams) garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. (12 grams) garlic salt
- tbsp. (3 grams) cumin
- tbsp. (3 grams) black pepper powder
- tbsp. (1 gram) dried basil
- tbsp. (1 gram) dried parsley
- 1 tsp. (3 grams) chili powder
- tsp. (2 grams) celery salt
Step 2. Avoid using the microwave to heat the fries
However, if you don't have a stove, oven, or air fryer, you can use the microwave, but the texture of the fries will be very soft. How to do it, sprinkle a little vegetable oil on the fries, then spread it on a baking sheet that has been lined with paper towels. Microwave the potatoes for about 20 seconds at a time until the fries are hot.
Tip:
Some types of wipes are not microwave safe, especially if they are made from recycled materials. So, check the paper towels you are using before putting them in the microwave.
Step 3. Serve the french fries with the sauce
Make the fries more interesting by serving them with some sauce. You can serve some classic sauces, such as ketchup, ranch sauce, or frozen sauce, along with steak sauce or hot beer mustard. If you want something unique, you can try:
- Cheese and chorizo sauce
- Garlic herbal sour cream sauce
- Aioli (a kind of mayonnaise topped with garlic)
- Curry sauce
Step 4. Make a new creation using french fries
If you want to use french fries as an ingredient in a new dish (rather than eating them as is), reheat the potatoes using the stove, oven, or air fryer. Next, make the poutine by placing the potatoes on a plate and pouring the sauce over them. You can also melt cheese over preheated French fries and make nachos by serving them with salsa and guacamole.
