These Whole30 Garlic Fries are our family’s hands down FAVE crispy fry. We love that can be done in oven or air fryer. Plus, they are gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally nut-free and egg-free. Easy to make with only 5 ingredients!
You are going to want to make these again and again!
Why Soak the Fries?
You are going to feel like the extra rinsing/soaking steps aren’t worth it. I get it, I thought so too, but I am *converted* to how important this is to getting a CRISPY fry! My son’s work at a popular burger chain in California called In-N-Out. And what do you know? They soak their fries!
Here’s the science why. Soaking in water draws out the starch, making them more rigid and able to get crispy! You can soak them for at least 30 minutes, though overnight yields fantastic results. But equally important is to DRY the fries really well. You can do this just between two towls or with a salad spinner. Interesting note: In-N-Out spins their fries dry!
Garlic oil
Using garlic olive oil will make a big difference in these being garlic flavored (not just garlic piled on top). If you want restaurant-level deliciousness, I recommend using it! I found most affordable at Trader Joe’s or Target. If you can’t find it or isn’t not accessible, these will still taste delicious without it.
Cutting the Fries
Ideally, your fries are cut into even sizes. This helps them cook at the same rate and prevents some from being burned and others not fully cooked. I personally got tired of cutting fries for my large family of 7. But, I loved homemade fries – budget-friendly with minimal ingredients.
The solution? For us, it was worth getting a fry cutter. Again, I saw my son using one at work and thought how handy it was. Unfortunately, I ordered several that broke on the first use or two and I sent right back. But this French Fry Cutter (1/2″ blade) has been a keeper and made the job so much easier! So easy even my 10 year old can do it with one hand! Hands down worth it IMO.
Are Fries Allowed on Whole30?
Short answer: Yes, if they are homemade, like these. Long answer: No commercially prepared fries or chips are allowed on Whole30. You can learn more about this rule here. This includes French fries at a restaurant or fries you might by from the frozen section at the store. Even if they have compatible ingredients, they are often a food with no brakes and not allowed on Whole30. So why are homemade fries allowed? Well, generally they take a fair amount of time to make so are less likely to be over consumed.
In the end, take responsibility for your Whole30. If even homemade fries you find to be a trigger or food with no brakes, they may still be best left out of YOUR Whole30.
Ingredients
- Russet Potatoes – Not all potatoes are equal. The high starch + low moisture level in Russets make them ideal for fries. I recommend Russets for this recipe. You can learn more about the different kinds of potatoes and their uses here.
- Olive or garlic oil – I recommend Garlic Olive Oil, if you can find it. See above section on it for why! But both will work.
- Garlic Powder – I actually prefer granulated garlic, if I can find it. The texture of granulated garlic is better. But either garlic powder or granulated garlic will work.
- Garlic Salt – Garlic salt can actually be hard to find a compatible version of, if you are on a Whole30. My favorite garlic salt is the garlic salt grinder from Trader Joe’s – Whole30 compatible and just tastes better!
- Minced Garlic – This can be fresh garlic cloves minced or pre-minced garlic from a jar. Either works!
Make it a Meal!
We love serving these with these other EASY Whole30 recipes to make a delicious restaurant-type meal at home!
- Date Mustard Sauce (pictured) – My Whole30Date Mustard Sauce is my most popular sauce! It’s a Whole30 “Honey” Mustard seasoned only by dates and full of healthy fats. It’s the one sauce we always have to have in our fridge! Perfect for dipping fries or nuggets into, or as a dressing on a salad.
- Paleo Chick-fil-a Chicken Strips – These Whole30 compatible copycat chicken strips are absolutely delicious and a must try! Perfect to pair with these garlic fries.
- Sloppy Joes – We also love these garlic fries as a side dish to my Whole30 Sloppy Joes. A great kid-friendly meal!
Whole30 Garlic Fries
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds russet potatoes
- 1/3 + 1/4 cup olive oil or garlic olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- 1-2 tablespoon minced garlic
Instructions
- Cut potatoes into even fry strips. As you are cutting, place cut fries into a large bowl of cold water. Drain the water and rinse the potatoes in a colander.
- Fill the large bowl again with cold water and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes. Feel free to have a dance party while you wait. Or make the rest of dinner.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees, if using oven, and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Drain potatoes again, lay flat and dry between two towels. Combine 1/3 cup olive oil and dry potatoes, tossing to coat. Add garlic powder and salt, mixing again.
- Place fries flat on the parchment paper or in your airfryer basket.
- Cook in the oven at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, stir, then at 425 for 30 minutes or until crispy. In the airfryer, cook at 350 for 15 minutes, stir, and then at 400 for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook remaining 1/4 cup oil + 1-2 tablespoons minced garlic (we like it heavy on the garlic with 2 tablespoons, but you do you!) in a small saucepan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Don't brown!
- Toss finished fries with the olive oil + garlic combo and enjoy! If you want to get fancy, you can garnish with a few tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
So delicious!!
Best recipe ever. I will never buy frozen French fries again. So easy and delicious. Thank you.
My favorite recipe for easy and healthy fries! Big fan if this site!
My favorite recipe for easy and healthy fries! Big fan of this site!
Amazing, simple, fewstaple ingredients that most people have on hand
I am wary of Garlic fries because all the ones I’ve ever had at the ballpark were TOOOO intense. – so I waited to make these. But I will never sleep on these fries again. They’re so good, Crispy, and sautéing the garlic in the oil instead of putting it on raw takes the bite out of it.
Holy garlic, Batman! Crazy delicious, even in the oven.
My whole family loves these fries! Definitely a staple in our house! So quick, crunchy and savory! Don’t tell anyone but I think I’ve made them three times this week!!
Haha, I love that they are the recipe you just have to make again! Thank you!
These are an easy and delicious side for almost any meal. My whole family loves them and requests them often. They turn out great in the air fryer.
They were really good! I will alway soak from now on!
I loved how crispy these fries turned out! This will be a go to recipe in our home!
Oh my gosh !! These are delicious !! You have such amazing recipes ! Can’t wait to try more !! Thank you for sharing your delicious whole 30 recipes , my family and I thank you !
I’m so happy you loved these and hope you find some other favorites here!
We are making these right now! I know we will love then because we love all of your recipes Autumn! And the soak in cold water trick is much appreciated.
These have become a staple side in our house. Soaking the fries makes all the difference! And if I can make these you know it’s possible for anyone to make them!
I love that, thank you! Agreed that soaking the fries makes such a difference and happy they are a to-go!
I will never go back to regular fries. These are so yummy. Thank you
I love that these are your new favorite fries, thank you!
I love the hack with the cold water. Wow! What a difference. Great recipe as usual! Thank you!
YES! Soaking the fries makes all the difference. I won’t make fries without it now. Happy that was a helpful tip!
This one became part of our recipe book after the first try. Amazing recipe. So easy to follow!
So happy it’s a keeper, thank you!
Oh man, these are some crispy, delicious, and easy to make fries! Definitely take the time to soak them, it’s well worthwhile for the crisp outcome!
I served with homemade ranch (yum!!) and I’ll have to try with the date mustard next time!
Agreed, the soaking is worth it, it makes all the crispy difference. So happy you enjoyed, thank you!
I made your garlic fries and mustard date sauce tonight for my dad as part of an early Valentines dinner. He loved them! The look on his face when I tossed the dates in the blender with the mustard and mayo was priceless 😳, but he really enjoyed the sauce. You certainly have a gift for creating delicious recipes!
I love that this was part of a Valentine’s dinner for your dad, how sweet it that! And HOORAY that it was a hit. Thank you!
These. Are. AMAZING!!! So so sooooo crispy and delicious and just right for Whole 30 day 28. THANK YOU! They’ll be a regular menu staple in our house.
Wahoo! I’m so thrilled these were enjoyed and are going on the rotation. Thank you!
These are just so dang good! The garlic, the crispness! I don’t know if I’ve ever had such good homemade fries! This will be a regular in my house!
I’m so happy these homemade fries won you over! Thank you!
I made these tonight with the date mustard sauce and the zucchini nuggets. All so good. I sliced the potatoes super skinny and I will definitely make them again!
These fries were so great! And yes, the soaking is key. I just make the rest of dinner while I wait for the fries. Works out well.
OH. MY. GOODNESS. These fries are amazing!!! I have made them too many times to count and they were one of the foods that got me through my first Whole30. Matter of fact, they are on the menu for Friday night.
Excellent! Made these in the oven and they turned out nice and crispy. My kiddos loved them!
OMG! These are the BEST oven fries I’ve ever made! My husband thought they were from a restaurant 😂 so worth the extra couple steps!
These are a must make!! Fantastic! There will be no leftovers because you’ll keep munching away on them
If you are looking for a recipe for fries, look no further!
I have made these both in the oven and in the air fryer. Absolute perfection.
These will most definitely be on rotation in our house.
I love this recipe! The fries smell and taste so delicious and the technique used to cook them is perfect. I usually substitute avocado oil for the olive oil and it works great as well.
Since finding this recipe, I have used the technique to cook regular home fries as well as sweet potatoes as it works so well (parchment paper at a lower temperature and then a higher temperature).
I can’t give this more stars but it needs it. This combo is AMAZING! I’m sensitive to nightshades, so I discovered on whole30, so I make this with sweet potatoes instead and it’s still my fav way to eat fries now. Give me all the garlic.
Oh my goodness, yum!!!! We loved the garlic oil and these were so crunchy and delicious!
These fries are HANDS DOWN the best fries I have ever made! My family BEGS for them and since they’re so easy to make, we have them almost weekly. Because they’re baked and not fried, cleanup is a breeze too! A+ recipe!!!
Delicious fries!!! If you enjoy garlic, you’ll love these. Very crispy and flavorful
Thank you, so happy you enjoyed these!
These are a hit with the family!! A weekly easy side dish to a quick meal instead of going to get fast food fry’s somewhere (ugh, guilty). Makes my momma heart happy when my kids are happy to eat whole 30 friendly foods!!
Aw, this makes my mama heart happy too! Thank you!
These fries are some of the best I have had…ever! And I love French fries. The layers of garlic flavor is perfect, not over powering
So happy these are a favorite! Thank you!
I cannot express to you how GOOD these were. I am a single girl eating paleo and trying to spice up my eating habits instead of eating the same thing over and over. These HIT. THE. SPOT. Soaking them in cold water is a must. I used coconut oil instead of olive oil because I ran out and they turned out DIVINE. Thanks for this recipe, Autumn!!
I made these tonight for my kids with your 5 ingredient nugget recipe and the date mustard sauce. Everything was delicious! The fries and date mustard sauce are no-brakes food for me. I will definitely make them again and again; they loved everything.
I made these fries with your nugget recipe and the date mustard sauce and HOLY WOW! Will definitely make these again.
“Holy wow!” – I love it! I’m so happy you loved those recipes, thank you!
These fries have such a delicious flavor! They’re seriously addictive!They’re crispy on the outside and tender inside. The best part is they’re easy to make. The garlic oil is a game-changer for fries.
What air fryer do you use for your big family? We have five boys!
I love that you are a fellow family of 5 boys! I share what two airfryers I’ve had and what I liked about each of them in this article:
https://wholefoodfor7.com/air-fryer-101/
Wow! These are unreal!! Not sure I’ll ever make fries any other way, Fantastic!
Thank you! My family feels the same way, they are now on the weekly rotation, ha!
These were amazing!!! I’m dreaming of making them again.
I love it! Food dream worthy – woot!!
My husband and I are doing our first Whole30. We’ve been trying to find awesome sides to go along with our burgers. We finally found it in these garlic fries! They were amazing and super simple. I can’t wait to make them again! Thank you!
I’m so happy these have been a part of your first Whole30, that’s wonderful! I am rooting for you both!
I made these fries for Father’s day and they were a hit! The best homemade fries ever. I made them in the oven. I will definitely be making them again. Homemade fries will be back on the menu at our houses. Dad, kids and mom approved!
Hooray!! I agree – these convinced us how good homemade fries could be again. So thrilled these were a slam dunk for your family!
Oh My Word! These fries were amazing! I made them in the air fryer. Thank you for the delicious recipe – it will definitely become a staple whether I’m on whole 30 or not!
Thank you! So thrilled you loved these and they will be a regular!
I have used this recipes for all style of potato and sweet potato! Delicious. I sometime won’t put on the garlic salt because my sister is very picky with her salt (she will only eat very pure salt).