Onion Garlic Butter Fries (Printable)

Golden fries with caramelized onion and garlic butter add rich, savory layers to a classic side.

# What You'll Need:

→ Potatoes

01 - 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into thick fries
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
05 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Onion-Garlic Butter

06 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
10 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
11 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss potato fries with olive oil, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange fries in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 35–40 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
04 - While fries are baking, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions, sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring often, until caramelized and deeply golden, about 15–18 minutes.
05 - Add garlic to the onions and cook for 1–2 minutes more, just until fragrant. Stir in chopped parsley and remove from heat.
06 - Transfer hot fries to a large bowl. Pour the onion-garlic butter mixture over the fries and gently toss to coat.
07 - Garnish with extra parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're crispy on the outside and pillowy inside, with a buttery caramelized coating that tastes restaurant-quality but takes no special skills.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, and most of that time the oven does the work while you handle the onion-garlic magic.
  • People always ask what makes them different from regular fries, and watching their faces when they taste the onion butter is honestly worth the effort alone.
02 -
  • Soaking cut potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes before baking removes excess starch and creates an almost creamily crispy texture that plain fries can't match.
  • Don't rush the onions—low and slow caramelization is what creates that deeply sweet, savory flavor that makes these fries special; rushing it on high heat just gives you brown onions instead.
03 -
  • Start the onions when you flip the fries halfway through baking, so both elements finish at almost exactly the same time and everything is hot when you toss them together.
  • If you find your onions aren't caramelizing as quickly as expected, the butter is probably too low—medium heat should create a gentle sizzle and slow browning.
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