How to Reheat French Fries

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: February 3, 2020 References Tested

Anyone who's ever thrown away leftover fries has wished there was a great way to reheat them. Fortunately, it's easy to heat fries until they're hot and crispy again, as long as you don't microwave them. Toss them in a skillet on the stove, a sheet in the oven, or the basket of your air fryer and give them a few minutes. You'll soon have tasty french fries that taste like they just came out of the fryer!

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Reheating Fries on the Stove

1
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Set the skillet on the stove and turn on the burner so the skillet is hot before you add the fries. For the crispiest fries, use a cast-iron skillet since it holds heat better than a nonstick skillet.^{[1]
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- If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, use the heaviest skillet you have.
2
Add 2 teaspoons (9.9 ml) of oil to the skillet and heat it for 20 seconds. To prevent the oil from burning, use an oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. Give the oil a chance to heat up before you put the fries in the skillet.^{[2]
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- If you're reheating more than a handful of fries, use an extra 1 to 2 teaspoons (4.9 to 9.9 ml) of oil.
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3
Scatter 1 cup (85 g) of french fries in the skillet. Try to arrange the fries so they're in a single layer, which will make them crispy on the sides. If you'd like to reheat more than a handful of fries, you may want to reheat them in batches so they aren't crowded in the skillet.^{[3]
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Tip: To reheat fries for a crowd, consider using the oven method since you can reheat a whole tray of fries at once.
4
Cook the fries for 2 to 5 minutes and flip them halfway. Let the fries cook for about 1 to 2 minutes before you flip them over with a flat spatula. Then, heat the fries for another minute and flip them again so they're hot on every side.^{[4]
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- If you're reheating skinny french fries, you'll probably only need to heat them for 2 to 3 minutes, while thick steak fries will take closer to 5 minutes.
5
Transfer the fries to a paper towel-lined plate and serve them. Tear off 1 or 2 paper towels and lay them on a plate. Then, use a slotted spoon to move the fries from the skillet to the paper towels. Serve the fries right away while they're still crispy.^{[5]
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- The paper towels will absorb excess grease from the fries.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using the Oven

1
Preheat the oven to 450 °F (232 °C) and line a sheet with foil. Take a rimmed baking sheet and press a piece of aluminum foil across it. The foil will prevent the fries from sticking to the baking sheet.^{[6]
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- It's important to use a rimmed baking sheet so the fries don't slide off the sheet as you're moving them to the oven.
2
Spread the fries on the baking sheet. Try to spread the fries evenly across the sheet so they don't stick together or become soggy. For the crispiest fries, arrange them in a single layer.^{[7]
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Tip: If you're reheating fries for a crowd, you may want to divide the fries between 2 baking sheets for the best texture.
3
Bake the fries for 2 to 3 minutes. Put the baking sheet into the preheated oven and let the fries heat up. If you're reheating skinny fries, check them once they've been in the oven for 2 minutes, but leave thicker fries in the oven for another minute.^{[8]
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4
Remove the sheet of fries once they're hot and crispy. Open the oven door and use a spatula to remove a fry. Cut it in half to see if it's hot throughout. The fries are finished reheating when they're completely hot and have a little crunch.^{[9]
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- If the fry is still cold in the center, leave the fries in the oven for 1 minute and check them again. Keep in mind that it won't take the fries very long to heat up.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Trying the Air Fryer

1
Turn the air fryer to 350 °F (177 °C). Plug in your air fryer and heat it for about 2 minutes before you put the fries in the machine's basket. Preheating the air fryer will help the fries reheat evenly.^{[10]
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2
Arrange the fries in the basket. Put 1 to 2 handfuls of fries into the air fryer's cooking basket and spread them so they're even. Try not to fill the basket more than half full or the fries won't crisp up as they reheat.^{[11]
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- If you want to reheat a lot of fries, consider reheating them in batches.
Tip: You can reheat other foods, such as tater tots or pizza, in the air fryer at the same time as the fries.
3
Heat the fries for 3 to 4 minutes and shake them halfway during the time. Put the basket of fries into the air fryer and heat them for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, stop the machine and take the basket out so you can shake the fries a little. Put the basket back and finish reheating the fries for 1 to 2 more minutes.^{[12]
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- To reheat thick steak fries, you may need to add an extra minute of cooking time.
4
Spread the fries on a paper towel-lined plate before you serve them. Set paper towels on a plate and turn off the air fryer. Carefully turn the reheated fries out of the basket onto the paper towels, which will absorb excess grease. Then, enjoy your hot and crispy fries!^{[13]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Getting the Best Flavor and Texture

1
Add seasoning to the fries before you serve them. Even though the fries were salted originally, they may need a flavor boost after you reheat them. Purchase or make a seasoned salt blend that will make your fries taste like something that just came out of the restaurant. To make a little container of french fry seasoning, combine:
- ¼ cup (68 g) of salt
- 2 tablespoons (13 g) of paprika
- 1 tablespoon (7 g) of garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) of garlic salt
- ½ tablespoon (3 g) of cumin
- ½ tablespoon (3 g) of ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon (1 g) of dried basil
- ½ tablespoon (1 g) of dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) of chili powder
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) of celery salt
2
Avoid reheating the fries in the microwave. If you don't have access to a stove, oven, or air fryer, you can microwave the fries, but they'll be much softer. To microwave them, drizzle a little vegetable oil over the fries and spread them on a paper towel-lined plate. Microwave them for 20 seconds at a time until the fries are hot.^{[14]
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Tip: Some paper towels aren't safe to put in the microwave, especially if they have some recycled content, so check before you put yours in the microwave.
3
Serve reheated fries with several dipping sauces. Make day-old french fries more exciting by setting out a few different sauces. You could offer classics like ketchup, ranch, or barbecue sauce, for instance, along with steak sauce or spicy beer mustard. For something even more unique, try:^{[15]
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- Chorizo and cheese dip
- Garlic-herb sour cream dip
- Aioli
- Curry sauce
4
Create a new meal with reheated fries. If you'd rather repurpose the fries than eat them on their own, reheat the fries on the stove, oven, or air fryer. Then, place them on a dish and pour gravy on top to create poutine. You could also melt cheese on the reheated fries and serve them with salsa and guacamole to make nachos.^{[16]
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- For a fun breakfast hash, combine reheated fries with fried eggs and bacon.

Community Q&A

Question

Would vegetable oil be okay to use?

Community Answer

Yes, vegetable oil is a good substitute.
Question

I froze left over french fries. What temperature and time should I use to reheat them in the oven?

Community Answer

Put the french fries on a pan, and reheat them in the oven at about 375 degrees, for about 10 minutes.
Question

How can I quickly reheat french fries?

Community Answer

Put them in the microwave on medium for 2 minutes with a small cup of water alongside it to keep them moist. Cover them with a paper towel.