Baked Curly Fries with Za'atar

baked curly fries are so easy. use a spiralizer to cut out the fries, toss with oil and salt, then roast for 20 minutes. crispy (not hard and chewy) fries that are delicious plain, and even better tossed with za'atar and served with lemon garlic yogurt sauce!

it's been 5-ish months since the last concert i went to, maybe the longest stretch without going to one since i first started at the end of high school. the dry spell ended on friday when i saw tori kelly, and she didn't disappoint. she was fantastic as always, even if she didn't sing full versions of my faves. did i mention that the video i took of her singing "i was made for loving you" 2 years ago is my 2nd most viewed upload on youtube with a whopping 168 views?

tori's mane is signature, voluminous in a way that these baked curly fries aspire to be. what they lack in bounce they make up for in ease and taste. at its core, it's a spiralized potato, tossed with oil and salt before getting roasted at 450f for 20 minutes. i must confess, i still believe that normal oven baked fries are almost impossible to get crispy rather than too soft or hard and leathery, but these don't fall in that trap. the edges are almost like chips, and the parts of the spirals that lie on top of each other stay creamy, giving you a good mix of textures.

you could serve the baked curly fries with a ramekin of ketchup and call it a day. or you could toss the fries with za'atar (a lemon-y mediterranean spice blend with sumac, sesame seeds and thyme) and whip a quick yogurt sauce with a splash of lemon, a sprinkle of garlic and a pinch of dill. either way, they're a delicious snack, app or side dish!

1 year ago: masala chai carrot cupcakes | creamed kale and kimchi pasta
2 years ago: spaghetti squash lasagna with scallion gremolata | lunar new year festival at california adventure
3 years ago: caramel banana upside down cake | yaki onigiri
4 years ago: ucla, will jay and fonuts | green tea mochi ice cream
5 years ago: sakamoto namul (marinated bean sprouts) | mediterranean baked chicken

5 from 3 votes

Print

Baked Curly Fries

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

Baked fries can end up soggy or hard, but baked curly fries manage to be creamy, potato-y and crisp.

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Keyword: appetizer, baked fries, curly fries, french fries, fries, garlic, lemon, potatoes, side dish, snack, sumac, thyme, yogurt, za'atar

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 338 kcal

Ingredients

Baked Curly Fries

• 4 russet potatoes scrubbed
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons sumac
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme

Garlic Lemon Yogurt Sauce

• 1/4 cup whole milk yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon sumac
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ketchup for serving

Instructions

Baked Curly Fries

1. Use a spiralizer to cut out the fries (I use a thin spiral setting). Toss them with the oil and a couple of shakes of salt, then spread onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. (Make sure you use parchment, since foil or Silpats don't allow the potatoes to wick off enough moisture).

2. Roast the potatoes one baking sheet at a time at 450F for 20 minutes on the bottom rack, flipping the potatoes halfway through with a big spatula (think the kind you'd use to flip pancakes). Don't worry if the edges seem really dark and there's pale spots; these fries taste best when you have crispy edges and soft, potato-y middles.

3. Toss the hot curly fries immediately with the sesame seeds, sumac and thyme. Serve hot with the garlic lemon yogurt sauce and ketchup.

Garlic Lemon Yogurt Sauce

1. Mix everything and season to taste with salt.