Curly Fries Recipe

Wash and cut

Scrub the russet potatoes thoroughly to remove dirt. Do not peel unless you prefer—skins add texture. Fit a spiralizer with a medium curly fry blade or use a mandoline with a julienne/spiral attachment and cut each potato into long curly spirals. If you don't have a spiralizer, use a julienne peeler or carefully slice into thin long sticks and twist to create curls.

Rinse and rinse again

Immediately place the cut potato curls into a large bowl of cold water. Agitate gently to remove surface starch. Drain and repeat rinsing 2–3 times until water runs much clearer.

Soak

After rinsing, submerge the potato curls in fresh cold water and soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) in the refrigerator to further remove starch and make fries crispier. If short on time, soak 15–20 minutes.

Dry

Drain the soaking water and spread potato curls on clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Pat thoroughly dry—moisture on the surface will cause oil to splatter and prevent the coating from sticking.

Combine dry seasoning

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper until evenly mixed.

Prepare wet batter

In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg, then whisk in the cold water until smooth. Slowly pour about half of the wet mixture into the dry seasoning, whisking to make a thin batter. Add more of the wet mixture as needed to achieve a slightly thick but pourable batter that will coat the potato curls (think a thin pancake batter consistency).

Coat potatoes

Place the dried potato curls in a large bowl, pour the batter over them, and toss gently until each curl is lightly coated. You want a thin even coating—too much batter will gum up the spirals. Let the coated curls rest 5 minutes so the coating adheres.

Heat oil

Pour enough vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to give 2–3 inches of depth (the ingredients list indicates 1 cup for a shallow amount; increase as needed for your vessel). Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to maintain temperature; temperature will drop when potatoes are added.

First fry (blanch)

Working in small batches to avoid crowding, fry coated potato curls for 2–3 minutes until they start to set and become pale-golden but not fully brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer fries to a wire rack or paper towel-lined sheet to drain. Let oil return to 350°F between batches.

Second fry (crisp)

Once all batches have had the first fry and have rested 3–5 minutes, return each batch to the hot oil and fry for 1–2 minutes more, until deep golden-brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Immediately season with finishing salt while still hot.

Transfer the curly fries to a serving platter. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot with ketchup, ranch, or your favorite dipping sauce.