Russet potatoes are the best choice for french fries. Their high starch content and low moisture create the ideal combination: a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior. But Russets aren’t the only option, and understanding why they work so well helps you make smarter choices with whatever potato you have on hand.
Why Starch and Moisture Matter
The quality of a french fry comes down to two things happening inside the potato: how much starch it contains and how much water it holds. When a potato hits hot oil, water near the surface turns to steam and escapes, leaving behind tiny porous channels. Oil rushes into those channels through capillary action, which is what gives fries their rich flavor and crunch. A potato with high dry matter content loses less water and absorbs less oil during frying because its cells are more tightly packed. The result is a fry that’s crisp on the outside without being greasy.
Potatoes bred for processing (the kind commercial fry operations use) have a specific gravity above 1.1 and starch content above 23%. These numbers correlate directly with lighter color, better texture, and less oil absorption. You don’t need to measure specific gravity at home, but you can use a simple rule: the drier and more starchy the potato, the better the fry.
Russets: The Gold Standard
Russet Burbank potatoes have dominated the french fry world for decades, and for good reason. They’re classified as “floury” or “mealy” potatoes, meaning they have high starch, low moisture, and a dry, crumbly texture when cooked. That low moisture content lets them get significantly crispier than other varieties. When you cut a Russet into strips and drop them in oil, the surface dehydrates quickly and forms a rigid crust while the interior steams into a light, pillowy center.
Other Russet-type varieties work well too. Ranger Russet, Kennebec, and Shepody are all used by commercial processors. If your grocery store simply labels them “Russet potatoes” or “Idaho potatoes,” you’re in good shape for frying.
Yukon Gold: A Different Style of Fry
Yukon Gold potatoes sit in the middle of the starch spectrum. They’re not as dry as Russets, but they’re not as waxy as red potatoes either. This means they produce a fry with a creamier interior and a thinner, more delicate crust. The flavor is richer and slightly buttery compared to the neutral taste of a Russet.
If you prefer a fry that’s golden and tender with moderate crunch (think Belgian-style frites), Yukon Golds are a solid pick. They won’t get as shatteringly crisp as Russets, and they absorb slightly more oil due to their higher moisture content, but the tradeoff in flavor is worth it for many cooks. German Butterball potatoes offer a similar profile.
Potatoes to Avoid
Waxy potatoes are a poor choice for frying. Varieties like Red Bliss, Red Norland, French Fingerling, and most new potatoes are thin-skinned and packed with moisture. When you fry them, they lose water quickly and develop a dense, sometimes soggy interior rather than the fluffy texture you want. The high moisture also means more oil absorption, so the finished fries tend to come out greasy and limp rather than crisp.
These varieties excel in salads, soups, and roasting, where their firm, waxy texture holds its shape. But for french fries, skip them entirely.
How Sugar Content Affects Color
Starch isn’t the only factor. The amount of natural sugar in a potato determines whether your fries turn golden or nearly black. When sugars react with amino acids in hot oil, they produce browning. A small amount of this reaction is desirable, giving fries their appetizing color. Too much, and fries turn dark and bitter.
Potatoes suitable for frying should contain less than 0.1 to 0.2% reducing sugars by fresh weight, which translates to under 1 gram per kilogram. Most Russets fall comfortably within this range when stored properly. The problem arises with cold storage. When potatoes are kept below about 10°C (50°F) for extended periods, their starch slowly converts into sugars in a process called cold-induced sweetening. This is why potatoes stored in a cold refrigerator often produce fries that brown too quickly and taste off. If your potatoes have been refrigerated for a while, letting them sit at room temperature (above 20°C) for several days can partially reverse this sugar buildup.
Store your frying potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated spot, ideally around 10 to 15°C (50 to 59°F). A pantry or basement works well. Avoid plastic bags, which trap moisture and accelerate spoilage.
Prep Tips That Maximize Crispness
Even with the right potato, preparation makes a significant difference. After cutting your fries, soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight in the refrigerator. This rinse removes surface starch that would otherwise cause fries to stick together and brown unevenly. Adding ice to the soaking water helps the potato cells tighten up, which leads to a crisper result once they hit the oil.
Dry the fries thoroughly before frying. Any water clinging to the surface will cause splattering and also drop the oil temperature, leading to soggy results. Pat them down with clean towels until no visible moisture remains.
The Double-Fry Method
The single best technique for crispy fries, regardless of potato variety, is frying them twice at two different temperatures. The first fry at around 325°F (163°C) cooks the interior through without much browning. Five to seven minutes is typical, until the fries are pale and just barely starting to color. Remove them, let them cool (even refrigerating them at this stage works well), then fry again at 350°F (177°C) for about two minutes until golden brown and crisp.
The first fry gelatinizes the starch on the surface, creating a thin shell. The cooling period lets that shell firm up. The second fry then dehydrates that shell into a hard, crunchy crust while keeping the inside soft. Blanching before frying also reduces oil absorption and helps prevent excessive browning by deactivating enzymes that contribute to discoloration.
Quick Variety Guide
- Russet Burbank, Kennebec, Ranger Russet: Classic crispy fries with fluffy interiors. The best all-around choice.
- Yukon Gold, German Butterball: Creamier, more flavorful fries with moderate crunch. Great for a thinner, European-style fry.
- Red Bliss, Fingerling, New Potatoes: Too waxy and moist. Fries will be dense, greasy, and lack crispness.
If you can only remember one thing: reach for the biggest, ugliest Russet in the bin. Its dry, starchy flesh is purpose-built for frying, and with a cold-water soak and a double fry, it will outperform any other potato you could choose.