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    Home » Recipes » Sides

    Cottage Fries

    Published: Sep 14, 2021 · Modified: Sep 14, 2021 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links

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    collage of cottage fries on plate and close up with text box in the center
    plate of cottage fries with ketchup on the side and text box at the bottom
    cottage fries on plate with dipping sauces and text at the top

    These crispy oven-roasted cottage fries are the perfect shape for dipping! They make a great side dish for chicken, meatloaf, burgers, and sandwiches. You can make these delicious potatoes with only a few basic ingredients and 10 minutes active prep time.

    plate of cottage fries with hand dipping one in ketchup

    This easy recipe for cottage fries will be your new go-to potato side dish! First of all, they are delightfully crispy and brown on the outside and tender and soft on the inside. And, the flat shape means they are perfect for dipping. (Try them with my avocado lime ranch dressing or yogurt dill sauce!)

    These potatoes are also versatile; they pair well with many different entrees including burgers, sandwiches, chicken dishes, and meatloaf. Or, you can even use them as a base for a whole new dish - potato nachos, anyone?

    Finally, you can make them with only a few basic pantry ingredients and with only 10 minutes active prep time!

    Recipe ingredients

    recipe ingredients on white background with text labels

    Ingredient notes

    • Oil: I used olive oil, but if you have your own favorite oil you like to roast with, such as canola oil or peanut oil, feel free to use that instead.
    • Paprika: this gives the potatoes a lovely color! For even more flavor, substitute smoked paprika.
    • Dried thyme: if you don't have dried thyme, you can substitute 2 teaspoons fresh thyme instead. Or, you can substitute another dried herb such as rosemary, parsley, or oregano.
    • Russet potatoes: this variety of potato is perfect for roasting in the oven. I discuss more about other types of potatoes that can be used in the Recipe FAQs section below.

    Step by step photos

    1. First of all, get your oven pre-heating to 425 degrees F/220 degrees C. Then, mix up the seasonings and set aside.

    spices being stirred together in small dish

    2. Now, turn to the potatoes. Give them a good scrub to remove any dirt on the outside and dry them. Slice them horizontally into ⅓ inch (8.5 mm) thick slices. Try to slice the potatoes evenly so they cook at the same rate.

    potato being sliced thinly with large knife

    3. Use paper towels or a clean lint-free kitchen towel to pat the excess moisture off both sides of the potatoes. This helps the skin to crisp in the oven - I talk more about this in the Tips and tricks section below!

    hand blotting sliced potatoes with kitchen towel

    4. Now dump the potatoes out onto a baking sheet in a big pile. Drizzle the oil overtop and toss them well with your (clean) hands so each potato slice is evenly coated in the oil. You can use tongs too if you like, but I like using my hands, it's much quicker!

    collage of oil being drizzled over sliced potatoes and hands tossing sliced potatoes with oil

    5. Spread the oiled potatoes out evenly on the baking sheet, so no two pieces are touching.

    hands spreading potato slices out on baking sheet

    6. Next, sprinkle the potatoes with half of the seasoning blend. Flip the potatoes and sprinkle the other side with the rest.

    (If you prefer to just toss the potatoes with the seasoning mix instead and then spread them out on the pan, you can do that too. I just find sprinkling to be slightly neater and more even, but either way works.)

    collage of potatoes being seasoned on baking pan and hand turning a seasoned potato over

    7. Place the baking sheet in the pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and flip over each piece.

    tongs turning half cooked potatoes over on baking sheet

    8. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 13 - 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are well browned and cooked through, like this:

    cooked cottage fries on metal baking sheet

    Tips and tricks

    How to get crispy cottage fries

    When testing this recipe, I tried several different preparation methods for the potatoes, in an attempt to perfect the perfect crispy skin: (1) just cutting and tossing with oil; (2) patting the cut potatoes dry then tossing with oil; and (3) rinsing the potatoes first, then patting dry before oiling.

    Method 1 resulted in delicious potatoes, but they were a little less crispy on the outside than methods 2 and 3. Rinsing the potatoes before patting dry resulted in very crispy skin, but they seemed a little tough when biting into one. I think this was especially true because the potatoes are quite thin compared with the size of a typical roasted potato.

    So, for me, #2 was the winner - simply patting the excess moisture off the potatoes before tossing with oil. The potatoes were crispy on the outside without being tough, and tender on the inside!

    All that being said, if you are in a hurry, you can of course skip this extra step and just slice the potatoes and toss with oil. They will still be delicious and without a side-by-side comparison, the difference won't be as noticeable.

    Other tips and tricks

    • You don't need to feel constrained by the seasonings I included in this recipe. Instead, you can use your own favorite spice blend, such as Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, or even Old Bay! But, I do like to include the paprika or a spice blend with a reddish hue (like Old Bay), because it gives the potatoes a gorgeous color.
    • Kosher salt is coarse-grained; if substituting fine-grained salt, use ½ teaspoon instead of the ¾ teaspoon kosher salt called for in the recipe (or salt to taste).
    • If you notice at the half-way mark that the potatoes are browning more on one side than the other, rotate the baking sheet front to back when placing it back in the oven for the second half of cooking.
    • The cook times for the recipe are based on slicing the potatoes ⅓ inch thick - if your potatoes are thinner or thicker than this, you may need to adjust the cook time accordingly. Cook times will also depend on your individual oven. So, just keep an eye on them during the last few minutes of cooking, and be prepared to either remove them a little early or cook them for a few additional minutes if needed.

    Recipe FAQs

    What kind of potatoes should I use for cottage fries?

    I recommend using Russet potatoes; these are the same type of potatoes that are usually used for French fries. They crisp up nicely on the outside and give that fluffy interior we love in French fries.

    Yukon gold potatoes would also work well. I have also made this recipe using sweet potatoes which also worked nicely! Here is a guide on various types of potatoes and their uses that I found helpful.

    Should I peel the potato skin for this recipe?

    This is a matter of personal preference! I've made it both ways and they are both delicious. I do like that the skin provides a slightly different texture when biting into one of the fries, plus, it saves a step to not peel! But, if you don't like potato skins then the recipe also works well with peeled potatoes.

    Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

    These cottage fries taste best served hot and fresh. But, you can store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 - 4 days. To reheat, I like to place the potatoes on a baking sheet and heat in a 350 degree F oven for 5 - 6 minutes, or until heated through.

    cottage fries on white plate with ketchup and ranch dressing on the side

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    If you’ve tried this recipe, please leave a star rating and/or review in the comments section below, I would love to hear from you! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. And sign up for my weekly newsletter to get recipes delivered straight to you!

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    Cottage Fries FI

    Cottage Fries

    • Author: Kate
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 30 minutes
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Category: side dish
    • Method: bake
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Gluten Free
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    These crispy oven baked potatoes are great for dipping and go well with any main course, including burgers, sandwiches, and chicken!


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 20 ounces (567 g) russet potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes)
    • 2 tablespoons oil (see note 1)
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste (see note 2)
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 425 °F (220 °C). 
    2. Mix together the paprika, kosher salt, dried thyme, and black pepper. Set aside.
    3. Scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt on the skin. Pat the potatoes dry. Cut them horizontally into ⅓ inch (8.5 mm) slices. Thoroughly pat both sides of the potato slices dry with paper towels or a clean, lint-free kitchen towel.
    4. Place the potato slices on a sheet pan. Drizzle the oil over the potatoes and toss them with clean hands or tongs to evenly coat the potatoes in oil. 
    5. Spread the oiled potatoes out evenly on the sheet pan. Sprinkle the potatoes with half of the seasoning mix. Flip the potatoes and sprinkle the other side with the remaining seasoning.
    6. Bake the potatoes in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and flip each potato slice over using tongs or a spatula. Bake for an additional 13- 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are browned on the outside and tender on the inside. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces.

    Notes

    I used olive oil, but you can use any oil you prefer to roast with, such as canola oil or peanut oil.

    Kosher salt is coarse-grained; if substituting fine-grained salt, use ½ teaspoon instead of the ¾ teaspoon kosher salt called for in the recipe (or salt to taste).

    Instead of the seasonings listed here, feel free to use your own favorite spice blend, such as Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, or Old Bay!

    If you notice at the half-way mark that the potatoes are browning more on one side than the other, rotate the baking sheet when placing it back in the oven for the second half of cooking.

    Cook times listed here are based on slicing the potatoes ⅓ inch (8.5 mm) thick - if your potatoes are thinner or thicker than this, you may need to adjust the cook time accordingly. Cook times will also depend on your individual oven. Keep an eye on the potatoes during the last few minutes of cooking, and be prepared to either remove them a little early or cook them for a few additional minutes if needed.

    The nutrition information below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full nutrition disclosure policy.


    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ¼ recipe
    • Calories: 160
    • Sugar: 1.7 g
    • Sodium: 101 mg
    • Fat: 7.2 g
    • Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 22.7 g
    • Fiber: 3.7 g
    • Protein: 2.5 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: cottage fries, roasted potatoes

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    Hi there, I'm Kate! I create quick and easy recipes for people who like to cook but are short on time and energy (like me!). I love comfort food, family recipes, and anything with cheese.

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