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By Shawn Williams
5 from 3 votes
Oct 10, 2022, Updated Feb 22, 2024
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Baked Parmesan truffle fries are roasted with olive oil and finished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, minced parsley, and truffle flavor. Truffle fries are a flavor-packed side that’s perfect for a delicious porterhouse steak or smash burger.
The truffle-fry movement is a bit of a controversial one. While some love the taste, many chefs despise the use of truffle oil because it’s an artificially flavored/engineered oil that does not contain any real truffles. My philosophy—if you enjoy the flavor, then you should use it! That said, I have an even better alternative in truffle salt.
Table of Contents
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients
- The Best Truffle Products
- Pre-Soaking Fries in Water
- How to Make Truffle Fries
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Amazing Side Dish Recipes
- Baked Parmesan Truffle Fries Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
Truffle or not, this is a fantastic recipe for perfect baked fries that are just as flavorful and healthier as their fried counterpart. Thanks to presoaking the fries in cool water (removing excess starches), the fries are rendered crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. It’s the secret to perfect oven fries that is often overlooked.
Truffle salt is one of my favorite seasonings for roasted potatoes. Be sure to try my crispy roasted fingerling potatoes and my garlic butter roasted red potatoes. If you want something extra crunchy, you must try my pesto smashed potatoes!
Ingredients
- Large russet potatoes: look for longer, uniformly shaped potatoes for best results. These are easiest for cutting several long fries. Also, see my baked sweet potato fries recipe.
- Olive oil: olive oil helps the potatoes get golden and crispy in the oven. Use a cooking-grade olive oil so it’s not overpowering.
- Truffle salt: most truffle salts contain bits of real black truffle mixed in with the salt. unlike truffle oil, truffle salt is much easier to mix in with fries.
- Parmesan cheese: always buy a block of parmesan and freshly grate. Pregrated cheeses contain additional preservatives and aren’t as fresh. A microplane works best for finely grating over dishes. You can also use pecorino romano.
- Table salt: I use this to lightly salt my fries before baking. Truffle salt should be reserved for final salting before serving.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
The Best Truffle Products
Most truffle oil is made from flavoring neutral oils with a chemical called 2,4-dithiapentane (usually labeled as truffle aroma), which mimics one of the many flavor compounds found in real truffles. Infusing natural truffle flavor in oil is very difficult and expensive. Having tried real truffles, I can attest that truffle oil is not representative of the real thing.
A better alternative is truffle salt. Truffle salt contains tiny bits of real truffle, adding additional earthy flavor along with a pinch of sea salt. Look for brands that list black truffles in the ingredients. Look for Casina Rossa, which is made with 5% black truffle, or Urbani black truffle salt.
Truffle should always be added as a final seasoning and never heated or cooked.
Pre-Soaking Fries in Water
Pre-soaking fries in cold water removes excess starches, contributing to crispier fries that are light and fluffy in the center. I read this tip in a cookbook years ago and I’ve been doing it ever since with much better results.
Soak fries for at least 1 hour or even overnight. Keep them in the fridge so they stay cool. Be sure to thoroughly dry the potatoes with a paper towel or clean dish towel before baking. The excess water will leave you with limp siggy fries.
How to Make Truffle Fries
Step 1.
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Step 2.
Cut potatoes into ¼-inch thick fast-food-style fries. No need to peel potatoes if you don’t want to, however, I recommend it (image 2a). For best results, soak fries in cool water for at least 1 hour or overnight before proceeding to the next step. This makes fries fluffier and crispier (image 2b).
Step 3.
Dry fries by placing them on a paper towel or clean dish towel. Pat dry to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Transfer to a bowl and toss in olive oil and season with a pinch of table salt. Ensure fries are evenly coated in oil.
Step 4.
Transfer fries to a baking sheet and spread evenly with the least amount of overlap possible. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crispy, flipping halfway through. Let cool for 2 minutes before the next step.
Step 5.
Transfer fries to a large bowl. Top with fresh parsley and a generous sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese. A microplane works best. Season all over with truffle salt or a drizzle of truffle oil. Toss to mix and season again as needed. Serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make These in an Air Fryer?
Yes, you can. I’d check your air fryer’s settings for fries but I recommend 15 minutes at 400°F in a non-preheated air fryer. Be sure to shuffle the fries periodically for even cooking.
Are baked fries healthier?
Yes, the potatoes don’t absorb large amounts of oil from deep frying, making them a healthier alternative. Plus, the process and cleanup are much easier.
What truffle products do you recommend?
Look for truffle salt from Casina Rossa, which is made with 5% black truffle or Urbani black truffle salt.
More Amazing Side Dish Recipes
Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe
Fried Pickles Recipe
Smashed Potatoes Recipe
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes Recipe
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & areview in the comments!
5 from 3 votes
Baked Parmesan Truffle Fries Recipe
By: Shawn Williams
Servings: 4
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 30 minutes mins
Total: 40 minutes mins
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Truffle fries are baked fries finished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and truffle oil.
Ingredients
- 2 large russet potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch fast-food fries
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon truffle salt, Urbani or Casina Rosa
- finely parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
- table salt, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Cut potatoes into ¼-inch thick fast-food-style fries. No need to peel potatoes if you don't want to, however, I recommend it. For best results, soak fries in cool water for 1 hour before proceeding to the next step. Drain and pat dry well. This makes fries fluffier
Dry fries by placing them on a paper towel or clean dish towel. Pat dry to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Transfer to a bowl and toss in olive oil and season with a pinch of table salt. Ensure fries are evenly coated in oil.
Transfer fries to a baking sheet and spread evenly with the least amount of overlap possible. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crispy, flipping halfway through. Let cool for 2 minutes before the next step.
Transfer fries to a large bowl. Top with fresh parsley and a generous sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese. A microplane works best. Season all over with truffle salt or a drizzle of truffle oil. Toss to mix and season again as needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
Truffle salt contains tiny bits of real truffle, adding additional earthy flavor along with a pinch of sea salt. Look for brands that list black truffles in the ingredients. Look forCasina Rossa, which is made with 5% black truffle orUrbani black truffle salt.
Pre-soaking fries in cold water removes excess starches, contributing to crispier fries that are light and fluffy in the center. I read this tip in a cookbook years ago and I’ve been doing it ever since with much better results.
Nutrition
Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 30.6gProtein: 12.3gFat: 13.2gSaturated Fat: 5.1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 311mgFiber: 4.5gSugar: 2.3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: Side
Cuisine: American
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