These crispy Greek fries are how we make patates tiganites at home: potatoes baked whole until fluffy, torn into rough chunks, chilled, then fried for just a couple of minutes until the edges turn golden and crackly. A shower of coarse sea salt, fresh oregano and, if you ask me, a generous crumble of feta, and they disappear from the table in record time.
The first time I ate fries like these was at a fish taverna on the island of Hydra. They came to the table next to calamari, octopus, langoustines and a plate of armyra, salty sea greens dressed like horta.
Serve them with keftedes, seafood, a Greek tomato salad, or roasted feta. Few ingredients, very little hands-on time, and possibly your most requested side dish.
Why you’ll love patates tiganites
Greeks eat a lot of fried potatoes. There is no taverna order without a couple of plates of crispy fries, and at home they are almost always made from scratch, very rarely from a freezer bag.
This method is simple and gives the best texture I know:
- Baking the potatoes whole cooks the inside through until fluffy, so the frying is only about the crust.
- Tearing instead of cutting creates rough, uneven edges that catch the oil and turn extra crunchy.
- Chilling dries the surface so the fries crisp fast and don’t go soggy.
- A short, hot fry, just a couple of minutes, means golden, crisp fries that absorb less oil.
Ingredients for Greek fries
Potatoes. I use Yukon gold or russet potatoes. Yukon golds have thin skin that crisps up nicely. Russets have thicker skin that develops crunchy lovely edges.
Light olive oil or sunflower oil. I use one of these for deep frying. Frying in olive oil is traditional in many Greek homes, and it holds up well at frying temperature.
Fresh oregano leaves. Other herbs like chopped rosemary leaves, thyme leaves or chopped sage will work just as well. If no fresh herbs are available, dried oregano works beautifully. Use about a third as much.
Coarse sea salt. The potatoes get seasoned immediately after frying with coarse sea salt.
How to make Greek fries
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Scrub the potatoes, dry them well, and place them whole in an oven-safe pan. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until a knife slides in easily.
3. Let the potatoes cool for 20 minutes, until they’re easy to handle, then tear them by hand into chunky pieces, skin and all.
4. Spread the pieces on a kitchen towel or paper towels and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until completely cold. Chilling draws moisture out of the surface, which is the secret to crisp outsides and soft, fluffy insides.
5. Let the potatoes cool for 20 minutes, until they’re easy to handle, then tear them by hand into chunky pieces, skin and all.
6. Spread the pieces on a kitchen towel or paper towels and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until completely cold. Chilling draws moisture out of the surface, which is the secret to crisp outsides and soft, fluffy insides.
7. Sprinkle with oregano, crumble over feta if using, and serve right away.
Tips for the crispiest Greek fries
- Use a thermometer. At 375°F (190°C) the fries crisp in minutes. Below that, they soak up oil.
- Dry is crispy. Make sure the chilled potatoes are dry before they go into the oil. That also keeps the oil from spattering.
- Salt while hot, so the salt sticks.
- Never leave hot oil unattended, and keep a lid nearby.
What to serve with Greek fries
- Greek fries and seafood are a taverna classic. At a Greek fish taverna, a plate of patates tiganites always lands next to the octopus and calamari. At home, serve them with my shrimp saganaki or roasted branzino, plus a plate of horta on the side.
- Kokkinisto with fries is a Greek classic and my favorite way to eat both. It was my mom’s favorite too. Pile the fries right next to the kokkinisto and let them soak up that tomato sauce. Fries are also a traditional partner for chicken kapama.
- My favorite pairing for fries is feta cheese. Patates tiganites with feta are a match made in heaven. In the same awesome category is pairing with a whipped spicy feta dip called tirokafteri. Another great sauce to serve them with is tzatziki dip. And finally mayonnaise is awesome with these fries.
- Greeks eat fried potatoes with souvlaki. In the summer after the beach, a plate of fresh crispy potato fries next to a cool greek tomato salad is often the best lunch one can have.
- Have you tried fries served with a stew? Smothering these country fries in a decadent red wine beef stew sauce is a must. This beef stew with eggplant is also ideal for wild fry dipping.
- Fried eggs and fries — avga me patates.Runny yolks over hot fries is one of Greece’s great simple dinners. Here’s how I make it.
Greek fries FAQ
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Crispy Greek Fries (Patates Tiganites)
Equipment
- baking pan
- Deep fryer or Dutch oven
- Deep-fry thermometer
- Slotted spoon or spider
Ingredients
- 5 medium Yukon gold , or russet potatoes, about 2 lb / 900 g
- 2 tablespoons Light olive oil or sunflower oil, , for frying (about 3 inches / 7–8 cm in the pot)
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Scrub the potatoes and dry them well. Place them whole in an oven-safe pan and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, until tender all the way through.
- Let cool for 20 minutes, then tear by hand into chunky pieces.
- Spread on a towel-lined plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until completely cold.
- Heat about 3 inches (7–8 cm) of oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 375°F (190°C), filling the pot no more than halfway.
- Fry the potatoes in batches for 2–3 minutes, stirring once or twice, until golden with crispy edges.
- Drain on paper towels and season immediately with coarse sea salt.
- Sprinkle with oregano, add crumbled feta if using, and serve right away.
Notes
- Stir just a couple of times while frying so the pieces don’t stick together and the edges get crisp.
- I use my Dutch oven as a deep fryer. It holds heat well, and the fries come out crispy.
- Never leave hot oil unattended.
Nutrition
