Our Greek loaded fries resemble poutine and are truly delicious. Crispy fries are topped with leftover beef kokkinisto, feta and spearmint for an unforgettable experience. Make this recipe. I promise you will not regret it!
If you love this Greek Loaded Fries recipe, you will also love our Country Fried Potatoes, Fried Eggs And Fries-Avga Me Patates , Rosemary Potatoes With Parmesan, or Classic Greek Lemon Potatoes!
Why this recipe sings
We love leftovers. We also can’t have enough of our crispy homemade fries. Our loaded fries recipe is a match made in heaven.
This recipe is perfect when you need a quick weeknight dinner. Do you have leftover sauce from a stew or pasta and want to repurpose it for dinner? Tired of rice or out of noodles? If so, this is the recipe for you.
Here, we use our favorite topping for fries, kokkinisto-braised beef in tomato sauce, Greek feta cheese, and a few spearmint leaves.
The recipe features our technique for making crispy, delicious fries. But it works just as well with store-bought frozen fries.
Finally, this dish is quick, budget and kid-friendly. I am willing to bet that you will have requests for more!
Here is what you need
- Leftover kokkinisto stew. This authentic traditional recipe features melt-in-your-mouth beef slow-cooked in a rich tomato sauce.
- Potatoes. Use the potatoes you already have handy. My go-to are Yukon Gold and Russets.
- Feta cheese. Good feta cheese in brine that you crumble yourself.
- Spearmint. For an aromatic note. Use mint instead or cilantro.
- Sea salt and chili flakes.
- Olive oil (not shown above). For frying. My favorites are plain olive oil (not extra virgin). I also love light olive oil. I use them only for frying. I find the oil influences the flavor of the fries. Feel free to use your favorite vegetable oil for frying.
How to make these loaded fries
Start by washing the potatoes thoroughly and drying them completely. It’s up to you if you want to peel them or not.
Cut a slice from each potato lengthwise, lay it flat on the cutting surface, and slice it into 1/2-inch to 1/4-inch slices. Stack the slices and cut them into sticks of the same width. Repeat the process with the other potatoes.
After cutting the potatoes, place them in a large bowl and submerge them in cool water. Allow them to soak for at least 20 minutes, or up to an hour, to remove any excess starch and achieve fluffier and crispier fries.
Remove the fries from the water and dry them thoroughly using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Spread them out in a single layer and allow them to air-dry for a while. The drier they are when you fry them, the crispier they will turn out.
Heat a large, heavy pot like a Dutch oven with at least 2 inches / 5 cm of oil until it reaches 325°F / 162°C or on medium-high heat. (Trick: Drop a fry in, and if the oil has too many bubbles, it means it’s too hot and needs to cool down). Once the oil is hot, fry the potatoes for roughly 5 minutes, working in batches. Avoid adding too many fries at once to prevent the oil temperature from dropping and resulting in soggy fries.
Lift the fries out of the oil using a slotted spoon or spider. Drain them on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet or on layers of clean paper towels. Let the potatoes sit until completely cool—at least 30 minutes.
Heat the oil to 375°F / 190°C or on high heat. You can use a kitchen thermometer or drop a fry in the oil to check if it is ready. You will need more bubbles than before, but if the oil is bubbling excessively and spitting, then it’s too hot.
Add the fries to the oil, working in batches. Cook them until they turn golden or start to turn golden brown, which usually takes about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm up your leftover kokkinisto.
Remove the fries from the oil and place them on a cooling rack or paper towels. This is the time to add sea salt (if you want to) while they are still hot and draining.
Place the homemade fries onto a platter. Add on top the warmed-up kokkinisto sauce. Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese, some spearmint leaves, chili flakes, and serve immediately.
Other ways to make Greek loaded fries
You can use other leftover stews and sauces to top the fries for this recipe.
Stifado-red wine stew and an eggplant beef stew will be amazing on fried potatoes. For a meatless option, try our classic Greek tomato spaghetti sauce. Top with Greek feta, lots of shaved parmesan or grated kefalotiri cheese.
Cooked this? Rate this recipe! You can also leave a comment below. I love hearing from you!
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Greek Loaded Fries
Equipment
- Thick bottom large pot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 2 cups leftover kokkinisto
- spearmint leaves
- crushed chili peppers
- sea salt
- light olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes thoroughly and dry them completely. It's up to you if you want to peel them or not.Cut a slice from each potato lengthwise. Lay the potato flat on the cutting surface, and slice it into 1/2-inch to 1/4-inch / 1.2 cm to 0.6 cm slices. Stack the slices and cut them into sticks of the same width. Repeat the process with the other potatoes.After cutting the potatoes, place them in a large bowl and submerge them in cool water. Soak for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour, to remove any excess starch and achieve fluffier and crispier fries.Remove the fries from the water and dry them thoroughly using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Spread them out in a single layer and allow them to air-dry for a while.
- Heat a large, heavy pot like a Dutch oven with at least 2 inches / 5 cm of oil until it reaches 325°F / 162°C. Check recipe notes.Once the oil is hot, fry the potatoes for roughly 5 minutes, working in batches. Check recipe notes.
- Take the fries out of the oil using a slotted spoon. Drain them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or on paper towels. Let the potatoes cool completely.
- Meanwhile, warm up your leftover kokkinisto.
- Heat the oil to a temperature range of 375°F / 190°C. Check recipe notes.Add the fries to the oil, working in batches. Cook them until they turn golden or start to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Let the fries drain on a cooling rack or paper towels. Do it now if you want to add sea salt to your fries.
- Place the fries onto a platter. Add on top the warmed-up kokkinisto. Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese, some spearmint leaves, chili flakes, and serve immediately.
Notes
If you do not have a kitchen thermometer:
To check if the oil temperature reaches approximately 325°F / 162°C or on medium-high heat drop a fry in, and if the oil has too many bubbles, it means it’s too hot and needs to cool down. To check if the oil temperature reaches approximately 375°F / 190°C or on high heat drop a fry in the oil to check if it is ready. You will need more bubbles than before, but if the oil is bubbling excessively and spitting, then it’s too hot. Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only estimated and can vary based on the products used.Nutrition
