Peri Peri Fries (Crispy & Homemade) – Dassana’s Veg Recipes

Peri Peri Fries are crispy potato fries tossed with tangy and spicy peri peri seasoning or spice mix. This recipe uses fresh potatoes, double frying and a light cornstarch coating for fries that are crisp outside and soft inside. You can use ready peri peri seasoning or make a quick homemade version with basic spices. These spicy peri peri fries can be served as a snack, party starter or as a side with burgers, sandwiches and wraps.

About Peri Peri Fries Recipe

This peri peri fries recipe is inspired by the spicy seasoned fries served in fast food chains and cafés. The fries are tossed in a bold peri peri mix that has a slightly smoky, tangy and spicy taste.

This recipe uses fresh potatoes instead of frozen fries. Fresh potatoes give better texture and flavor, but you can also use frozen fries if you prefer.

The potatoes are soaked in cold water with salt and vinegar before frying. Cold water helps remove excess starch, salt lightly seasons the potatoes, and vinegar helps them stay firmer during frying. This gives the fries a crisp outside and soft inside texture.

A light coating of cornstarch helps make the fries crisp. Do note that the coating should be thin and light.

Double frying gives the best results. The first fry cooks the potatoes from inside and the second fry makes them golden and crispy.

If you are short on time, you can also fry the potatoes once until crisp and golden. The peri peri fries still taste good and stay crisp for some time.

You can use store-bought peri peri seasoning for convenience, like I have done in this recipe. If you do not have it, you can easily make a quick homemade peri peri spice mix. I have shared the DIY spice mix recipe below.

For extra flavor, drizzle a little Peri Peri Sauce after seasoning. Add only a small amount so the fries do not turn soggy.

These peri peri french fries pair well with mayonnaise, cheese dip, greek yogurt dip or tomato ketchup.

More Potato Recipes To Try

How To Make Peri Peri Fries (Stepwise)

Prepare Potatoes

1. Peel 520 grams potatoes (4 medium or 3 large potatoes).

You can opt to place them in water while you finish peeling and cutting the remaining potatoes. This prevents discoloration.

2. First slice the potatoes into 0.4 to 0.5 cm thick slices.

3. Next cut the potato slices into medium or slightly thick fries about 1 cm thick. Try to keep the fries uniform so that they cook evenly.

4. Rinse the potato fries once or twice in water to remove excess surface starch.

5. In a bowl add 3 to 4 cups cold water, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine.

Tip: You can also use room temperature water if you do not have cold water.

6. Add the potato fries and soak them in cold water for 30 minutes. You can also refrigerate the bowl containing the fries and water while soaking.

Dry and Coat

7. After soaking the fries for 30 minutes in cold water, transfer them to a colander or strainer. Make sure to drain all the water very well.

8. Spread the fries on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry them thoroughly. There should not be excess moisture on the potatoes before frying.

The potatoes should be fairly dry before you coat them with cornstarch.

9. Transfer the fries to a mixing bowl or a large tray or plate. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cornstarch all over the fries.

Note that cornstarch is called cornflour in the UK and India.

10. Mix and toss gently so that the fries are evenly coated with a very light and thin coating of the cornstarch.

Place the cornstarch coated fries in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes. This helps the cornstarch coating stick better and improves the crisp texture.

First Fry

Double frying gives the best crisp texture with a soft interior. For a quicker version, fry the potatoes once until crisp and golden on medium-high to high heat.

11. Heat 500 to 700 ml oil in a kadai (wok) or deep frying pan on medium heat.

If using less oil, fry in more batches. If using more oil, you can fry in fewer batches.

Add a small piece of potato to the hot oil. If it rises gradually to the surface, the oil is ready for frying the potatoes.

12. Add the fries carefully in batches. Once added, gently separate them with a spatula or large spoon so they do not stick together because of the cornstarch coating.

Fry for 4 to 5 minutes or until the fries look lightly cooked and pale. Do not brown them at this stage.

13. Remove the fries with a slotted spoon and place them on a mesh strainer, wired rack or paper towels.

Let them rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, continue to fry the remaining fries in batches.

Second Fry

14. Heat the oil on medium-high to high heat. If you have not switched off the heat while frying the remaining batches, you can simply increase the heat.

Add the par-cooked fries again in batches and fry until golden and crisp.

15. Once the fries look golden and crisp, remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper towels or a strainer.

To remove excess oil, gently press paper towels over the fries from the top.

Make Peri Peri Fries

16. While the fries are still hot, place them in a mixing bowl.

Sprinkle 1½ to 2 tablespoons peri peri seasoning and a few pinches of salt if needed.

Note: You can also use the easy DIY peri peri spice mix recipe shared below.

Tip: If you like, drizzle ½ to 1 teaspoon peri peri sauce and toss quickly. Add only a little sauce so the fries stay crisp.

17. Shake the bowl well so that the seasoning coats the fries evenly.

18. Serve peri peri fries immediately while hot and crisp.

Quick Homemade Peri Peri Seasoning

If you do not have ready peri peri seasoning, mix together:

• 2 teaspoons paprika or red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ¼ teaspoon powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt or according to taste
• ⅛ teaspoon citric acid or ¼ teaspoon dry mango powder for tang

Mix very well and use as needed.

Serving Suggestions & Storage

Serve peri peri fries hot with tomato ketchup, cheese dip, Mayonnaise or a greek yogurt dip like Tzatziki.

You can also serve peri peri french fries as a side with a Veg Burger, Veg Sandwich, wraps or grilled snacks.

Peri peri fries taste best hot and fresh. As they cool, the crispy texture reduces.

You can also top the hot peri peri fries with grated cheddar cheese or processed cheese while serving. The heat from the fries slightly melts the cheese and adds extra flavor.

Leftover fries can be reheated in an oven or air fryer until hot and crisp again. Avoid storing seasoned fries for long as they soften.

Dassana’s Recipe Tips

1. Choose the right potatoes: Use starchy potatoes like Russet potatoes or Idaho potatoes for crispy peri peri fries. In India, you can use old potatoes or potatoes with less moisture. Avoid very waxy potatoes.
2. Dry properly: Moisture on the potatoes can make the fries soft and can also cause oil splatters while frying.
3. Thin cornstarch coating: Add only a light coating of cornstarch. Too much can make the fries hard or unevenly coated.
4. Fry in batches: Do not overcrowd the pan. Frying too many fries together lowers the oil temperature and makes them soggy.
5. Double frying works best: The first fry cooks the potatoes from inside without browning them too much. Resting the fries after the first fry helps remove steam and moisture. The second fry on higher heat makes the fries crispy, golden and gives them a better restaurant-style texture.
6. Season while hot: Toss the fries with peri peri seasoning immediately after frying so the seasoning sticks well.
7. Use peri peri sauce carefully: Add only a little peri peri sauce if using. Too much sauce can soften the fries quickly.