Welcome to your foolproof guide for how to make Curly Fries! With the help of my secret weapon, a spiralizer, turn regular or sweet potatoes into crispy homemade French fries just like the fast food menu staple.
Growing up in the Midwest, I had a distinct fast-food French fry hierarchy. Coming in third: Wendy’s skin-on fries. Second place goes to the beloved crunchy sticks, McDonald’s fries. And topping them all to earn the first place status in my heart (and stomach)? Arby’s curly fries, seasoned and oh-so-crunchy.
Delivering maximum surface area to amp up the crunch factor, plus infused with far more flavor than the plain-old-salt-only fries, these homemade curly fries deliver all the cravability I remember from the Arby’s order, just minus the trip to the drive-through or restaurant counter.
You can use a spiralizer for many tasks; making zucchini noodles or turning cabbage into perfect-for-slaw slices. But my favorite use for the best spiralizer (based on many trials in our test kitchen), this OXO model, is to create a batch of spiralized potatoes or sweet potatoes for fries. Namely, these zesty, crunchy Arby’s copycat curly fries.
Folks on Team Regular Fries: don’t miss my Homemade French Fries OR my obsessive, personally-researched-and-tested tome on The Best French Fry Cutter. But chances are the curly fry recipe below is about to convince you to switch sides!
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe. Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
And how do they get the fries to curl, you ask? Picture an enormous spiralizer that cuts the potato on an angle so it naturally curls as it passes through a small opening at a specific pressure.
Equipment and ingredient notes
- Spiralizer: As I mentioned, I swear by my OXO spiralizer, but any sturdy countertop model will do. For this recipe, look for a 1/4-inch (0.64 cm) blade, sometimes called the “fettuccine” blade.
- Thermometer: Use a digital thermometer to help dial in the oil temperature.
- Russet potatoes: Starchy Russets and Idaho potatoes work well for curly fries. Feel free to leave the skin on, just like Arby’s does (or peel if desired). Either way, give it a good scrub and trim the ends so the potato is stabilized in the spiralizer. Or substitute sweet potatoes.
- Vegetable or canola oil: Opt for a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like canola, vegetable, peanut, or grapeseed for the best frying medium.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up, then top with a wire rack. Line a second baking sheet with paper towels. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Fit the spiralizer with a 1/4-inch (0.64 cm) blade. Fit the trimmed potato into the spiralizer, then spiralize the potato completely. Cut any very long spirals into shorter pieces.
- Transfer the spiralized potatoes to a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak the potatoes in cold water for 15 to 30 minutes (the longer the better).
- For deep-frying, In a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat, add 1 ½ to 2 inches of oil and heat to a temp of 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 ½ teaspoons pepper. Add 1 cup of water and whisk until a batter forms, adding more water as necessary for a smooth consistency.
- Drain the fries well in a colander, then transfer a single layer on a kitchen towel to remove excess water. Working in small batches, dredge the fries in the batter, turning until well-coated, then place on wire rack over the rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining fries.
- Fry in batches until the potatoes are golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes of total cook time (depending on the size of the batch and how consistent the oil temperature is).
- Immediately transfer to baking sheet lined with paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Transfer the cooked curly fries to the oven to keep warm. Return the oil to 375 degrees and repeat with the remaining curly fries.
Do you need a spiralizer?
To make restaurant-quality curly fries, I recommend using a spiralizer for the perfect curly Qs! The OXO Good Grips 3-Blade Tabletop Spiralizer is the best spiralizer I’ve ever used because it stays in place and is tough enough to take on sturdy vegetables like potatoes. It’s what I use in my own kitchen, and it’s also great for zoodles and other vegetable noodles. You can buy the OXO spiralizer for $44.40 on Amazon.
How Arby’s Curly Fries Are Made (from Unwrapped) | Unwrapped | Food Network
FAQ
What makes curly fries different?
How to make curly fries without a spiralizer?
How do they make wavy fries?
How do you spiral cut french fries?
How to fry curly fries?
Put them in a large bowl and cover them with cold water for about half an hour. This will prevent discoloration and get them ready for frying. Next, you will need to heat your oil for frying. You can use any kind of oil to make your curly fries, including olive oil and vegetable oil.
How do you make curly fries at Walmart?
These curly fries are a crispy and addictive snack! The spiral shape and seasoning make for a fun and delicious side dish. Build your cart with Tasty, then choose how you want to get your order from Walmart. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Using a spiralizer, spiralize the potatoes. Spread the potatoes evenly in one single layer on a baking sheet.
How do you make Curly Fries in a spiralizer?
One large potato will yield you anywhere between two and four servings of curly fries, depending on the potato and your appetite. Trim just the ends of the potato so that they are flat. You may also need to cut out some bad spots, if you happen to notice any. Now you can insert your potato into the spiralizer.
How do you reheat curly fries?
The easiest way to reheat curly fries is in an air fryer (an oven works, too). Make ahead: The potatoes can be spiralized and stored in water up to 24 hours in advance. Spices: We think the spice blend in the recipe card mostly closely matches the taste of Arby’s seasoned curly fries. But you are welcome to adjust as you see fit!