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    Greek Fries (Patates Tiganites)

    October 21, 2022

    Dressed with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano, these oven-baked fries are inspired by the traditional Greek taverna favorite, patates tiganites.

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    homemade Greek Fries Patates Tiganites on a plate with feta cheese dip and parsley

    One Side Dish to Rule Them All: Crispy Oven Fries!

    A zillion times healthier and nearly as tasty, oven-baked French fries are the only kind of fries we make at home. Not only is deep frying a whole messy operation, it’s also supremely unhealthy—yes, sadly, even when you deep fry in healthier fats like olive oil. We’re not opposed to deep fried foods, but we just aren’t in the habit of going to the trouble of making something that’s quite that bad for you that also makes a huge mess. So! When it comes to making fries at home, homemade french fries in the oven are where it’s at. You still get that satisfying, starchy-salty crispness, and they’re still highly dippable, so there’s very little compromise for a much healthier side dish with minimal clean-up. Win, win, win! This particular oven fries recipe is inspired by Greek fries, also known as patates tiganites.

    homemade Greek Fries ingredients, potatoes, salt and pepper, feta, greek yogurt, parsley
    potatoes cut into sticks soaking in a bowl of water

    What Are Greek Fries?

    Greek fries, or patates tiganites, are a super popular food in Greece and they are—you guessed it—an iteration of French fries! They’re common in most Greek tavernas, and the best of the best are hand-cut and deep-fried in olive oil. Sometimes they’re topped with feta or lemon, but most always with a sprinkling of oregano as well as salt and pepper. Instead of topping this oven-baked version with feta, we’ve chosen to whip up a lightly lemony feta dip to serve on the side as a nod to the Greek inspiration for this oven-fry recipe.

    How To Make Really Crispy Oven Fries

    • Cut the russet potatoes carefully into thin, fry-like strips. To the best of your ability, make sure that the fries are evenly cut—that’ll help ensure that all of the fries cook and crisp up at the same rate.

    • Soak the cut potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes, or as long as overnight. Soaking is key to making deep-fried French fries, and the same is true with oven-baked! It draws out the starch in the potatoes and helps achieve that crisp-on-the-outside / tender-on-the-inside goodness.

    • Bake, then bake again, and then broil! We hit these Greek-inspired oven fries with heat x3 to make them gorgeously golden and crisp. The first bake is at 425°F, then we crank it up to 450°F and then, last but not least, a quick moment under the broiler to really lock in that lovely crispness.

    Feta, Greek yogurt, Garlic cloves, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, basil, oregano, olive oil, lemon in a blender
    feta dip for fries
    homemade fries on a baking sheet
    baked greek french fries on a baking sheet

    About That Feta Dip

    Fries are great all on their own—especially these, with the flavor of extra virgin olive oil and a bit of oregano! But we love a great French fry dip—or, in this case, Greek fry dip!—and we really wanted to come up with something based on the fact that patates tiganites are so often paired with classic Greek feta cheese and dressed with a bit of lemon. Garlicky, salty, creamy and rich, this herby feta dip is easy to make and goes with everything—don’t feel that you’re limited to only serving it with these yummy fries. Try it with a vegetable platter, or as a sandwich topper. To make it, simply blend together:

    • Feta

    • Greek yogurt

    • Milk

    • Fresh garlic

    • Onion powder

    • Garlic powder

    • Dill

    • Basil

    • Oregano

    • Extra virgin olive oil

    • Lemon

    Greek Fries (Patates Tiganites) with feta dip on a plate

    Tools You’ll Need

    More Greek Recipes to Try

    homemade Greek Fries (Patates Tiganites) with feta dip on a plate
    homemade Greek Fries Patates Tiganites on a plate with feta cheese dip and parsley

    Fries For Dinner? Yes Please!

    Maybe not for dinner, but definitely with dinner! And since this Greek fries recipe is served with such a rich and delicious feta dip, it really is almost a meal in itself. Pair them with a big salad and make a simple piece of grilled fish and you’re good to go. When you make these oven fries, let us know how you like them, OK? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!

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    Greek Fries (Patates Tiganites)

    Updated on October 21, 2022

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  30 min
    • Calories:  221
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    Ingredients

    • 3 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and cut into 1/3 inch sticks
    • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 tsp fine sea salt
    • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
    • 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
    • Fresh parsley, for serving, optional

    Feta Dip

    • 6 oz Feta, crumbled (reserve 2 oz for fries)
    • 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
    • 2 Tbsp milk
    • 1-2 Garlic cloves, smashed
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp onion powder
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
    • 2 tsp dried dill
    • 1 tsp dried basil
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice, from one lemon

    Method


    1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut them into 1/3 inch wide sticks, keeping each fry the same length as the potato. Place the potato sticks in a large bowl filled with cold water and soak them for at least 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes and dry them very well.
    2. Preheat oven to 425°F.
    3. Spread the potatoes on a lightly oiled, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano, toss to coat. Spread the potatoes out into an even layer and place in the oven for 10 minutes.
    4. Meanwhile make the feta dipping sauce. Add four ounces feta, yogurt, milk, garlic (start with one clove), salt, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, basil, oregano, olive oil and lemon juice to the base of a food processor or high-powered blender. Blend until smooth.
    5. Turn the oven heat up to 450 and bake the oven fries for 10 minutes longer.
    6. Finish the oven fries by broiling them until they are beginning to brown and crisp. Remove them from the oven and toss. Keep broiling until they have reached your desired brownness and crispiness.
    7. Sprinkle the oven fries with remaining feta and parsley, if desired. Serve with the feta dip.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 221
    • Protein 11 g
    • Carbohydrates 26 g
    • Total Fat 11 g
    • Dietary Fiber 2 g
    • Cholesterol 16 mg
    • sodium 760 mg
    • Total Sugars 4 g

    Greek Fries (Patates Tiganites)

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Mark

      How far in advance can I make the dip?

      A day or two in advance will be fine, hope you enjoy!

    • Leah

      Hi, are you flipping the fries at all during cooking. I know you didn’t say, but some fry recipes have them flipping so I wanted to ask.

      Nope.

    • LaQuail

      When cooking the Greek Fries on 425 the first time how long is this? I noticed the directions stated again at 450 for no longer than 10 minutes but for the first session how long does it take to cook?

      10 minutes as well. Enjoy!

    • Elizabeth

      I tried this recipe last night and it was delicious. Will definitely be making again.

      That's great Elizabeth! Thanks for trying it out and letting us know you enjoyed it. Appreciate it!