If you're a pickle lover, this pickled french fries recipe is for you! Pickled potatoes are a delicious way to enjoy baked or air-fried french fries with a zippy flavor.
We love french fries, and this pickled french fries recipe is the bomb! And with four simple ingredients, pickled potatoes transform into delicious baked or air-fried fries.
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Paul and I travel to Flagstaff often to escape the Arizona heat or enjoy the snow in the winter months. Fall in Flagstaff reminds me of Michigan with its beautiful fall colors. One of our favorite restaurants, Shift, serves the best pickled french fries I've ever had. It was the first time we'd ever heard of pickled potatoes. So, I made pickled french fries at home.
Pickled French Fries Ingredients
- Potatoes: I used 2 large baking potatoes. I left the skins on the potatoes.
- Fresh Dill: Fresh dill flavors the brine.
- White Vinegar: White vinegar is the base of the brine.
- Agave: Agave sweetens the brine.
- Dried Dill: Dried dill works best when baking or air frying.
- Garlic Salt: I like the combination of garlic and salt.
Pickled French Fries Ingredient Substitutions
- Any potatoes can be used for pickled potatoes.
- Instead of dill, choose your favorite herbs.
- Apple cider vinegar is similar to white vinegar.
- Maple syrup or date syrup substitutes agave in this recipe.
- Choose any seasoning combination; use dried herbs instead of fresh when baking and air frying.
- Use saved pickle juice instead of making brine.
How to Pickle Potatoes
- Begin by washing the potatoes to remove any excess dirt.
- I used a french fry cutter for regular-sized french fries.
- For thicker fries, use an apple cutter to make steak fries (larger fries require longer cooking time).
- If cutting the potatoes in advance, cover them in water to prevent them from turning brown.
- Boil a large pot of water with a pinch of salt.
- Parboil the french fries for 2-3 minutes. For larger fries, increase the time to 4-6 minutes.
- In a separate pan, boil 2 cups of white vinegar and 2 Tablespoons of agave nectar.
- Strain the potatoes and place them in a bowl to cool to the touch.
- In a ball jar, add the dill (stems and all.
- Add the cooled french fries.
- Pour the hot agave and vinegar mixture into the jar, covering the french fries.
- Allow the ingredients in the jar to reach room temperature.
- Put the top on the jar and refrigerate overnight.
Cooking Options
Baked
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Drain any remaining brine using a colander and discard the fresh dill sprigs.
- Using a silicone baking mat, place the pickled potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle generously with garlic salt and dried dill.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Larger fries require longer cooking time.
Air Frying
- Preheat the air fryer to 325 degrees.
- Drain the jar of any brine using a colander and discard the fresh dill sprigs.
- Place pickled potatoes in a single layer on the air fryer pan.
- Now, sprinkle the pickled potatoes with dried dill and garlic salt.
- Cook for 15 minutes until crispy.
- If using a round, small air fryer, cook in batches.
Serving Suggestions
Even though these pickled french fries taste great with any dip, Shift serves them with a spicy vegan aioli. But I love these pickled potatoes with a variety of sauces.
- Sriracha Ketchup: Mix a teaspoon of Sriracha with your favorite ketchup.
- Vegan Ranch: I love vegan ranch dressing and french fries are a match made in heaven.
- Lemon Basil Dressing: The combination of lemon and dill tastes fabulous with the pickled fries.
- Vegan Thousand Island Dressing: This is a tasty treat with chopped pickles for added dill flavor.
- Vegan Yum Yum Sauce: Vegan yum yum sauce is precisely what is sounds like....yum!
- Vegan Southwest Dressing: This is a southwest version of ranch dressing that is simple to make and even better to dip into.
Recipe FAQs
Beyond the classic cucumbers, other fruits and vegetables that work well for pickles include asparagus, beets, bell peppers, blueberries, cauliflower, carrots, cherries, fennel, ginger, grapes, green beans, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, peaches, peppers, radishes, ramps, rhubarb, strawberries, squash, tomatoes, turnips, or anything you can think of.
Distilled white vinegar. This is the clear, colorless vinegar made by fermenting grains. It has a mellow aroma and tart acid flavor and does not affect the color of light-colored vegetables or fruits.
Although vinegar has a suggested use-by date, it does not expire.
Tips
- To prevent potatoes from turning brown, keep in a bowl or container of covered water.
- For a quick way of making pickled potatoes, use saved pickle juice.
- Parboiling the potatoes makes them softer and allows the brine to penetrate them and absorb them into the flesh.
- Allowing the pickled potatoes to soak in the brine overnight gives the potatoes more flavor.
- For steak fries, use an apple cutter to make thicker fries.
For a fun treat, try this pickled french fries recipe. You will love the unique flavor and crispiness!
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📖 Recipe
Pickled French Fries
Ingredients
- 2 Large Baking Potatoes washed and cut into french fries
- 2 cups White vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Agave
- ½ cup Fresh Dill
- Garlic Salt
- Dried Dill
Instructions
- Begin by washing the potatoes to remove any excess dirt.
- I used a french fry cutter for regular-sized french fries.
- For thicker fries, use an apple cutter to make steak fries (larger fries require longer cooking time)
- If cutting the potatoes in advance, cover them in water to prevent them from turning brown.
- Boil a large pot of water with a pinch of salt.
- Parboil the french fries for 2-3 minutes.
- For larger fries, increase the time to 4-6 minutes.
- In a separate pan, boil 2 cups of white vinegar and 2 Tablespoons of agave nectar.
- Strain the potatoes and place them in a bowl to cool to the touch.
- In a ball jar, add the dill (stems and all).
- Add the cooled french fries. Pour the hot agave and vinegar mixture into the jar, covering the french fries.
- Allow the ingredients in the jar to reach room temperature.
- Put the top on the jar and refrigerate overnight.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Drain any remaining brine using a colander and discard the fresh dill sprigs.
- Using a silicone baking mat, place the pickled potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle generously with garlic salt and dried dill.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Larger fries require longer cooking time.
Air Frying
- Preheat the air fryer to 325 degrees.
- Drain the jar of any brine using a colander and discard the fresh dill sprigs.
- Place pickled potatoes in a single layer on the air fryer pan.
- Now, sprinkle the pickled potatoes with dried dill and garlic salt.
- Cook for 15 minutes until crispy
- If using a round, small air fryer, cook in batches.
Video
Notes
- To prevent potatoes from turning brown, keep them in a bowl or container of covered water.
- For a quick way of making pickled potatoes, use saved pickle juice.
- Parboiling the potatoes makes them softer, allowing the brine to penetrate them and absorb them into the flesh.
- Allowing the pickled potatoes to soak in the brine overnight gives the potatoes more flavor.
- For steak fries, use an apple cutter to make thicker fries.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Paula M
Made these last night with Pickled Jalapeño Juice we'd been saving (freezer) and these were amazing! Touchdown! Really elevated the depth of flavor in a simple french fry. They smelled wonderful in the convection oven ... we couldn't wait for them to finish baking. Served them with a pickled jalapeño cilantro lime sauce and there's no going back now ---except for seconds! Thank you for another great recipe. 🌶️🎉🔥
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Paula, I bet your pickled jalapeno juice was a delicious brine for the pickled french fries! I will try that. I love spicy! Please share the pickled jalapeno cilantro lime sauce in our community! It sounds divine!