Loaded Fries

When you really want to make yourself spuds that are special, you have to make these loaded fries. A true legend in the game day appetizer hall of fame, these loaded fries are the simple, classic appetizer that you can turn to again and again. This recipe is not only topped with all of the staples you know and love (crispy bacon, melty cheese, and scallions), but I added a few extra special touches that truly make this app the MVP. Enter: pepperoncini. I use the slightly spicy, sweet, pickled peppers to create an irresistible ranch dressing and sprinkled them on top of the finished fries as well, for a more-than-welcome upgrade to this classic dish. Ready in just 20 minutes, these are the fries to make when you need something simple, versatile, and oh so classic. Here’s everything you need to know:

How To Make Loaded Fries

INGREDIENTS

• Buttermilk: Buttermilk is the base of any good ranch. It helps to bring an extra tanginess and creaminess to the dressing while also serving as a fairly neutral base for the rest of the flavors to build on.
• Mayonnaise: Adding mayo to the ranch dressing helps to up the creaminess even more and to add in some needed fat. Whichever mayonnaise brand you prefer will work perfectly here.
• Sour Cream: While ranch and mayonnaise bring a lot of flavor and texture to the ranch, sour cream is what really helps nail this dressing down. It adds a bit of extra tanginess as well, but more than anything helps to lift the dressing and keep it feeling a little bit lighter.
• Pepperoncini: I love pepperoncini. They bring just a slight bit of heat and a nice tangy, pickled bite. A little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, with a nice crunch, you really can’t beat them. I am using both the peppers themselves and their juice for even more flavor. If you really don’t like pepperoncini you can skip them and just make a classic ranch, but I highly recommend including them.
• Parsley: Parsley adds another layer of freshness to the ranch. It brings an earthy, slightly peppery flavor that cuts nicely through the creaminess of the ranch without overpowering the other ingredients.
• Dill: How could anyone not love dill? The distinct aroma and flavor are practically ubiquitous with ranch dressing. Dill brings a hint of sweetness, along with some grassy, anise-like notes.
• Seasonings: I’m keeping the seasonings fairly simple here. Really we just want to bring out the flavor of the pepperoncini and dill and complement them. For this I chose a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. These spices add a little bit of a bite and a nice bit of aroma that help round out the ranch.
• Toppings: When I set out to develop this recipe, I saw that most recipes called for some combination of cheese, bacon, scallions, and ranch dressing. It made me think of a college friend who used to order the Chicken Bacon Ranch from Subway at least three to four times a week. He had a very specific way of ordering it, and that usually involved adding a metric ton of pepperoncini (or banana peppers). So I got to thinking that they would be the perfect thing to add to loaded fries, and that it would taste even better in the ranch!
• French Fries: I used crinkle fries here, but you can really use any bag of frozen French fries. Use your favorite, or check out our list of the best frozen French fries for inspo. Not feeling frozen? Make our double-fried French fries (or air fryer French fries) to really take this app to a new level.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Ranch is super simple to make. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until they are mixed completely and no dry spots of seasoning remain. Taste and adjust as necessary. You can make the ranch dressing up to 5 days in advance and store it, sealed, in the fridge.

Preheat your oven and, as it heats, place the bacon in a single layer in a cold skillet. Then turn on your burner and cook the bacon for about 6 minutes until it is crispy and the fat is rendered. Starting the bacon in a cold pan allows the fat to render more completely and the bacon to cook more evenly, resulting in crispier bacon. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.

Place the pre-baked fries in a single layer evenly across a sheet tray, then top them with the shredded cheddar and bacon pieces. Then place the tray into the heated oven and bake for about 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the fries are re-heated all the way through.

Top the fries with pepperoncini and scallions, then drizzle over generously with the pepperoncini ranch and dig in.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Play around with the toppings. I believe the addition of pepperoncini and a homemade pepperoncini ranch truly takes these fries over the top, but loaded fries are nothing if not versatile. Not feeling the spicy ranch? Swap it out for homemade ranch dressing instead. Leave off the peppers, or swap them out for your favorite combination of veggies and toppings. I went for the loaded baked potato vibe here, but if you’re looking to branch out, many of our nacho recipe toppings would work beautifully here.

Storage

The storage for your fries depends on how you build them. If you have any leftover fries that haven’t yet been topped, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days; however, the loaded fries will only keep in the fridge for a maximum of 3 days. This is one of those recipes that is much better the first time around, as the loaded fries will lose some of their texture as they sit, but if you are reheating them, the oven or air-fryer would be the best way to go.