Skillet Cheese Fries

While we're all for French fries all on their own, dipped into an array of delicious condiments or sitting beside a juicy burger, we also love dressing them up to make them a scene-stealing appetizer. What better way to do that than piling them up with melty cheese, crispy bacon, and an array of toppings? These loaded cheese fries are completely versatile and extremely comforting, making them a perfect addition to your spread of Super Bowl snacks.

How do you make cheese fries?
Start off by baking your bag of frozen French fries until golden and crispy, around 10-15 minutes based on your package instructions. While your cheese fries are baking, you're going to cook your bacon until your desired doneness. Once your fries and bacon are done, it's time to assemble! Layer half your fries, then top with your desired toppings. We went with two types of cheese, bacon and green onions to mimic loaded baked potatoes. Time to repeat! Add your remaining fries and toppings, then bake until the cheese is warm and melted, around 10 minutes more.

Toppings & variations:
— Bacon. If you're a fan of extra-crispy bacon, start with a cold pan—it makes the bacon crispier.
— Cheese. Feel free to switch it up the cheese for your favorite melty variety: Mozzarella, pepper jack or Colby-Jack would all be delicious. Tip: Shred your cheese by hand instead of buying the pre-packaged bags! It makes a noticeable difference in the melting quality (and flavor) of your cheese.
— Fries. Get creative with your fry cut! Any frozen bag works—crinkle fries, potato wedges or steak fries would all be welcome variations.
— Toppings. Add whatever your heart desires, and swap out whatever isn't your thing. Green chiles, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and cilantro would make a mean Tex-Mex version of these loaded fries.

Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!