When it comes to our favorite fried foods, we're always going to ask for it to be extra crispy. And what better way to maximize all that golden, crunchy goodness than making Korean fried chicken, crispy latkes, and fried fish tacos right at home? Think about it, nothing beats a freshly made, ultra-hot French fry, and a homemade one (especially our double-fried French fries recipe) is impossible to beat. So go on and liven up dinner (and dessert) with these simple fried food recipes. You'll be a fry chef in no time!
No surprise: Many of our top comfort foods happen to also be those ultra-delicious, deep-fried carnival food and street food staples. Has anyone ever been sad eating a corn dog? We highly doubt it, which is why we're more than eager to brush up on our deep-frying skills so we can make deep-fried Oreos, churros, pot stickers, and arancini.
Of course, frying even makes eating our recommended daily amount of vegetables a whole lot more delicious. Fried green tomatoes, corn fritters, and even fried mushroom "calamari" are so easy to make. And be sure to cook up double batch of our chili garlic fried cauliflower; you'll be so glad you did.
In the mood for the crispy crunch of your favorite fried foods (but maybe not the clean up or grease)? We got you covered thanks to the mighty air-fryer. Check out all our best air-fryer recipes to find out all the things you can make in one (spoiler: basically everything).
Perfect French Fries
We know, deep-frying really sounds like a lot of work, but we have a genius tip to getting you the crispiest fries ever without the double-frying. With our method, all of the fries go in at the same time, and once they're out, they're ready to eat! After seasoning the heck out of them with salt, of course.
Get the Perfect French Fries recipe.
Fried Green Tomatoes
When green tomatoes are in season, this Southern staple is the first dish we think of. Nothing complements a juicy, tart green tomato quite like a crunchy, slightly sweet cornmeal crust. A classic remoulade is our condiment of choice, but if you don’t feel like whipping one up from scratch, making a simple two-ingredient spicy mayo will absolutely do the trick.
Get the Fried Green Tomatoes recipe.
Thai Fried Chicken Sandwich
A lot of Thai dishes are spicy, sweet, salty, and sour all at once, and that’s why Thai food is so easy to love. This fried chicken sandwich has so much more going on than the traditional version. Its marinade is a little spicy and sweet and gets some sourness from the lime juice. The chicken fries up extra-crispy and is worth busting out the oil for. We are honestly obsessed with this sandwich. With the creamy mayo and messy slaw piled high, we just know you are about to be too.
Get the Thai Fried Chicken Sandwich recipe.
Fried Mashed Potato Balls
This easy recipe turns those sad leftover mashed potatoes into something MAGICAL. If you've got more leftovers on your hands, you gotta check out these Thanksgiving leftovers recipes to revive the remnants of your feast.
Get the Fried Mashed Potato Balls recipe.
Beer Battered Fish
Cod is awesome, but other fishes that work great are substantial, flakey white fishes like haddock, pike, and pollock. And since you have already heated up some oil, throw in a batch of French fries to complete the meal. To make them closer to the authentic British-style chip, just cut them a little bit thicker, shorter, and irregular like a true chip shop would serve.
Get the Beer Battered Fish recipe.
Crispy Fried Calamari
Fried calamari doesn't have to be reserved for beachfront restaurants. It's easy to make at home and comes out extra-crispy and crunchy. A squeeze of lemon juice and fresh marinara, and you're ready to go. After you master this, give fish and chips a go!
Get the Crispy Fried Calamari recipe.
Bean & Cheese Taquitos
These crispy, cheesy taquitos are quick and easy to make and are a fun appetizer; they could even easily be the main served along with rice and salsa. Taquitos are traditionally fried and will give you the crispiest outcome, but if you just really don’t want to bust out the big bottle of oil, you can bake these at 450° for around 15 minutes. Brush them with a little oil beforehand to help crisp them up.
Get the Bean & Cheese Taquitos recipe.
Corn Fritters
Move over, hush puppies! Corn fritters are my new favorite Southern-fried side. Fluffy and crispy with sweet fresh corn, these make the perfect partner for everything from a crab leg feast to a rack of saucy BBQ ribs or a taco spread.
Get the Corn Fritters recipe.
Best Fried Fish Tacos
The best fish tacos have a wide variety of flavors and textures; hot and cold, crunchy and creamy, rich and bright, and with just the right amount of heat. The Indigenous people of coastal Mexico have likely been making fish tacos for thousands of years, but fried fish tacos in came into play much later. It's thought that Japanese fisherman who immigrated to Baja, California (a coastal Mexican state on the Baja California Peninsula) in the '50s and '60s introduced their technique for tempura frying, helping to inspire the fried fish tacos we know and love today.
Get the Best Fried Fish Tacos recipe.
Perfect Fried Rice
You'll never throw leftover rice away again! Fried rice is a quick and delicious way to transform leftovers into something greater than the sum of its parts. Though we sometimes think of certain ingredients being typical (eggs, garlic), the only things you need to make fried rice are heat, rice, and oil. Anything else you add is up to you!
Get the Perfect Fried Rice recipe.
Chili Garlic Fried Cauliflower
This recipe was very loosely inspired by our Korean fried chicken wings, but nothing about this recipe is really traditional at all. The cauliflower florets are tossed in a tempura-like batter, which does aid in a wing-like crispy coating, but you're still going to want to eat these right away—the crunch factor diminishes quickly!
Get the Chili Garlic Fried Cauliflower recipe.
Double-Fried French Fries
Frying pro-tip: Less moisture = crispier fries, and we are here. for. these. We found that frying them in peanut oil yields crispier fries that stay crisp much longer than the fries cooked in vegetable oil. That said, you can totally fry these in canola or vegetable oil, just make sure to eat them fast. We're sure that won't be a problem. 😉
Get the Double-Fried French Fries recipe.
Easy Churros
We don't often feel like getting a deep-fry going. But when you have an easy churro recipe this delicious, it's absolutely worth it. They only take a few minutes to fry and will actually still taste good at room temp, making them a great party dessert!
Get the Easy Churros recipe.
Spicy Fried “Chicken” Sandwich
Crunchy, spicy, creamy, and tart—this "chicken" sammie is total bliss. We replicated spicy fried chicken with protein-packed (frozen!) tofu and added cornmeal to the batter for extra crunch.
Get the Spicy Fried “Chicken” Sandwich recipe.
Pork Schnitzel
There’s not much that rivals a thinly pounded piece of meat, breaded and fried until perfectly golden brown. This recipe for pork schnitzel is just that. Pounding the meat until you have a thin cutlet creates a super-tender bite. If you have access to a butcher, you can also ask them to do this for you, getting you one step closer to golden brown perfection when you get home.
Get the Pork Schnitzel recipe.
Mushroom “Calamari” with Spicy Marinara
Umami-rich oyster mushrooms are lightly battered and fried for this squid-free take on a seafood favorite. You can use other mushroom varieties, but the delicate “petals” of the oyster mushrooms get especially crispy.
Get the Mushroom “Calamari” with Spicy Marinara recipe.
Classic Latkes
Why limit these latkes to just the holiday season? We love topping these with sour cream and smoked salmon for an easy weeknight meal. You also can never beat serving these with homemade applesauce for the prime latke experience.
Get the Classic Latkes recipe.
Shrimp Po’ Boy
If you've never had an iconic Louisiana po' boy, this fried shrimp version is a great place to start. Dressed with crunchy shredded iceburg, juicy tomatoes, and a creamy and briny remoulade sauce, this imposing sandwich will take you to the fern- and Spanish moss-lined streets of NOLA in seconds flat.
Get the Shrimp Po’ Boy recipe.
Zeppole
Zeppole are the perfect snack for serving with coffee for a midmorning pastry break, or serve with chocolate sauce for a more decadent dessert. In Italy, larger zeppole are often filled with pastry cream. For a take on that version, use a paring knife to poke a small hole in the side of the donut, then fill with pastry cream using a piping bag. (Use the filling recipe from these eclairs.)
Get the Zeppole recipe.
Copycat Popeyes Chicken Sandwich
The chicken sandwich is a seemingly simple Southern-fried chicken breast on a warm brioche bun, with spicy mayo and pickles. But even the most tried-and-true Southern methods for frying chicken can’t produce a crust that snaps and shatters the same way as the cult favorite—check out our non-traditional tricks that made our version of Popeye’s spicy chicken sandwich edge out above the rest.
Get the Copycat Popeyes Chicken Sandwich recipe.
