Truffles and potatoes are destined to be together
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Soak Time: 60 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Truffles have been a treasure in high cuisine for years. Due to how hard they are to find and their high price tag, truffles used to be out of reach for most people, used only in elegant and exclusive dishes at fine-dining restaurants.
However, affordable truffle-infused oil became an alternative to the actual truffle and the mesmerizing flavor of this underground fungus captivated a new audience of adventurous eaters. Truffle fries popped up in restaurants across the United States, creating a hype that makes truffles far less intimidating and much more common.
Casual yet unconventional, these fries are a great addition to your recipe repertoire. Easy to make and packed with flavor, our recipe is a great place to start for experimenting with the amount of oil, the seasonings, and other herbs and flavorings.
So, What Exactly Is a Truffle?
A truffle is a type of fungus that grows at the base of certain trees. They're usually found and manually harvested in Europe with the help of sniffing dogs and pigs. Truffle farming is now more common but wild truffles are the most sought-after because of their rarity, size, and flavor. There are many varieties of truffles, but black and white are the ones you'll hear about the most for their high price and intoxicating scent and flavor.
Truffle Oil: The Ultimate Flavor Booster
Truffle oil is an edible oil infused with truffles. It has an intense flavor and go well with potatoes, eggs, vegetables, and seafood. Truffle oil also kicks up tasty snacks that go great with a cold beer or cocktail. Because fries with truffle oil have such a robust flavor, make sure you serve them alongside foods that can hold their own. An obvious choice is a steak, but for sheer indulgence, you can, of course, eat them on their own.
What’s the Difference Between White and Black Truffle Oil?
White and black truffle oils each have characteristics that pair better with some foods rather than others. White truffle oil is lightly garlicky and more delicate. Black truffle oil is rich and very intense. Because of their qualities, white truffle oil usually goes well with delicate meats and seafood, and black goes well with game and red meats. But ultimately, what determines which oil is better for your fries is your palate. If you have the chance to buy both oils, try the fries with one or the other, and make your own favorite recipe.
Tips for the Most Scrumptious Truffle Fries
Keep in mind these recommendations when making truffle fries:
- Use real truffle oil—The trick to making savory, earthy truffle fries is to use premium-quality truffle oil. Cheaper truffle oil is made using synthetic flavoring, not a real truffle. But because a little goes a long way, you'll only need a few tiny drops to make your truffle fries perfect. Do not skimp on price.
- Double fry—These fries are cooked twice in oil for a crunchy outside and a perfect inside, so be mindful of the very high temperature of the oil in this recipe: Fry the potatoes carefully, and keep kids and pets out of the kitchen.
- Use fresh cooking oil—Always use fresh cooking oil when preparing fries. Old oil can easily taint the flavor of the fries, plus any crumbs in the oil can burn when reheated, which, in turn, will spoil the taste of the fries. Always strain cooking oil once cooled before using it again.
Reheating Truffle Fries
Like all french fries, these do not keep well and can soften fairly quickly. Left too long, the scent of the truffle will also disappear, and the potatoes will become soggy. If needed, reheat in the oven at 350 F for 10 to 15 minutes, and add a minimal amount of truffle oil to wake up the flavor. You can also pop them into an air fryer.
«Not overpowering. Straightforward, extra crisp fries. You won’t be able to stop eating them.» —Renae Wilson
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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4 large russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
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4 cups water, plus 2 cups of ice
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4 to 5 cups vegetable oil, for frying
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1/2 teaspoon fine salt
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1 1/2 tablespoons white or black truffle oil
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4 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional
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2 tablespoons minced parsley, optional
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1 clove garlic, sliced, optional
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Cut the peeled potatoes lengthwise into thin strips, about 1/3-inch wide.
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Add the water and ice to a medium-sized bowl and soak the potatoes for one hour.
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Drain and pat completely dry.
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Heat up the oil in a deep-fryer or deep skillet to 325 F and blanch the potatoes for 2 minutes by frying them in batches. Drain the fries on fresh kitchen towels or paper towels.
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Bring the oil to 375 F. Cook the potatoes for the second time. This time leave them for 1 1/2 minutes.
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Drain the fries on baking sheets lined with fresh kitchen towels or paper towels. Sprinkle them with salt to taste.
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Drizzle the truffle oil over and dust with the optional grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the optional parsley for a colorful addition.
How To Store
Truffle fries are best right after they're made, but if you have leftovers they can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 1 day. Reheat them in a 350 F oven or air fryer until crisp. You will need to drizzle them with a little more truffle oil for the best flavor.
You could also use the leftover fries in a frittata.
Feeling Adventurous? Try This:
- Ultra truffle—If you can find fresh truffles and are willing to shell out for a luxe experience, very thinly shave fresh truffle over the cooked fries in addition to the truffle oil.
- Add fried herbs or garlic—After frying the potatoes, add a handful of sturdy herbs, like rosemary, thyme, and sage, or some thinly sliced garlic to the oil for a few seconds until they become crisp. Drain the herbs and/or garlic and sprinkle them over the fries.
- Serve in style—Serve the fries with a garlicky aioli or just a homemade mayonnaise.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 to 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 321 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 16g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat 1g | 7% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 214mg | 9% |
| Total Carbohydrate 42g | 15% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 16% |
| Total Sugars 2g | |
| Protein 5g | |
| Vitamin C 19mg | 96% |
| Calcium 30mg | 2% |
| Iron 2mg | 12% |
| Potassium 1067mg | 23% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
