It's a staple on every bar menu. It's that appetizer you reach for during every game. It's the late night food you can't say no to. What is it? It's cheese fries. Bringing together what possibly may be the best two foods in the whole world, cheese fries are the universal guilty pleasure nobody can resist.
What exactly is it about this combo that we love so much? Perhaps it's the creamy, saltiness of the cheese. Maybe it's our love of carbs. Or maybe, just maybe, it's the fact that when you put the two together you satisfy a craving that sends you to your happy place. Whatever it is, we want more. So for today, forget the juice cleanse and take a cheat day with these 12 loaded cheese fries recipes. You deserve it.
1. Skinny Texas Cheese Fries
Whether it's game day or you're looking for an incredibly sinful side dish, Texas Fries are what you need in your life. While we love our fried potatoes as much as the next person, baking is just so much easier and this recipe does it right. Plus, its got all the best fixings. Bacon, jalapeños, scallions and shredded cheddar cheese is where it's at.
2. Buffalo Chicken Fries
Two pub favorites come together in holy matrimony in this savory dish. A bed of baked French fries are loaded with deli carved chicken, pepper jack cheese, buffalo wing sauce, fresh chives, and a double dose of blue cheese. Sharp and spicy, you won't be able to eat buffalo chicken without these cheesy fries again.
3. Baked Chili Cheese Fries with Bacon and Ranch
The secret to these chili cheese fries is all in the spice. Chili, chipotle, paprika, and cumin plus a grill seasoning coat the fingerling potato fries before they're smothered in cheddar cheese and topped with crumbled bacon, fresh chives, and homemade ranch dressing.
4. Jersey Diner-Style Disco Fries
Sometimes, you just want comfort food. That's precisely what these Disco Fries are. Frozen crinkle fries are baked until golden brown according to the packaged directions, then get a heaping of shredded mozzarella cheese. That's melted until it's nice and gooey then it all gets drowned in homemade gravy. Who cares if it's good for you or not. It's diner style!
5. Pepperoni and Cheese Pizza Fries
Who needs dough when you can layer all that cheesy goodness onto a pile of fries? Add in some pepperoni slices and you've got dinner.
6. Garlic Cheese Fries
For all those out there who just want to get down to the basics of cheesy fries, this recipe is for you. Rather than load on a whole mess of ingredients, thick fries get smothered in a sharp cheddar and cream cheese based homemade garlic cheese sauce. This is not your typical nacho cheese sauce, oh no. This is cheese fries sauce.
7. Carne Asada Cheese Fries
Trying to cut back on carbs? Ditch the tortilla and go cheesy fries. Okay, so maybe it doesn't skimp on the carbs. But this deconstructed California burrito tastes way too good when you trade trade in the tortilla for a heaping of gooey cheese fries.
8. Loaded Mexican Sweet Potato Cheese Fries
Don't forget the sweet potatoes! While there's plenty of ways to doctor them up cheese fries style, this recipe does it right.
Sweet potatoes are spread onto a baking sheet in a single layer and baked until crisp. Then they're piled high nacho style with cheese, tomatoes, black beans, and jalapeños until every last delicious ounce of cheese is melty. From there, you can top it with more fixings like avocado, pico de gallo, and sour cream.
9. Enchilada Chili Cheese Street Fries
If you're a sucker for those food truck cheese fries, then get ready to chow down with this savory recipe. To begin, you'll need to bust out the slow cooker and toss in a chuck roast with a plethora of spices and some beef broth to make the chili. After an eight hour shift of becoming fork tender, it's time to build the fries.
Since you've already invested a great deal of time into the chili, grab your favorite frozen fries and cook them according to the package directions. Once golden brown, top with that savory chuck roast, a shredded cheese duo, cilantro sour cream and salsa ranch.
10. Korean Fire Chicken Cheese Fries
Want to take your cheese fries to the next level? Give it a Korean flare with this recipe. It's spicy, it's umami, it's cheesy, and it's the stuff dreams are made of.
11. Baked Kimchi Cheese Fries
Speaking of Korean, have you tried kimchi on your cheese fries? There's something about the acidic tang of fermented cabbage that really helps break through the fat of the cheese and compliment the creaminess. Did I mention this recipe also adds bacon? Crack open an IPA, you're going to want it with this one.
12. Sheet Pan Steak Waffle Fries Nachos
Okay, we love our cheesy fries, but what we really love is a Tex-Mex recipe that involves the ease of a sheet pan. Enter these nacho cheese fries. Rather than use any old fry, it calls for waffle fries which is the best vessel to trap all the goodness of steak slathered in BBQ sauce, fresh salsa, green onions, and our favorite, gooey cheese.
13. Sweet Potato Nachos with Smoked Cheddar and Black Beans
Need a new Meatless Monday? You'll be happy to dig in veggie style with this mouthwatering easy recipe. Requiring only five ingredients and 35 minutes total cook time, you can bust out the sheet pan meal you'll actually want to eat on a Monday.
And if you can't wait until Taco Tuesday, slap on the sour cream, toss on the avocado, smother it in salsa and go to town.
