Crispy Baked Shoestring Fries (with lemon garlic mayo dip)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These shoestring fries are the kind of side dish that mysteriously disappears before dinner even hits the table. Crispy, golden, and showered with rosemary and Parmesan, they’re even better when dunked into the delicious lemon-garlic mayo.
These shoestring fries are one of those side dishes that somehow disappear the moment they hit the table. They’re thin, crispy, and loaded with flavor from fresh rosemary, Parmesan, and a sprinkle of parsley. Pair them with the lemon garlic mayo, and suddenly they’re not just a side dish—they’re the thing everyone keeps reaching for.
The secret is cutting the potatoes nice and thin so they crisp up beautifully in the oven. You’ll want to keep an eye on them while they cook, as shoestring fries can go from perfectly golden to overdone pretty quickly. The extra attention is well worth it for those irresistibly crispy edges and fluffy centers.
The ingredient list is simple. Russet potatoes form the base, while olive oil, rosemary, Parmesan, parsley, and sea salt add plenty of flavor. The lemon garlic mayo comes together from mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice and zest, garlic, and a pinch of salt, creating a bright, tangy dip that’s the perfect match for the crispy fries.
Top tips to make perfect shoestring fries
- You will need a mandolin to cut these fries: To get the perfectly even slivers, a tool called a mandolin will be your friend. Use the julienne blade to get the finest cut. You could do this by hand, but it’s challenging and time consuming.
- Don’t overload the pan you’re cooking them on: If you pile up the shoestring fries on the pan they’ll steam rather than crisp, which you don’t want. If you have a small oven you will have to cook these in a few batches.
- Keep an eye on them while cooking: Once they brown they will burn easily as they’re so small. Keep a very close eye on the fries near the end and remove any from the pan that are too brown and crispy, just to be safe.
Make shoestring fries in an air fryer
You can absolutely choose to air fry shoestring fries. It’s super easy and they come up crisp and perfect every time! You can use frozen shoestring fries to make these or opt to follow this shoestring fries recipe to step 2 before popping into the air fryer instead of the oven.
Here’s how to make shoestring fries in the air fryer:
- Set the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the fries and cook for about 18 minutes (no more than 20 minutes).
- Check on the fries every 4 minutes to make sure they don’t overcook.
Fry dips to try
Sometimes ketchup gets old. Try these other french dips to spice things up a little!
Crispy Baked Shoestring Fries (with lemon garlic mayo dip)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb Russet potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (finely minced)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped parsley (to serve)
Lemon Garlic Mayonnaise
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh is best!)
- 1 medium garlic clove (finely minced)
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- To make the lemon garlic mayonnaise, stir the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set it aside in your fridge until you are ready to serve it.½ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 medium garlic clove, 1 pinch sea salt
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 – 13"x18" baking sheets with parchment paper. Scrub the potatoes and dry them well. There's no need to peel them. Use the julienne blade on your mandoline to cut the potatoes into thin strips. Place the strips into a large bowl, add the olive oil, rosemary, and salt, and toss to coat well.1 ½ lb Russet potatoes, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Divide the fries between the two baking sheets and place them into the oven. Cook for 20 minutes then remove the pans from the oven and flip the fries with a pair of tongs. Return the fries to the oven for another 10-15 minutes but check the fries every 5 minutes and remove any that are quite brown.
- The fries are done when about half of them are crispy and brown. Remove the fries from the oven, add any fries you had removed earlier, and sprinkle them with the parmesan cheese and parsley.½ cup grated parmesan cheese, Chopped parsley
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Fries are my all time favorite and with lemon , rosemary and parmesan , I think it would be the best fries i that I have try. I am surely going to try it . Thank you for this lovely fries.
They’re my favorite, too!
They’re my favourite too!! Thanks you!
I’m so happy you liked them!!
STOP. These look INCREDIBLE. I’m not a huge fry person, but it’s only because I can never find any thin enough (that’s how I really love them). These, though. These are dangerous!
I totally agree with you about thin fries. They’re my favourite too!!
I didn’t make the aioli, but I loved the rest of the recipe. This is quick, tasty and would make for a great breakfast or dinner side dish.
Thank you so much for the feedback! So happy you liked the recipe. 🙂
Hi Kristen,
you made such a nice twist on a classic dish with that lemon mayo – I love it!
Thank you so much, Jasmin!