Warning: these are the best Greek fries ever.
They are also fried.Ā Deep fried.
If you are morally or otherwise opposed to fried food, you should stop reading now.Ā
And probably hide.Ā
These fries are not for the air fryer.Ā (Air fryers are great, but this recipe is not the time to use one.)
Greek Fries
Have you had Greek fries before?
There are several variations, but at the core, Greek fries are fries seasoned or topped with Greek flavors, such as oregano, feta, olives, parsley, and/or lemon.
My favorite come from a restaurant in Portland, Oregon called the Mad Greek Deli. Ā Have you been?
These fries.Ā Ohhh my goodness they are amazing. Ā When paired with the Mad Greekās Omega sauce, it truly doesnāt get any better.
That is, unless you make Greek fries yourself.Ā And Iāve got the perfect recipe for you.
My Greek Fries
My Greek fries are potato wedges that are first boiled, then dredged in a delicious batter filled with Greek herbs, before being deep fried to crispy perfection.Ā And these Greek fries are even better when dipped in my herby feta (omit to keep vegan) Zeta Sauce.
Make these fries vegan, make them vegetarian.Ā Enjoy them as the perfect appetizer, or make them a meal by serving with your favorite burger or falafel, using my Zeta sauce on the burger to tie it all deliciously together.Ā However you enjoy them, these fries are an addicting, showstopping indulgence.
A Few Things!
Fleur de sel
If you like to finish your fries with salt, my favorite French finishing salt, fleur de sel, is the way to go.Ā Ā The crunch and texture of fleur de sel just works perfectly with the crispy batter on these Greek fries.Ā You can purchase my favorite fleur de sel on Amazon here [aff. link].Ā Use fleur de sel on these fries, and I guarantee youāll find yourself using it on just about everything.
Fryer Skimmer: A Must!
I donāt own a deep fryer.Ā I always just use my fryer skimmer.Ā This simple tool makes it easy to fry just about anything.Ā And it’s perfect for these fries, no fancy equipment necessary.Ā Here’s my favorite fryer skimmer set on Amazon [aff. link]. The set includes three skimmers of different sizes.Ā I prefer to use the 15 inch long skimmer for this recipe.
Potato Wedge Size
Really, there arenāt any hard and fast rules when it comes to the potato wedge size here.Ā Definitely use russet potatoes, and definitely do not peal them.Ā Ā That skin will add to the crispiness of the fries.Ā Ā I prefer to get six wedges from each potato.Ā My favorite method is to cut the potato in half, then cut each half into thirds.Ā If you like thinner wedges, or if youāre using really big russet potatoes, feel free to make eight wedges per potato.
Greek Fries with Zeta Sauce
Ingredients
For the Zeta Sauce
- 1 cup Vegenaise or Mayonnaise
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp chives
- 1 clove garlic
- Ā¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- Ā¼ tsp sea salt, optional, use as needed to taste
- 2 tsp feta, optional, omit to keep vegan
For the fry batter
- 2 cups flour
- Ā½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion salt
- Ā½ tsp parsley
- 3 tsp sea salt
- Ā¼ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp fresh oregano, minced
Everything else:
- 2 Ā½ pounds russet potatoes, unpeeled and cut to wedges (see photo above; I cut each potato in half, then cut each half into thirds)
- 1 Ā½ cups milk of choice, I use unsweetened almond milk
- 48 oz canola (or vegetable) oil
Instructions
Boil the potatoes
- Add the potato wedges to a large soup pot (8-12 quart size). Now fill the pot with water so that the potatoes are covered by at least 1 inch of water.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium to prevent the water from bubbling over the side of the pot.
- Boil the potato wedges for five minutes, until the wedges can be pricked through with a fork, but donāt fall apart.
- Carefully drain the potatoes (I use a strainer), then lay them out on a standard-sized baking sheet to dry. Pat them gently with a kitchen towel or paper towel to speed up the drying process.
Prepare the fry batter and milk
- Add all the fry batter ingredients to a shallow baking dish (I use a 9x9 inch baking dish). Mix everything together with a fork, until all the seasonings are evenly distributed.
- In a SEPARATE shallow baking dish, pour the milk. (I use another 9x9 inch baking dish.)
Batter the potatoes
- Dip each potato wedge in milk, then dredge each wedge in the fry batter mixture.
Heat up the oil
- Once all the potato wedges have been dredged in batter, heat up the oil for frying.
- Add the oil to a large soup pot, and turn the heat on to high. You know the oil is hot enough for frying when the top of the oil looks like it is separating, about five minutes.
Fry the potato wedges
- Now lower the heat to medium, and load your fryer skimmer with potato wedges. I fry 6-8 wedges at a time. Carefully lower the wedges into the hot oil, then remove the fryer skimmer from the pot.
- Let the potato wedges fry for 4-7 minutes, until the batter on each wedge has turned golden brown and looks crispy. (You can check on the wedges at the 3 minute mark by pulling one out with your fryer skimmer.)
- Once the potato wedges are golden brown, carefully use your fryer skimmer to lift the wedges out of the hot oil, and lay them on another cookie sheet thatās been lined with paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Repeat this process with the remaining wedges.
- Note: you will have to adjust the oil temperature as you fry. If the wedges are frying too quickly, lower the temperature under the pot. If the wedges are taking too long to fry, raise the temperature.
Make the Zeta sauce
- While the potato wedges fry, make the fry sauce. Simply put the Vegenaise/mayonnaise in a small mixing bowl, add all the herbs and seasonings (except the salt) and whisk together until everything is incorporated. Taste, and add salt if desired.
- Sauce is done! The flavors of the sauce will continue to develop and strengthen as it sits.
Serve and enjoy!
- Sprinkle the fries with fleur de sel, if desired.
- Serve these Greek fries and Zeta sauce alone as an appetizer, or serve them with your favorite burgers or falafel, using the sauce as a burger condiment.
14 Responses
Oh man, my mouth is literally watering reading this post! I absolutely love fries of all sorts, and I also love Greek flavors – so this recipe is perfect for me. We do try to limit frying foods for (1) healthy and (2) the cleanup, but with that said, I am certainly not opposed to it. I even have a tiny deep fryer that I picked up on clearance some years ago. It would be perfect for a batch of these fries! I’m imagining eating a batch of these on the back deck this weekend. Heck, I could even make an entire meal out of these!
Thanks David! Oh yes, we do at times find ourselves eating these fries for dinner. š. Even if I serve them with something else, it’s these Greek fries that get eaten haha. They’re pretty addicting!
Oh. My. God. Deep fried little nuggets of goodness? Yes, please! These would make for the perfect finger party food, or Friday movie night nibbles. I absolutely love the look and sound of these. Another fabulous recipe, Shannon!
Aww thanks so much Katerina! These are definitely a much looked forward to indulgence at our house! You are so right, they are great for parties and the weekends. I’m addicted haha. š
I’ve never encountered Zeta sauce before, but I think I’d love it! I’m a huge fan of mayo and garlic and everything else you put into it!
Thanks Jeff! Can’t go wrong with mayo, garlic, and fresh herbs right? This has quickly become one of my favorite dipping sauces!
Oh goodness, these look spectacular!!! I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to stop eating them…..
Haha that is my problem whenever I make these these fries Mimi! They’re pretty addicting. š
I put in Greek fries and omega sauce in the search bar after that very same deli. We used to go to a tap house in Hillsboro Oregon that the Mad Greek food truck was at after the deli closed. We live in Texas now and Iām craving that omega sauce!
Yvonne, that is awesome to hear! The Mad Greek is definitely one of those restaurants you always remember. Such amazing food, particularly the omega sauce!
I love the Mad Greek. Best Greek fries & the Made Greek sandwich is amazing too!
Thanks for commenting Jackie, I agree! Love the Mad Greek. š
Wow! Thank you for sharing. I used to live next to the Original Mad Greek Deli on 185th before they moved to Portland.
I spent my Middle and High School years eating these. That was back when the Mad Geeek was still alive.
He worked/owned the restaurant. He would hang people bad checks up by the counter to shame them. He would yell at people for calling these “Jojo’s or Fries”.
He has a sign up that said “Greek Fries 1.99 lb. Spuds, Jojo and French Fries $5.99 lb.” A punishment for calling them the wrong name.
He was a character, and the customers couldn’t get enough. He gave High School kids jobs and free candy to all the little kids. When he passed away and his son took over, a dark cloud loomed for a bit, but his son did an excellent job persevering his dad’s legacy. Eventually moving the business to Portland.
I now live across the country and got a little emotional when I found this recipe. So many memories of time spent there came flooding back. Just wanted to say thank you and I can’t wait to try these. They look EXACTLY like what I remember. Thank you.
Hi Nicole! Thanks so much for you kind words, and for sharing these great memories. What wonderful insights into what makes the Mad Greek Deli special. How powerful memories of good food and a good restaurant can be. You’ve made me appreciate the Mad Greek and its founder all the more! Hope you enjoy these Greek fries, and that they bring back more great memories of the Mad Greek. š