Yes, you can microwave french fries, because a microwave cooks by heating food from the inside and transferring the heat outwards, resulting in food that is evenly cooked. This cooking method works well for frozen french fries that are already partially cooked and can be finished in the microwave.
Using the correct equipment and technique yields golden brown, crispy french fries. Microwave frozen fries straight from the freezer. Defrosting the fries before cooking them results in soggy french fries.
Microwave-cooking fresh potatoes cut into french fries doesn’t work as well as microwaving frozen french fries because the fresh potatoes come out soft and soggy instead of firm and crispy.
Microwaving Frozen French Fries
Reheating french fries in the microwave is quick and easy, but the fries won’t taste the same as they did when freshly made. The starch in the fries breaks down in the reheating process, resulting in limp fries that taste stale.
Frozen french fries are a better choice than fresh potato fries for cooking in the microwave. Certain frozen french fries brands are made specifically for microwave cooking, resulting in fries with the perfect texture and taste, but you can cook any frozen french fries in the microwave.
How to Cook French Fries in a Microwave
Cooking french fries in a microwave is easy, quick, healthier than frying in oil, and economical.
For delicious french fries, use a microwave crisper pan or a sheet of parchment paper spread on a microwave cooking tray. You can also use two or three layers of paper towels in place of parchment paper. Follow these step-by-step instructions for crispy microwave french fries:
Method:
- Dust off any visible ice crystals from the fries
- Drizzle a little olive oil over the fries and toss to coat well
- Lay the fries in a single layer on a microwave plate lined with parchment paper or two layers of paper towel, or place the fries in a microwave crisper pan (don’t overfill the pan)
- Microwave on high for three minutes
- Use tongs to turn the fries, and microwave for another one or two minutes, until golden brown and crispy
- Sprinkle fries with salt and serve hot
Tips for the Best Microwave Fries
There are a few things that you can do to ensure that microwaved french fries come out perfectly. Follow these tips for the best microwave french fries:
Buy Good-Quality Frozen French Fries
Low-cost frozen french fries are often made of inferior quality ingredients and are bulked up with extra water to make up the required weight. When these fries are cooked in a microwave, they often become limp and soggy because of the extra moisture.
Good-quality frozen french fries, including those that are made specifically for microwave cooking, contain less water and are made of quality potatoes, resulting in tastier french fries.
Microwave Frozen French Fries
Defrosting the fries before microwaving makes the fries soggy, so take the fries straight from the freezer to the microwave for the best results.
Use a Powerful Microwave
Microwaving french fries works best in a microwave of at least 1,000 watts. Low-powered microwaves take longer to cook the fries, more likely resulting in soft, rather than crispy, fries.
Use a Microwave Crisper Pan
A microwave crisper pan is designed to give microwaved food a golden-brown, crispy finish and is the perfect tool for microwaving french fries.
Cook a Small Quantity of French Fries at a Time
Overfilling the crisper pan or piling too many fries on the microwave plate makes the fries stick together and prevents them from crisping up. Instead of heaping the fries, cook two or three batches, one after the other, cooking one cup of french fries in each batch.
Microwaving frozen french fries is better than reheating leftover french fries in a microwave because it’s difficult to restore leftover french fries to their original crispy finish.
How to Make Crispy Microwave Fries
Here are some tips for making crispy microwave fries:
- Add enough olive oil to coat the french fries lightly to give them a golden, crispy finish
- Pat the french fries with a few sheets of paper towel before cooking them in the microwave. Removing as much moisture as possible in this way prevents the fries from going limp and soggy
- Microwave french fries on the highest power setting. Frozen fries need intense heat to cook as quickly as possible and come out crispy
- Watch the french fries and keep checking them while cooking to avoid overcooking. Frozen fries burn quickly and easily in the microwave
