This must-try Popeye’s Cajun fries copycat recipe is uber tasty! (2024)

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Yes, you can learn how to make Popeye’s Cajun fries recipe right in the comfort of your own kitchen.

For years, I didn’t eat at Popeye’s. I had it in my head that the food was way too spicy for me. It’s pretty darn spicy, but you can get the non-spicy version of mostly everything.

A Popeye’s opened up in our area and some friends invited me to join them there for lunch. I went and was flabbergasted with the delicious array of flavors.

That day, I realized that I had been missing out on years of yummy!

The only issue that I had at that point is that the place was always insanely busy. It became a bit frustrating to wait in line for so long.

So then the question became: can I replicate some of these flavors?

Well, yes! And I most certainly did.

What kind of potato makes the best french fry?

I think that russet potatoes make the best french fries.

Russet potatoes have a high starch content which makes them perfect for frying and baking. There’s a reason that our favorite restaurants use them for their french fries. They really are the best.

How to prepare potatoes for the best french fry

Yes, you can just cut the potatoes into french fries and cook them right away. They should be delicious by default, but there are a few things that you can do to make them even better.

1. Wash and dry the potatoes thoroughly. Use a brush to scrub them clean.
2. Cut away any dark spots or eyes from the potatoes.
3. Peel the potatoes. Now, I like to leave bits of the skin on here and there. I like the texture and flavor that it adds but that is for you to decide.
4. Prepare a bowl with cold water. I like to fill a mixing bowl with cold water and add a few ice cubes to it for good measure.
5. Cut the potato in ¼” thick fries. Be sure that they aren’t too short.
6. Please cut fries into the bowl of cold water as you go.
7. Once you’re done cutting all of the fries, add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice to the bowl of water.
8. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
9. Remove the potatoes from the bowl when you are ready to cook them. Be sure to dry them thoroughly before seasoning them.

How to cut potatoes into the perfect french fry

1. Scrub the potato and wash it thoroughly. Then Dry it completely.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut away any bad spots.
3. Cut off a slice across the length of the potato. This is so that you have a flat base for the potato to lay flat on the cutting board. This makes the process of cutting fries much safer.
4. Slice the potato lengthwise into ¼” slices.
5. Stack a couple of potato pieces on top of one another. Cut into ¼” thick strips.

Tips from the pros

• Popeye’s french fries are not all that thick. They aren’t as thinly cut as a McDonald’s french fries, but they aren’t steak fries either. So when cutting the fries, cut them to be ¼” thick.
• Cut your fries into even sizes. The more evenly cut they are, the more that they will cook easily. This way, you’re far less likely to end up with undercooked or overcooked fries.
• After you’ve soaked your potato dry them as completely as possible. Don’t be shy here; dry them well! I like to use a paper towel to start and finish off with a kitchen towel.
• Add more chili powder and paprika if you like a spicier flavor.

Popeye’s Cajun french fries recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

This is our Popeye’s french fries copycat recipe. It is surprisingly simple to make your version of these Cajun fries at home.

Ingredients

• 3 large potatoes
• 1 t black pepper
• ¾ t salt
• ¾ t onion powder
• ¾ t chili powder
• 1 t garlic powder
• ½ t paprika
• ½ t sugar
• 2 T olive oil
• 3 T flour

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 Degrees
2. Wash and scrub the potatoes. Dry them completely.
3. Peel the potatoes and cut them into ¼” evenly cut fries.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes to the pot. Cook them for 3 minutes but no longer. You don’t want to overcook them. If you do, they will fall apart.
5. Drain the fries and then place them on a paper towel for drying.
6. Combine all of the seasonings in a small bowl.
7. While the potatoes are drying, coat a baking pan with baking spray or oil.
8. Lightly sprinkle the pan with a pinch of the Cajun seasoning.
9. Pat the potatoes dry. Dry them as best as you possibly can. Don’t be shy here.
10. Toss the potatoes with the olive oil.
11. Coat the potatoes with the seasoning mix that you created earlier—Reserve about 10% of the seasoning for the final step.
12. Place the potatoes on your pan and be careful to spread them out. They shouldn’t touch one another. It would help if you had plenty of air space between them so that they evenly cook.
13. Cover the pan with foil.
14. Bake for 5 minutes.
15. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until they are golden brown.
16. Remove the pan and flip the potatoes.
17. Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or are they crisp up and turn golden brown.
18. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning on cooked fries.
19. Serve hot!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 300Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 474mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 6gSugar: 3gProtein: 7g

Did you make this recipe?

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The bottom line

Sometimes you can’t get out of the house to go pick up food; or you just live too far away from a Popeye’s.

If you find yourself in that situation but want to make delicious french fries at home, then give this Popeye’s fries recipe a try.

It does take a bit of patience, but I promise you that they are worth it!