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Deep Fried Potato Wedges are the ultimate crispy comfort side, golden on the outside, fluffy in the middle, and ready in under 20 minutes on a cool Sunday afternoon when Lizzie keeps stealing them straight off the rack before they hit the plate. If you love our Homemade French Fries, these red-skin wedges are the chunkier weeknight cousin built to soak up ketchup, ranch, or any dip you’ve got.
Three pantry ingredients, a quick double-fry trick, and you get takeout-worthy crispy potato wedges at home with zero guesswork.
Deep Fried Potato Wedges Quick Look
- 🕐 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🍴 Cook Time: 13 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 18 minutes
- 🍽 Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 285kcal
- 🌶 Flavor Profile: Salty, crispy, lightly spiced (peanut oil and season salt)
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our easy homemade French fries
Quick Answer
Cut red potatoes into uniform wedges, soak in cold water for 10 minutes to remove surface starch, then double-fry in peanut oil. The first fry at 320 degrees Fahrenheit cooks the inside through; the second fry at 375 degrees Fahrenheit crisps and golden-browns the outside. Season immediately out of the oil with season salt and kosher salt so it sticks.
Jump to:
- Deep Fried Potato Wedges Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Deep Fried Potato Wedges
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Deep Fried Potato Wedges FAQs
- Other Recommended Crispy Potato Side Recipes
- Deep Fried Potato Wedges Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Red potatoes hold their shape. The waxy interior of red-skin potatoes resists falling apart during a double fry the way russets sometimes do, so you get crisp edges with creamy middles.
- Cold water soak pulls surface starch. Soaking the cut wedges for 10 minutes releases the loose starch that would otherwise burn or gum up the oil, which is the trick that delivers golden color instead of brown patches.
- Double frying is the crispness engine. The first fry at 320 degrees Fahrenheit cooks the potato through; the second fry at 375 degrees Fahrenheit shocks the outside into a shatter-crisp shell.
- Peanut oil has a high smoke point. It tolerates the second-fry temperature without breaking down or imparting off-flavors, which is why fast-food chains use it for fries and wedges.
- Seasoning out of the oil makes salt stick. Hot oil-slick surfaces grab salt and season salt instantly, so every wedge gets a balanced bite instead of bland centers and salty ends.
- Skin-on saves prep time. Red potato skin is thin enough to fry without peeling, which keeps the rustic look and the natural fiber from the skin in the final dish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Three pantry ingredients. Red potatoes, season salt, and kosher salt are all you need; peanut oil handles the rest, so your grocery run is a non-event.
- 18 minutes from start to plate. Faster than waiting on takeout, the double-fry sequence is exactly 13 minutes of cook time plus 5 minutes of prep, which makes this a real weeknight side dish next to our Southern Fried Chicken.
- Crispy outside, fluffy inside. The double-fry technique delivers steakhouse-quality wedges without the steakhouse markup, and the red-skin texture gives you something more substantial than a regular french fry.
Key Ingredients
- Red potatoes: Pick small to medium reds with thin smooth skin and no green patches. Their waxy interior holds shape through a double fry while regular russets can crumble, and the red skin adds natural color to the finished plate.
- Season salt: Use Lawry’s or your favorite all-purpose seasoning blend. The paprika and garlic powder build savory depth on the crispy exterior; you can also try our Bloomin Onion sauce-style seasoning if you want a tangier finish.
- Kosher salt: Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt is sprinkled in addition to season salt because it has a coarser crystal that clings to the oil-slick exterior and amplifies the savory flavor without over-salting.
- Peanut oil: The 450 degrees Fahrenheit smoke point is what makes deep frying possible at 375 degrees Fahrenheit without breakdown. Substitute vegetable oil or canola if peanut allergies are a concern, but expect slightly less crisp results.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use russet or Yukon gold potatoes. Russets give a starchier, fluffier interior with a more golden brown crust; Yukon golds are a happy middle ground between russets and reds.
- Make them spicy. Toss the just-fried wedges with cayenne, smoked paprika, or chili powder for a Cajun spin similar to our Crispy Southern Fried Chicken seasoning profile.
- Add garlic and herbs. Mince fresh garlic and chopped rosemary, then toss with the salt blend out of the fryer for a steakhouse-style finish.
- Try the air fryer. If you want to skip deep frying, the air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 minutes (tossed halfway) gets close, similar to our Crispy Baked Potatoes method.
- Cheesy loaded version. Top the finished wedges with cheddar, sour cream, bacon, and chives for a riff on our Loaded Potato Skins.
- Use a different oil. Avocado oil or refined coconut oil also handle the 375 degrees Fahrenheit second fry; just avoid olive oil, which smokes too low.
How to Make Deep Fried Potato Wedges
- Preheat the fryer. Set your deep fryer or a heavy Dutch oven of peanut oil to 320 degrees Fahrenheit while you prep the potatoes.
- Slice the potatoes. Cut 2 pounds of red potatoes lengthwise into uniform wedges, typically 4 to 6 pieces per potato depending on size. Uniform size means even cooking.
- Soak in cold water. Place the cut wedges in a bowl of cold water and soak for 10 minutes. This pulls surface starch and is what delivers the golden color instead of brown patches.
- Drain and dry the wedges. Drain the soaked potatoes and pat them thoroughly dry with a clean kitchen towel. Wet potatoes cause dangerous oil splatter, so this step matters.
- First fry at 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Working in batches, fry the wedges for 10 minutes until they are tender but still pale. Drain on a wire rack over a sheet tray so excess oil drips off cleanly.
- Second fry at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn the fryer up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and fry the parboiled wedges for 2 to 3 minutes until crispy and deep golden brown. Drain on a wire rack again.
- Season immediately. Generously sprinkle season salt and kosher salt over the wedges while they are hot and oil-slick. Toss to coat every piece evenly and serve immediately.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use a candy thermometer if your fryer does not have one. Oil temperature is the difference between greasy and crispy; a clip-on thermometer locks in 320 degrees Fahrenheit and 375 degrees Fahrenheit precisely.
- Fry in batches, never crowd. Too many wedges dropped at once crashes the oil temperature and gives you soggy, oil-soaked centers. Two batches is usually right for 2 pounds of potatoes.
- Cut all wedges to similar thickness. Even sizing means every wedge finishes at the same time, which prevents some from burning while others stay raw.
- Always dry potatoes thoroughly before frying. Pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel after the soak. Wet potatoes cause oil to spit and splatter dangerously.
- Season the moment they come out of the oil. The slick oil surface grabs salt instantly. Wait even 30 seconds and the salt rolls right off the cooled exterior.
- Store leftover oil for reuse. Strain cooled peanut oil through cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a sealed jar. Stored in a cool dark spot, it is good for 2 to 3 more fries.
- Reheat in the oven, not the microwave. A 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 8 minutes brings back the crisp; the microwave just steams them limp.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Serve these Deep Fried Potato Wedges right out of the fryer with classic ketchup, ranch, or honey mustard for dipping. They are a steakhouse-style side that pairs beautifully with our Crispy Southern Fried Chicken, our Classic Southern Fried Catfish, or any grilled steak you have on the menu.
For a full game-day spread, pile them next to a stack of our Copycat Arbys Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches or platter them with our Loaded Potato Skins for the ultimate potato party. They also hold their own as a hearty side next to our Classic Potato Salad for a starch-heavy Southern dinner plate.
If you are entertaining, set out a wedge bar with multiple dipping sauces, a sprinkle of cheese, fresh chives, and crumbled bacon. Guests assemble their own loaded wedges and everyone walks away with a personalized plate. Pairs beautifully with our Crispy Onion Petals for a full appetizer board.
Deep Fried Potato Wedges FAQs
Double frying is what makes Deep Fried Potato Wedges shatter-crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The first fry at 320 degrees Fahrenheit cooks the potato through; the second fry at 375 degrees Fahrenheit creates the golden brown crackly shell. A single fry leaves the inside raw or the outside burnt.
Yes, you can make Deep Fried Potato Wedges in any heavy-bottomed pot like a Dutch oven or cast iron. Use a candy thermometer to track the oil temperature precisely, and add the wedges in batches so the oil does not drop too far below 320 degrees Fahrenheit for the first fry.
Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ranch seasoning, lemon pepper, and even Old Bay all work on Deep Fried Potato Wedges. Toss them on while the wedges are still glistening with oil so the seasoning sticks evenly.
Yes, Deep Fried Potato Wedges work with russets and Yukon golds too. Russets give a fluffier starchier interior with a more pronounced golden crust; Yukon golds are a creamy middle ground. Red potatoes hold their shape best and give the cleanest waxy bite.
Store leftover Deep Fried Potato Wedges in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven or air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes to bring back the crisp. Avoid the microwave, which makes them limp.
You can freeze Deep Fried Potato Wedges after the first fry only. Cool them completely, freeze on a sheet tray, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Fry directly from frozen at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 to 5 minutes to finish.
Other Recommended Crispy Potato Side Recipes
If these Deep Fried Potato Wedges hit the mark, leave us a comment and a star rating below. We love hearing how your double-fry turned out, what dipping sauce you paired with them, and whether Lizzie tried to steal some off your plate too. Try our Classic Southern Fried Catfish next to round out a fried Southern dinner.
If you love crispy Southern sides, pair our fried catfish recipe for golden cornmeal crusted catfish in under 20 minutes.
For a savory soy-and-noodle pairing with these crispy wedges, try our pancit recipe for savory Filipino bihon noodles in under an hour.
Serve these crispy wedges alongside our sticky BBQ St Louis Ribs in the Oven for sticky fall-off-the-bone ribs in under two hours.
Love crispy fries? Try our nacho fries next.
Need a main to go with these? Try our crispy Louisiana fried chicken for a shatter-crisp, creole-spiced dinner the whole table will fight over.
Deep Fried Potato Wedges Recipe
Equipment
- Deep Fryer optional
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the deep fryer or oil to 320°F.peanut oil for frying or your preferred frying oil
- Cut potatoes into wedges of uniform size, depending on the size of the potato, it will be 4 to 6 pieces. Place into cold water until ready to fry.
- Drain potatoes and dry them thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel.
- Fry for 10 minutes in batches. Drain on a wire rack over a sheet tray to let the excess oil drip off. And repeat with the remaining wedges.
- Turn the fryer up to 375°F. Fry potatoes again for 2-3 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Drain on a wired rack in an even layer.
- Generously season with season salt and kosher salt to taste immediately after removing potatoes from the oil. Toss to coat in the seasoning.season salt to taste, kosher salt to taste
Video
Notes
- Nutrition calculated without oil.
- You can cut the wedges any size that you like, make sure while cooking that they are fully cooked through.
- Make sure you place them in cold water before frying, this helps remove the excess starch from the potatoes.
- You do not need a deep fryer to make these wedges, see my notes above.
- If you don’t have peanut oil, you can fry in regular vegetable or canola oil as well.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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I’m trying these right now. I don’t have a fryer so I’m using a dutch oven. The temp went down to 220⁰ when I put the potatoes in and struggled to go back up. When do I start timing them??
My family and I absolutely love these! I take a large freezer ziplock bag and add salt, pepper, thyme, italian seasoning, and garlic powder inside, then toss the potato wedges in after they’re done and shake the bag until all the seasonings have coated the wedges. SO amazing! Thank you for this recipe!
They came out perfectly cooked. I will definitely use this method again
I’ve forgotten about these. I used to eat these all the time from the deli counter as a teenager!! Memories 🤓
I have fond memories of my grandma making homemade fries in a fry daddy, LOL!!!! Love these so much!
They look perfect! I love potato wedges but haven’t tried to make them myself yet. Thanks for sharing your recipe, I’ll give it a try soon!