When I am feeling a salty, savory craving, there are few instances that a classic cheeseburger and fries won’t satisfy. There’s something so perfect about the juicy meat paired with cool lettuce, sharp onion, bright tomato and a side of crisp-on-the-outside yet fluffy-on-the-inside French fries that always seems to hit the spot. These skillet fries are a twist on that classic indulgence that comes together as a shareable cheeseburger feast. We really love this recipe at our house; it even got me a much coveted high-five approval…that’s how I know it’s a keeper!
I never deep-fry French fries at home, as I’d much rather bake them in the oven. To me, oven-baked fries turn out just as crisp as take-out variety and I love not having to babysit a huge pot of bubbling oil. To start, I place the cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water for about five minutes to remove the excess starch.
After they get a good soaking, drain off the water and dry the potatoes thoroughly using a clean tea towel. Once they are dry, back they go into the (dried) bowl. Toss them with a bit of canola oil.
Then, place the fries on a lined baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart so they get a chance to crisp up.
While the fries bake, I prep my toppings. We have cooked ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato and red onion. Feel free to use any topping you like on your burger...blue cheese, bacon, pickled peppers would all be tasty!
Once the fries are tender on the inside and crisp around the edges, pull them out of the oven. (The bottoms of the fries should be golden brown.)
Then layer the fries, cheese and beef in an oven-safe skillet. The goal is to have every fry coated with some melt-y, cheeseburger goodness. I like to do two layers of fries and toppings.
Then, it’s a quick trip under the broiler to melt the cheese.
Top with your favorite burger condiments and dig in!
Ingredients
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1lb potatoes, peeled, cut into sticks
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1tablespoon canola oil
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Dash salt
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1/2lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
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1/4teaspoon onion powder
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1/4teaspoon garlic powder
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1/4teaspoon salt
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1/4teaspoon pepper
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1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
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1/2cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
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1cup loosely packed shredded lettuce
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6grape tomatoes, quartered
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1/4cup diced red onion
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Ketchup
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Mustard
Directions
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1Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
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2Place potatoes in bowl of cold water; let stand about 5 minutes to rinse some of the starch off. Drain; dry potatoes well with paper towels. Wipe bowl dry with paper towels. Return potatoes to bowl; toss with canola oil and dash salt. Spread potatoes on cookie sheet in even layer.
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3Bake about 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown on bottom. Remove from oven.
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4Meanwhile, mix beef, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the pepper and Worcestershire sauce. In heated 12-inch skillet, cook beef, crumbling with spoon in large chunks, until beef is seared and thoroughly cooked. With slotted spoon, remove beef from skillet to paper towel-lined plate, leaving drippings in skillet.
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5Once potatoes are baked, set oven control to broil. In large cast iron or ovenproof skillet, layer half each of the potatoes, beef and cheese. Repeat with remaining potatoes, beef and cheese.
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6Place skillet under preheated broiler; broil 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from broiler. Top with lettuce, tomatoes and onion. Serve with ketchup and mustard.
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