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Loaded Fries

My loaded fries include crispy French fries topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, pickled jalapenos, and ranch for irresistible snacking! My game day spread is never complete without this crowd-pleaser.

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Closeup of Cheese Bacon Fries drizzled with sour cream

My Recipe for Loaded Cheese Fries

Any time my family is out at a restaurant and I see loaded fries on a menu, I am pretty much guaranteed to order them. But for some reason, I never really thought about making them at home.

That is until one day when my husband Ben and I were having some friends over to watch football. I had some leftover bacon from making air fryer jalapeno poppers when I saw the bag of frozen French fries in the freezer and it hit me!

I threw the French fries in the oven and then got to work gathering all my favorite toppings. Once the fries finished cooking, I loaded them up with cheese, green onion, pickled jalapeno slices, and bacon, tossed it all back in the oven, then drizzled them with ranch before serving.

Ben told me they taste just like our usual restaurant version, except even fresher. Now they’re a game-day staple in my house!

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And if you love a good appetizer recipe, try my recipes for loaded tater tots, 7 layer taco dip, air fryer chicken wings, meatballs with grape jelly and BBQ sauce, and cream cheese fruit dip.

Loaded French Fries Ingredients

  • Frozen French fries – Any store-bought brand works well, but I use Ore-Ida
  • Cheddar cheese – I’ve also used shredded Mexican cheese and it tastes great
  • Green onions – The green and white parts add a pop of fresh flavor
  • Pickled jalapeno slices – Or fresh jalapenos for more kick
  • Bacon – Pre-cooked and crumbled
  • Ranch – To drizzle on top or as a side for dipping

Where are bacon cheese fries from? 

Loaded fries are a quintessential all-American food. I first saw them on a menu as a limited-time item from Wendy’s decades ago, but these days, they’re available at pretty much any restaurant serving American food.

How to Make Loaded Fries

STEP ONE: Cook the French fries according to the package.

STEP TWO: Slice the green onions into small slices, separating the white and green parts.

STEP THREE: Once the french fries are cooked and removed from the oven, spread them out in a single layer on a sheet pan.

STEP FOUR: Sprinkle the fries with shredded cheese, crumbled bacon or bacon bits, white parts of the green onion, and pickled jalapenos.

STEP FIVE: Place the bacon cheese fries in the oven on broil until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

STEP SIX: Remove the bacon cheddar fries from the oven and top with the green parts of the green onions. Drizzle the ranch dressing on top, if desired, or serve on the side as a dipping sauce.

Closeup of Bacon Cheese Fries with green onions

Tips for the Best Loaded fries Recipe

  • For extra crisp fries, I like to make them in the air fryer instead of the oven. This works with frozen fries too!
  • Use lots and lots of cheese. No matter how careful I am, cheese always falls through the crevices between the fries, so I use more than I think I need.
  • Add extra bacon. Because everything is better with more bacon.
  • Keep an eye on the broiler to keep the fries from burning. The broiler works fast, so I check on my bacon cheese fries often!
  • Serve loaded cheese fries immediately while they’re fresh and hot out of the oven. I serve them right on the baking tray so everyone can dig in!
  • Cheese and bacon can be salty on their own, so I never need to add salt to the fries before cooking.

Cheese Fries Variations and Substitutions

  • If I want to start with raw potatoes, I use my recipe for homemade air fryer french fries!
  • Swap out cheddar cheese for cheese sauce, Velveeta, or another kind of cheese. I like mixing in a little pepper jack with the cheddar cheese.
  • I usually make homemade bacon in the air fryer for the crispiest bacon possible!
  • Use curly fries, steak fries, or even waffle fries instead of normal fries. My kids love when I use the fun fry shapes!
  • Replace ranch dressing with sour cream, BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, or blue cheese dressing for a twist on the flavor.
  • Switch out the bacon for some seasoned ground beef. I love cooking taco seasoning with the ground beef and just load up the fries with it! I will even add some diced tomatoes in so it feels more like a taco!
Cheese Bacon Fries on Aluminum Foil

What to Serve with Bacon Cheese Fries

As a game-day appetizer, bacon cheddar fries go really well alongside taquitos in the air fryer, crab rangoon dip, and air fryer potato skins.

When I’m serving them as part of a meal, I love pairing loaded fries with a tri tip sandwich, baked chicken tenders, or air fryer burgers!

Loaded Fries FAQs

How long do loaded french fries last?

Cheese fries are always best served hot and fresh out of the oven!

However, anytime I have leftovers, I let them fully cool and transfer them to an airtight container or cover them with plastic wrap. They’ll stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Jalapeno Cheese Bacon Ranch French Fries on aluminum foil

How do I reheat loaded fries?

To reheat bacon and cheese fries, I spread them out on a baking sheet and turn the oven to broil. I broil the loaded fries for 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melty and the fries are heated through. 

I always keep a close eye on the cheese fries under the broiler to make sure they don’t burn!

More Easy Recipes

Delicious Cheese Bacon Fries Cooked

Easy Loaded Fries

Samantha Erb
Loaded fries are a game-stopper with crispy fries, bacon, cheese, and so much flavor!
4.67 from 3 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Side Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 261 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound frozen french fries or about 4 medium potatoes, if using fresh fries
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese
  • 3 green onions chopped, greens and whites separated
  • 20-25 slices of pickled jalapeno peppers
  • 3 strips of bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 1/4 cup ranch for drizzling on top or as a dipping sauce optional

Instructions
 

  • Cook the frozen fries according to the directions on the packaging.
  • Remove the fries, then turn the oven broiler on.
  • Spread the fries on a baking sheet in a single layer and top evenly with the cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, jalapenos, and the whites of the green onion.
  • Broil the fries until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
  • Remove them from the oven and top with the remaining part of the green onion and drizzle with ranch, if desired.

Notes

  • Use lots and lots of cheese as some will drop between each fry too.
  • Add extra bacon. Because everything is better with more bacon.
  • Keep an eye on the broiler to keep the fries from burning as it cooks fast.
  • These can be made with curly fries, steak fries, and even waffles fries.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Reheat leftovers on a sheet pan under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes, keeping a close eye on them as they cook.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 261kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 10gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 1957mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5g

This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.

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samantha

About Samantha

I’ve always had a love of cooking and creating new recipes, so it only made sense to create a food blog so I could share those recipes with you. This site is designed to provide easy and flavorful recipes with as little ingredients as possible. That means you still get great flavor combinations without all that extra time and effort. Read more...

4.67 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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