Print

Fully Loaded Cheese Fries with Ranch Seasoning Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 93 reviews

Fully Loaded Cheese Fries with Ranch Seasoning is a deliciously indulgent snack featuring crispy oven-baked French fries smothered in a creamy, spicy cheese sauce and topped with crispy bacon, tangy pickled banana peppers, crunchy radishes, scallions, and a flavorful ranch dip. This crowd-pleaser makes for a perfect appetizer or comfort food treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Cheese Fries

  • 1 (28-ounce) bag frozen French fries (unseasoned, any preferred shape)
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (large holes of box grater)
  • 4 ounces Monterey Jack or Colby cheese, grated (large holes of box grater)
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
  • Whole milk, as needed (optional for thinning sauce)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 (1-ounce) packet ranch dip mix, divided
  • 8 ounces sour cream

Toppings

  • 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
  • 1/3 cup pickled hot banana pepper rings, plus more to taste
  • 3 to 4 small red radishes, thinly sliced
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

Instructions

  1. Bake the fries: Preheat your oven according to the package instructions and bake the frozen French fries. Spread them out in an even, single layer on sheet pans for maximum crispness. Use two pans if necessary. Avoid using parchment paper as it may reduce crispiness. Bake until fries are golden and crispy.
  2. Make the cheese sauce: In a bowl, toss the grated cheddar and Monterey Jack/Colby cheeses with cornstarch and cayenne pepper. Transfer the cheese mixture to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly add evaporated milk, stirring continuously with a whisk until the cheese melts and the mixture comes to a gentle bubble. Switch to a heat-proof spatula to scrape the pan constantly to prevent burning.
  3. Thicken the sauce: Allow the sauce to bubble and thicken for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently. The sauce should coat the back of the spatula thickly; it will thicken further as it cools. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more cayenne or thinning with whole milk by tablespoon increments if needed. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
  4. Prepare the ranch dip: Mix 2 tablespoons of the ranch dip seasoning packet with the sour cream in a bowl. Chill if preparing ahead. Reserve the remaining ranch seasoning for the fries.
  5. Season the fries: Once fries are baked, remove them from the oven and sprinkle the remaining ranch dip seasoning evenly over them. Toss gently with tongs or a spatula to coat the fries uniformly.
  6. Assemble the loaded cheese fries: Using the baking sheet(s), layer half the fries and drizzle with ⅓ to ½ of the cheese sauce. Sprinkle half of the crumbled bacon and some banana pepper rings over the fries. Add the remaining fries on top and drizzle with the rest of the cheese sauce. Finish with the remaining bacon, dollops of ranch dip, banana peppers, sliced radishes, and scallions. Serve immediately and enjoy.
  7. Storage and reheating: Store any leftover cheese sauce and ranch dip covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat cheese sauce in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between intervals, or warm gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.

Notes

  • Use unseasoned frozen fries for best control over seasoning.
  • Spice level can be adjusted by adding more or less cayenne pepper to the cheese sauce.
  • Don’t overcrowd fries when baking to ensure they get crispy.
  • Cheese sauce thickens as it cools; add milk to thin it if needed when reheating.
  • The ranch dip seasoning is divided for seasoning fries and mixing into the dip separately to maximize flavor.
  • For extra crispiness, avoid adding parchment paper under fries during baking.
  • Leftovers keep well and are great for quick snack reheating.

Keywords: cheese fries, loaded fries, ranch seasoning, baked fries, cheese sauce, bacon, pickled peppers, appetizer

Find it online: https://kitchenwithkai.com/fully-loaded-cheese-fries-with-ranch-seasoning-recipe/