Cheeseburger Skillet Fries

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!