The Type Of Fry That Works Best For Loaded Cheese Fries
Salty and crispy on the outside with a soft, starchy center, there are few things more comforting or delicious than French fries. That is, unless, you top your golden fries with gooey, melted cheese, crumbled pieces of bacon, chili, sour cream, green onions, or a drizzle of ranch dressing. You can top fries with as many of these additions as you'd like, as noted by Insanely Good Recipes' list of 17 types of loaded fries. Although they're often called loaded cheese fries, there are no real rules when it comes to what goes on these fries, as long as they're stacked with your favorite toppings.
However, nothing is less enjoyable than getting a forkful, or a handful, if you're brave enough to scoop them up with your fingers, of a soggy, goopy unsatisfying bite. Or, something equally disappointing can happen when you're preparing for a mouthful of loaded fries only to have all your toppings slide off onto your plate. Fortunately, there are a few ways to avoid these scenarios and ultimately they start with using the correct French fry shape.
It's all about the waffle pattern
As recommended by The Kitchn, waffle-cut fries work really well when the plan is to load them up with toppings like melted cheese, cheese sauce, chili, or anything else, really. The reason waffle fries are the best to use is that this style of fry makes for a great catch-all for any toppings since its wide cut offers a sturdy base. Additionally, the waffle pattern allows space for pockets of toppings to land, which helps make certain that each bite contains a bit of the good stuff.
Of course, you can purchase frozen waffle fries and bake them up in the oven or in your air fryer, and there's nothing wrong with using store-bought fries. But, if you're feeling adventurous, making waffle-cut fries at home is relatively simple, but you will need to purchase a waffle fry cutter to get that ubiquitous weave on your fries. In a YouTube video, Ethan Chlebowski walks viewers through the process of transforming russet potatoes into golden, crispy waffle fries that look remarkably similar to Chick-Fil-A's legendary fries. Whether you try to hand-cut the fries yourself or opt for the store-bought version, as long as you start with waffle-cut, your loaded cheese fries will be a successful and delicious endeavor.