Transform Frozen Fries Into An Iconic New Jersey Diner Food With Just 2 Extra Ingredients

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Beyond expanding our culinary repertoire, one good reason for recreating certain dishes at home is that they may be difficult to otherwise find outside of their regions of origin. It can be hard to track down proper disco fries anywhere except New Jersey, for instance. However, you can recreate this iconic diner fare by following our three-ingredient disco fries recipe, which requires nothing but frozen french fries and two additional ingredients — a gravy packet and mozzarella cheese.

For those unfamiliar with this classic Garden State comfort food, the ingredient list should give you a clue. Popularized in the 1970s, disco fries are similar to the Canadian favorite poutine. They consist of crispy fries slathered in unctuous, melted cheese, and a rich, meaty gravy. Homemade disco fries can be ready in half an hour, starting by baking your frozen crinkle-cut fries almost to completion. Then, top the fries with some grated mozzarella and instant gravy before a quick final spell in the oven.

Disco fries can certainly be enjoyed on their own as an irresistible amalgamation of flavors and textures far greater than the sum of its parts. However, should you be in the mood for a particularly hearty meal, they can be used as a side for a more substantial dinner. Our recipe recommends serving alongside smashburgers or with some fried eggs on top. Alternatively, they would also go well with chili dogs or classic chicken tenders.

Given that this recipe contains only three ingredients, it would make sense to use the best quality available. New Jersey diner-style disco fries can be topped with either chicken or brown gravy. In our ranking of powdered gravy mixes, the best store-bought gravies we found that are suitable for disco fries include McCormick Gluten Free Brown Gravy and Watkins Chicken Gravy. Our tester praised the former for its aromatic, beefy flavor, and the latter for both its creamy consistency and authentic roast chicken flavor.

When it comes to cheese, you may wish to avoid using pre-shredded mozzarella for your disco fries. Many pre-shredded cheeses are coated with an anti-caking agent to prevent everything from clumping together. An unfortunate side-effect of this is that pre-shredded cheese typically doesn't melt as smoothly. Therefore, you're better off getting a block of mozzarella — or whatever good melting cheese you prefer — and grating it yourself.

Lastly, if you have some more time on your hands and really wish to make these delicious munchies all that they can be, consider our recipe for the elevated duck fat disco fries John Wick wishes he had. This will require frying and then broiling your fries, but the results will be more than worth it.