Loaded French Fries are the perfect appetizer for game day or for sharing with friends. I'm talking crispy fries, topped with gooey cheese, crispy bacon, and all your favorite toppings! One of my husband's favorite things to order when we eat out, so it feels good to be able to make it at home.
Cook fries in the oven or the air fryer: To cook fries in the oven, preheat oven to 425℉. Add the fries to a rimmed baking sheet and cook following the package instructions or for about 25 minutes until crispy. Flip the fries at the 15-minute mark. To air-fry them, set the air fryer to 400℉ and air-fry for 15 minutes. Turn the fries after the first ten minutes. Remove fries from the oven or air fryer, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (easy cleanup!).
Set the oven to the low broil setting (400℉) if your oven has that setting. Broiling uses the upper heating element of the oven. If your oven has no low broil setting, just set it to broil at 500℉.
Top the fries with bacon and cheese.
Place in the oven to broil until the cheese is melted. It takes about 2-3 minutes. Watch closely so the cheese doesn't burn. Remove from the oven as soon as the cheese melts.
Drizzle with your favorite ranch dressing.
Garnish with sliced green onions.
Serve immediately.
Notes
Other toppings you could add includesliced jalapenos, seasoned and browned ground beef, diced tomatoes, avocados, and a dollop of sour cream.
Please shred a block of cheddar cheese for the best melty cheddar cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains additives which prevent it from shredding well.
I love using crinkle-cut fries for this recipe as they make for a great presentation, but any fries you have, including waffle fries or sweet potato fries, will work.