French fry alternatives are growing in popularity and for a good reason too. It’s beneficial for the skin, the waist, the heart, and the mind.
I never met a fry that I didn’t like. Frozen, homemade, from a restaurant, amusement park, curly, ridged, tater totted or waffled; what is there not to love? That perfect inside texture, soft and pillowy with an exterior crunch. It’s a party, plain and simple.
You can literally plan a french fry themed party if you wanted to. The combinations are endless with all the shape, spice, topping and dipping options. Someone please do this- it’s a brilliant idea. Seriously though, beyond all these french fry options, there are numerous potato swaps to discover as well. If you change your base vegetable, season and bake it, you have yourself a nutritious side dish, and a changeup in taste at the same time.
The homemade fry alternatives below are healthier versions of the traditional deep fried potato. They will level up your game in terms of health, color, and they are wickedly easy to #mealprep.
Classic French Fry Alternatives:
Parsnip and Turnip Fries: These are probably the two most popular potato fry alternatives. Parsnips look like white carrots and are full of fiber with a tinge of sweetness. A turnip is round and has a texture almost identical to a potato. We Prep + Rally these every so often in our menus!
To prepare: Simply cut these vegetables into matchsticks or wedges, season with olive oil and salt, and your favorite spices (optional). Bake in the oven on 425°F. Let these get crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Carrot Fries: Carrot fries are rapidly gaining popularity. Once peeled and cut, they can be thrown on a baking sheet to be seasoned and right away baked. You can go many ways with this one. Either keep it classic by seasoning it with oil salt and pepper, or go bold by adding some cumin and maple and giving them a good toss.
Bake in the oven at 425°F until the carrots start to brown and are fork tender. Hack: Buy pre-cut carrot sticks, they are easy to find and even easier to make!
Sweet potato or butternut squash: These are more well known and popular, but no less delicious! They are so easy to turn into fries. Cut into matchsticks and season with oil, salt, and rosemary for a savory take, or cinnamon and maple for a sweeter version! A nice shakeup to the traditional fry and the best sweet fry alternative!
Taro: If you’ve never heard of this vegetable, learn the name now. Talk about underrated. Taro is a root veggie that is similar to a potato, with three times the amount of fiber and nutrition. If you’re a fan of Terra chips- the taro chips inside are the white or red ones that are slightly speckled. The best ones in the pack if you ask me:)
To prepare: Peel and cut the taro into matchsticks and spread on a baking sheet single layered. Season with oil, salt, garlic, and rosemary. Bake on 425°F until the fries begin to brown on the edges. Since taro is very similar to a potato, but with more health benefits, this makes one of the best French fry alternatives to try!
Go French Fry Crazy with these alternative ideas:
Zucchini: Zucchinis are a bit more water filled than the above root vegetables.
To prepare: Cut into matchsticks, season, and coat in egg wash and breadcrumbs to get the desired crunch.
Green beans: A new emerging 2021 trend is green bean fries. To be honest, I’m not sure why they weren’t a bigger thing sooner!
THE BEST new recipe on this coming to the site soon. Keep your eyes peeled.
French Fry Salad: To prepare a deluxe french fry salad, mix and match from the vegetables above. Serve them together as a dish or as a bed for a protein. Drizzle your favorite thick dressing on top! Or better yet make yourself a poutine!
All of the above fry alternatives are easy to meal prep. Peel and cut each vegetable into their desired shape, and refrigerate until you are ready to bake them!
So my friend..Are you a fry lover like me?!