Looking for a sidekick to your favorite dish? These Baked Old Bay Fries with Quick Aioli will elevate any meal!
They’re crispy, deliciously seasoned, and baked to perfection. And that quick aioli? It’s finger-lickin’ good.
And though they have to soak for 30 minutes and take about another 30 minutes to bake, the actual hands-on time for the recipe is only about 10-15 minutes, making them do-able even on busy days.
As a mom with a hectic schedule and refined taste, I always try to bring the most flavor with the least amount of ingredients, so that cooking can remain a joy and not become a stressor. The Old Bay in this recipe amps it up with a simple sprinkling of seasoning!
Although Old Bay is typically used to season seafood (like in this 15-Minute Old Bay Salmon), do not sleep on this magical dust for other things, too. Like these golden-brown fries!
Old Bay Fries Ingredient Highlights
Russet or Idaho potatoes will make the best fries; I always go with Russet.
No Old Bay on hand? Check out this article on Every Old Bay Seasoning Substitute.
Baked Old Bay Fries Tips and Tricks
How I Make Hand-Cut Homemade Fries
First things first. Peel your potatoes and remove any bruised parts. You can choose to leave the skin on, but you’ll get a more even bake if you peel!
Next, you’ll cut the potato into strips about 1/2 inch wide. Then. lay each strip flat and cut into fries. You may find that some need another cut and some don’t. Just use your best judgment to make them roughly equal in size.
The key to getting crispy baked fries is soaking your potatoes to remove excess starch. Once you’re happy with the shape of your hand-cut fries, chuck them in a large mixing bowl and cover them with water.
Allow them to sit in the water for at least 30 minutes before rinsing. If you have the time, let them sit for an hour.
Try to remove as much water as you can after rinsing the potatoes. I usually spread them out on a baking tray and then use a clean kitchen towel to remove excess water.
You can also throw them into your oven for a couple of minutes before adding the oil and seasoning to dry up excess water.
Once you are confident that your fries are nice and dry, spread them out evenly across your baking sheet and pour on your olive oil and Old Bay Seasoning.
Use your hands to toss, making sure each fry is coated in the oil and seasoning. Then, spread them back out on your baking sheet, making sure they are not stacked on top of one another.
Making these in the Air fryer definitely gets them crispiest, but it’s a little extra work because you have to do so in batches.
Overcrowding your air fryer means your fries will not cook evenly, and you’ll likely be left with soggy, uncooked parts. So, only fill your air fryer basket as much as they can fit in a single layer.
Fry them in batches at 380°F for 15-20 minutes until they start to brown and are crispy to touch.
As you work on your next few batches, keep the fries that are cooked warm in the oven. If you have a “keep warm” setting use that, otherwise set the oven to the lowest temperature (usually 200 or 200°F).
If you’d rather just bake them in the oven, then do so on the top rack at 425°F for about 40-45 minutes, flipping halfway.
The Easiest Aioli Hack
While aioli is not technically synonymous with seasoned mayonnaise, they are both emulsions. And for the easiest ever aioli hack, we are using mayonnaise as the base.
Making a quick aioli is as simple as 1,2,3. Use mayo as your base, add some lemon juice, and then add some Old Bay and voila!
Doubling The Recipe
If you want to double this recipe, you absolutely can! Just bear in mind that overcrowding the pan will not result in crispy baked fries. It’s best to use two baking sheets.
Remember that your oven is a little hotter on the top rack. If you can’t fit both baking pans on the top rack, just switch them when you take them out of the oven to toss, so that each one has an opportunity to be on the top rack.
How to Store and Reheat Fries with Old Bay Seasoning
These fries will last covered in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 6 months. Reheat in your pre-heated oven at 425°F for 15-20 minutes until crispy. If frozen, they will need closer to 30 minutes.
You can also reheat them in the air fryer at 380°F. They’ll usually need about 5-8 minutes out of the refrigerator or 8-10 minutes from frozen.
Baked Old Bay Fries with Quick Aioli (Air Fryer Option)
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEIngredients
Old Bay Fries
- 2 large russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
Quick Old Bay Aioli
- ¼ cup mayonnaise of choice (vegan mayo works!)
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
Instructions
Old Bay Fries
- Peel your potatoes and cut them in half longways. Lay them flat on a cutting board, cut-side down. Then, cut into strips about 1/2-inch wide. You can leave them like this, or choose to cut the strips in half again for thinner fries.2 large russet potatoes
- Place your hand-cut fries into a large mixing bowl and fill it with water, so that the fries are completely submerged. Allow them to soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour (the longer the better) to remove excess starch.
- Spread your fries out on a large baking sheet. Use a clean kitchen towel to pat them dry. The drier you get them, the crispier they'll be.
- Toss the fries with olive oil and Old Bay seasoning, making sure they're evenly coated.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
Oven Option
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Bake for 40-45 minutes, tossing halfway between, until they are crispy to touch.
Air Fryer Option
- Bring your fryer up to 380°F and fill your basket just so that the fries are not overlapping each other. You will likely have to work in batches. It's important you do not overcrowd your air fryer.
- Air fry for 15-20 minutes until your Old Bay Fries are crispy and golden brown. While your next few batches are cooking, keep the cooked fries warm in the oven either on the "keep warm" setting if you have it, or at your ovens lowest temperature (usually 200-250°F).
Quick Old Bay Aioli Hack
- Add lemon juice and Old Bay Seasoning to mayonnaise and stir. That's it!¼ teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, ¼ cup mayonnaise of choice
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4 thoughts on “Baked Old Bay Fries with Quick Aioli (Air Fryer Option)”
Hi Marley – we want to try this out in the air fryer – I wonder what’s the closest UK equivalent to Old Bay seasoning please? Maybe you could ask your English hubby?
You can whip up a quick substitute by mixing together equal parts celery salt and paprika or simply use your favorite seafood seasoning! I hope you enjoy!
When I lived in NJ I was lucky to buy Old Bay Season Fries in the Acme store. I have moved to NC and not been able to find them in any store. Would it be possible to buy the finished product online and send to me in a cold storage box. I am 80 years old and it would be too much work for me to make them according to the recipe.
Hi Careen!
I love that wonderful memory- I ate so many Old Bay-flavored things growing up in Maryland! Unfortunately, I can’t ship them to you 🙁 BUT! if you want to simplify this recipe, I would highly recommend buying some Ore-Ida golden fries out of the freezer section in the supermarket. Spread them out on a baking sheet and sprinkle a generous amount of Old Bay Seasoning on top before sticking them in the oven at 425F for about 25 minutes.