Baked Cajun Steak Fries + Smoky Sriracha Ketchup

Smoky, savory, chunky oven-baked French fries served with a tangy, 3-ingredient dipping sauce brimming with sweet heat.

I am Irish, and therefore a potato-holic. And when it comes to cravings, crispy steak fries are at the top of my list. They are GIANT French fries — ‘nuff said.

What could be better than giant French fries, you ask? Giant CAJUN French fries. Once you start eating, you won’t be able to stop. So addictive. If you are a not-so-light snacker like me, you might just blow through 1½ to 2 portions in one sitting.

As a kid, I loved ordering a cheeseburger from Red Robbins — home of the bottomless steak fries — just so I could shovel those delicious seasoned potato chunks into my pie hole. Or, perhaps, fry hole?

Anyway, this recipe is a grown-up version of those tasty Red Robbins steak fries of my youth. They are smoky, savory, salty (as all good French fries should be) and have a little kick thanks to a smattering of paprika. The real star of the show is the smoky Sriracha ketchup. It is divine; sweet and tangy with the perfect amount of spice, though you can always use less if you’re not a huge fan of heat.

Minimal prep. Maximum, mouthwatering tasty-ness. Guaranteed to hit your spuds sweet spot.

Ingredients

For the fries:

  • Potatoes
  • Paprika
  • Garlic Powder
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Olive oil (the good stuff, if you differentiate between good olive oil and olive oil for cooking)

For the dipping sauce:

  • Ketchup
  • Sriracha
  • Barbecue sauce (your choice, though I would recommend something not too spicy since you’re adding Sriracha)

Modifications + Tips

The sky is the limit when it comes to seasoning your fries. I like to keep it simple because when I get a potato craving, it is all-consuming and I try to minimize the time it takes to fork these bad boys into my mouth. But add whatever seasonings you like — I bet Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute would be great, as would oregano, smoked paprika, chili powder, Tajin, onion powder, rosemary.

You can also get creative with the dipping sauce. Prefer something sweeter? Spoon in some honey, brown sugar or even something fruity, like strawberry jam or peach preserves. Add a teeny bit of liquid smoke to amp up the smoky flavor of the sauce. I always mix in Sriracha with my ketchup and swear by it, but you can definitely swap it for the hot sauce of your choice.

These will never be as crispy as when they’re first taken out of the oven. If you do decide to keep some as leftovers, be sure to reheat in the oven! This will prevent the fries from getting too soggy. You can reheat in the microwave too (if you’re impatient, ahem, like me) but just know that they’ll be a little floppy.

Baked Cajun Steak Fries With Smoky Sriracha Ketchup Dipping Sauce

Smoky, savory, chunky oven-baked French fries served with a tangy, 3-ingredient dipping sauce brimming with sweet heat.
Prep Time 13 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 4 russet potatoes cut into wedges
  • 1/3 c. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. Paprika
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • pepper to taste

Smoky Sriracha Ketchup

  • c. ketchup
  • ¼ c. BBQ sauce
  • 1 tbsp. Sriracha

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 450°F.
  • Place potato wedges on a baking sheet lined with tinfoil. Cover with paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil.
  • Use your hands to toss the potatoes, distributing spices as evenly as possible. Place into over and flip after 15 minutes.
  • Combine the ketchup, BBQ sauce and Sriracha in a small bowl while potatoes cook.
  • After flipping, cook another 15 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
  • Salt fries and serve.

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