This recipe for the very best easy cheese fries uses Velveeta to make a super creamy sauce that is perfect for this favorite side dish!
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Why we love this recipe
Here comes one of the most satisfying, naughtiest comfort foods I know, and that is cheese fries!
I am EXTREMELY PARTICULAR about my cheese fries. No thank you to the ones that have shredded cheddar microwaved over the top – cheese that turns kinda chewy as it cools.
Yes please and thank you to the ones with a creamy, melty sauce that is distributed throughout the fries and stays soft and luscious down to the very last fry. (I always nab the very last fry. I can’t help myself).
After lots of experimentation, this is the best easy cheese fries recipe I know, and it takes five ingredients…one of which is Velveeta, and that part is non-negotiable.
I promise you that he best cheese for cheese fries is Velveeta. TRUST ME.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Velveeta: Okay, I know I’ve said this 471 times already, but you have to use Velveeta for the creamy, melty sauce that is crucial to the best cheese fries. Velveeta is similar to American cheese – it’s a mixture of milk, whey and emulsifiers that make it melt smoothly and perfectly.
- Half and Half: If you don’t have any on hand, whole milk will also work just fine.
- French Fries: We like the rippled kind (all those nooks and crannies to hold the cheese!) but you can make this cheese fries recipes with whatever french fry type you love best.
How to make this recipe
(Scroll down for the handy complete printable recipe with nutrition info!)
STEP 1: Cook a batch of your favorite variety of French fries according to package directions. We like the rippled kind but you can do any kind you like (including Tater Tots which adds a whole ‘nother level of decadence!).
STEP 2: Melt up a tablespoon each of butter and flour in a medium pot, and add a half cup of half and half until it is simmering.
STEP 3: Add 3/4 cup of cubed Velveeta. Stir it all up until it is smooth and melty.
STEP 4: Pile those fries on to a platter or bowl and pour that cheese sauce over them. Use every drop, and try and get to those fries at the bottom of the pile as best you can.
Pro Tip: If your serving dish isn’t big enough to hold a single layer of fries, put half the fries in the dish, pour half the cheese sauce over it, add the other half of the fries and then the rest of the sauce. That way every fry gets to be cheesy!
Recipe FAQs
You can! The really skinny shoestring kind is the only one I would steer you away from, just because they can get overwhelmed by the sauce. But anything from steak fries to Tater Tots and everything in between is just fine!
Supermarkets can be tricky with this one! They all have it – some keep it in the aisle with the pasta/boxed macaroni and cheese things. Others keep it in the refrigerated section.
Nope, nope, nope. You want maximum fry warmth and crunchiness, and maximum warm creamy cheesiness. Luckily this recipe only takes 20 minutes.
Pop it in the Comments section below and I promise to answer pronto!
Want to round out your meal?
Now, while these are great with a burger, I will completely understand if at some point you choose to have a bowl of cheese fries for supper and nothing else.
We also love pairing cheese fries with clam fritters (it’s the ultimate seashore meal!), and a strawberry margarita to wash it all down!
Other side dishes we love!
Could you leave us some stars?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section. Your thoughts and advice will help both us and your fellow readers. 🥰
Easy Cheese Fries
This recipe for the very best easy cheese fries uses Velveeta to make a super creamy sauce that is perfect for this favorite side dish!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Side dishes
- Method: Oven, stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen French fries (your choice of style)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 3/4 cup cubed Velveeta (6 ounces)
Instructions
- Prepare the fries according to package directions.
- While the fries are cooking, make the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir in flour until well combined.
- Whisk in half and half and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in cheese and keep stirring until it is melted and smooth.
- Place fries on a platter or individual plates. Pour cheese sauce over the top and dig in!
Notes
-
- Velveeta: Okay, I know I’ve said this 471 times already, but you have to use Velveeta for the creamy, melty sauce that is crucial to the best cheese fries. Velveeta is similar to American cheese – it’s a mixture of milk, whey and emulsifiers that make it melt smoothly and perfectly.
-
- Half and Half: If you don’t have any on hand, whole milk will also work just fine.
-
- French Fries: We like the rippled kind (all those nooks and crannies to hold the cheese!) but you can make this cheese fries recipes with whatever french fry type you love best.
Isha Baig says
5 out of 5 Easy Cheese Fries
Thank you!
Ann says
Might be no-no but thought of having velveeta in crock pot for guests to put on their fries… suggestions?
Definitely not a no-no! I would melt it in the microwave or on the stove according to the directions on the box, and then pour into a slow cooker set on low. Give it a stir every once in a while. YUM!
Ann says
Great! So skip the flour and half n half
Y9ou can go either way – the flour and half and half will give it a little more substance (if you do it that way, I would follow the original recipe and then pour it into the slow cooker). Just melting the Velveeta will be cheesier. You can’t go wrong either way! :)
Carleen says
How many ounces is 3/4 cup of Velveeta cheese?
Thank you.
Hi Carleen! 3/4 cup of Velveeta is 6 ounces – great question and I will add that info to the recipe! :)
Catherine Melvin says
i just made this tonight for my birthday dinner for my kid and I. i added fried spam and diced up pepperoni for added flavor. Was SO good!
Happy birthday Catherine – to you and your kiddo! I’m so glad these fries helped with the celebration! :)
Karen Nelson says
Just signed up for the Comfort Cooks offerings! W
What a great idea and love the collaboration!
Hanging in here in Sactown…just furloughed so lots of time and enjoying cooking more:) able to do marketing once a week for fresh items, which for the most part are available…these look great!
Wishing you guys the best…as always….stay healthy and to all Framed Cooks Community!
Love and hugs??
Karen! I’m so delighted that you did that – thank you! I’ve been thinking of you out there and hoping you are staying safe and healthy. I’m sure the furlough is tough, but I know we will all come out the other end and will be so grateful to return to our old normal. Great big hugs to you, my friend! xoxo
Theresa Murphy says
Mmmmmm! Cheesy fries! And to make this more of a meal, just add crispy bacon bits and some green onion. Then you basically have meat, potatoes and salad! :)
Well, that is the BEST view of cheese fries I think I’ve ever heard of. You are a genius, as usual! :)
Dan Crispano says
Disco fries with brown gravy!
I will get right on that! :)
Dan Crispano says
What kind of frozen fries do you prefer?
We like good old Ore-Ida fries with the ridges!
Dan Crispano says
Thanks!
kristal Ailakis says
Hi silly Australian here,
How can I make my own half and half please!
Not silly at ALL! Half and half is simply half regular milk and half cream – here is a handy link for you that shows how to make it! https://www.spendwithpennies.com/what-is-half-and-half-and-how-to-make-it/