The Best Steak Frites Recipe
on Feb 21, 2023, Updated Feb 12, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links! For more info, check out our privacy policy.
Now, this is the BEST steak frites recipe! Tender, medium-rare steak tossed with homemade crispy fries and a Horseradish Cream Sauce. This is quite easy to come together, although it may seem intimidating at first. It is so impressive, and filled with so much flavor!
What is steak frites?
Steak frites translates to “steak and fries” in French. This is a popular and classic Brasserie dish from France and Beligium which consists of a plate of steak and french fries. It is sometimes served with a pan sauce, peppercorn sauce, compound butters, or even a creamy dipping sauce as well.
What ingredients do you need for this steak frites recipe?
Steak: We are using a bavette cut of steak, which is similar to a hanger steak or flap or skirt steak. I love the bavette cut since it’s super tender and really easy to cook in my opinion. You can opt to uses any beef you prefer such as ribeye, new york strip steak, filet mignon, or sirloin as other options.
The steak is being seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper, and basted with garlic cloves and fresh rosemary with a little bit of unsalted butter!
Potatoes for french fries: We are using russet potatoes since they are the most classic, and really work well for fries especially to get that golden brown crunch!
French fries seasoning: Nothing fancy, just some salt, pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, chopped fresh parsley and optional to shred on some parmesan as well. Feel free to have fun here and play with your favorite spices and seasonings.
Dipping sauce: We are serving with horseradish cream sauce / horseradish mayo, but even a fun pan sauce would be great here, too.
How do you make steak frites?
Prep and make your fries
Scrub and wash your potatoes and slice them into your desired shapes, I like mine in between a shoestring and smaller than a wedge.
Place your cut potatoes in a bowl with ice cold water. This helps gets out the starch and helps get it crispy. Soak for about 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Place your potatoes on paper towels and pat dry completely. Heat a deep-fryer, or a deep cast iron and fill it with peanut oil or vegetable oil (any neutral oil will do) to about 300°F, about 5-6 minutes. While it’s heating up, line a baking sheet with paper towels.
First fry
Add in your fries with a slotted spoon in batches for your first fry into the hot oil. You don’t wan’t color on the fries, just for them to be tender inside, about 10 minutes. Then transfer to your baking sheet and transfer to the refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
At this point, take out your steaks to room temperature. Season with salt and pepper.
Recipe Tip
I find the fries really get crispy this way, but you can eliminate both the wait time for soaking, and wait for in the fridge after the first fry if you prefer, it will still be delicious.
Second fry
When it’s time for your second fry, heat up that same oil to about 400°F, and take your cold fries (from the fridge) and this time you are going to brown them and make them super crispy, in batches being sure not to overcrowd the pan. Once your desired crispness, place on new paper towels on the parchment sheet to shake off any excess oil.
Transfer to a mixing bowl and toss with salt, pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, chopped parsley and parmesan, toss and set to the side.
Sear steak
Now, it’s time to make our steak. Take your steak and heat a cast iron skillet until piping hot. Add in your steaks and sear on medium high heat for about 4-5 minutes to get a nice char. This will vary depending on your size of steak, though. Then flip.
Once flipped, add in your butter, rosemary and garlic cloves. Baste your steak until fully cooked to your liking (I like medium rare which is around 135°F). Let rest for about 10-13 minutes and slice against the grain.
Serve!
Transfer your sliced steak to a plate and finish off with your french fries and horseradish cream sauce.
Tips, Tricks and Substitutions
There is no difference besides the title and name. “Pommes Frites” means fried potatoes (or French fries) in French.
Salads like our Classic Caesar Salad, and Radicchio Salad with Chives and Hazelnuts would be an amazing pairing with steak frites.
More beef recipes for dinner inspiration!
If you do make this Steak Frites recipe (first of all, thank you!!), be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and through social media so I can be sure to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest to your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter here as well!
In addition, we can also be found on YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Watch How To Make This Recipe
The Best Steak Frites Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 russet potatoes, scrubbed, and sliced into desired fries shape
- peanut oil for frying, vegetable or canola work too
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- parsley, extra virgin olive oil, and parmesan to toss with fries, optional
- 1 pound steaks of choice (we are using a bavette cut), ribeye steak, bavette, hanger steak, sirloin, new york strip, etc.
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or high smoke point oil to sear steak
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- Horseradish Cream Sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Prep and make your fries. Scrub and wash your potatoes and slice them into your desired shapes, I like mine in between a shoestring and smaller than a wedge.
- Place your cut potatoes in a bowl with ice water. This helps gets out the starch and helps get it crispy. Soak for about 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- Place your potatoes on paper towels and pat dry completely. Heat a deep-fryer, or a deep cast iron and fill it with peanut oil or vegetable oil (any neutral oil will do) to about 300°F, about 5-6 minutes. While it’s heating up, line a baking sheet with paper towels.
- First fry. Add in your fries with a slotted spoon in batches for your first fry into the hot oil. You don't wan't color on the fries, just for them to be tender inside, about 10 minutes. Then transfer to your baking sheet and transfer to the refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
- At this point, take out your steaks to room temperature. Season with salt and pepper. *TIP: I find the fries really get crispy this way, but you can eliminate both the wait time for soaking, and wait for in the fridge after the first fry if you prefer, it will still be delicious. 🙂
- Second fry. When it's time for your second fry, heat up that same oil to about 400°F, and take your cold fries (from the fridge) and this time you are going to brown them and make them super crispy, in batches being sure not to overcrowd the pan. Once your desired crispness, place on new paper towels on the parchment sheet to shake off any excess oil.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl and toss with salt, pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, chopped parsley and parmesan, toss and set to the side.
- Sear steak. Now, it's time to make our steak. Take your steak and heat a cast iron skillet until piping hot. Add in your steaks and sear on medium high heat for about 4-5 minutes to get a nice char. This will vary depending on your size of steak, though. Then flip.
- Once flipped, add in your butter, rosemary and garlic cloves. Baste your steak until fully cooked to your liking (I like medium rare which is around 135°F). Let rest for about 10-13 minutes and slice against the grain.
- Serve! Transfer your sliced steak to a plate and finish off with your french fries and Horseradish Cream Sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
