These Copycat Five Guys Cajun Fries are generously seasoned with my cajun spice mix and taste just like the real thing! Instructions to cook them both in the oven & the air fryer and the best news is they are peanut oil free!
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This peanut-free Copycat Five Guys Cajun Fries recipe tastes just like the real thing! 7 pepper ch
The fries are crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle (just like my salt and pepper chips too) after quite a bit of tweaking and recipe testing I feel I have got the cajun-style seasoning blend spot on!
If you have a peanut allergy you may (or may not) know that Five Guys fries are cooked in peanut oil, (one of the top 14 allergens) so eating in or getting a takeout from this famous fast-food chain is a no-go. Even with separate fryers, the risk of cross-contamination when ordering a burger or hot dog seems too high to me with peanuts all over! (Even though I’m sure great care would be taken)
I have used olive oil to bake these fries and I can’t notice the difference in taste. They are also naturally gluten-free and dairy-free too.
For a true Five Guys experience, make my Five Guys Copycat Burger to enjoy along side the spicy fries.
If you love recreating restaurant dishes at home, you may also want to try this Nando's Butterfly Chicken & Homemade Nando's Spicy Rice too!
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❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe!
- ✔️ Tastes Just Like The Original: My spice mix tastes just like the Five Guys cajun seasoning!
- ✔️ Healthier Than The Real Thing: You can either oven bake the fries or cook in the air fryer - so much healthier than the original deep fried version.
- ✔️ Uses Store Cupboard Ingredients: Just a few potatoes and spices, throw in a bit of oil and you are good to go.
- ✔️ Allergy Friendly: My copycat version is peanut oil free, as well as naturally being gluten free and dairy free.
🥘 Ingredients You Will Need
✋ Double check all packaging for allergens ✋
- Potatoes - Five guys use fresh potatoes and cut them fresh on-site every day, no frozen chips in sight! The best potatoes to use for fries are either Maris Piper or Russet, as they have a high starch content, which helps them crisp up nicely when fried. Avoid waxy potatoes, as these tend to not crisp up as well.
- Spice Mix- This contains a mixture of paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, thyme, salt & back pepper to create the cajun seasoning blend.
- Oil - Peanut oil is the cooking oil of choice in the Five Guys restaurants. To ensure these fries are nut-free I haven’t used peanut oil and instead have used olive oil. If you don’t suffer from nut allergies you can use peanut oil instead.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
🤔 Can I Adjust The Spice Level?
Yes! That's the beauty of making it yourself! If you're cooking for kids or people who don't like too much spice, just use a third of the spice mix for a milder kick.
✏️ How To Make Cajun Fries
⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️
Step 1: Start by cutting the potatoes into French fries. Turn the potato on its side and cut it into slices lengthways, then cut those slices into French fries.
Step 2: Next, mix all of the spice ingredients together in a small bowl.
Step 3: Place the chopped potatoes into a large mixing bowl, add the cajun seasoning and olive oil, then mix everything together with a spoon until the seasoning has covered all of the fries.
Step 4a: Cooking In The Oven - If baking the fries in the oven, put the seasoned fries onto a baking sheet in a single layer (cook on two trays or in batches if you need to) & bake in a hot oven for around 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
Turn the fries halfway through cooking with a spatula to get that gorgeous crispiness all over.
Step 4b: Cooking In The Air Fryer - To make in the air fryer, Put the fries in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket and bake for around 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket a few times whilst cooking.
Again, you may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket.
💡 Tips & Tricks
- ✔️ When making the fries, try and cut them all the same size as much as possible to ensure they cook evenly and at the same time.
- ✔️ Use the right type of potato. Russet potatoes or Maris Pipers are the best choice for making Cajun fries because they have a high starch content, which makes them crispy.
- ✔️ Whether you're using an oven or air fryer, make sure you spread the fries out in a single layer for best results. If you're using an oven, use multiple baking trays or make two batches in the air fryer. This will help the fries crisp up evenly and prevent them from becoming soggy and clumping together.
- ✔️ This recipe has been tested using my Instant Pot Vortex Plus Clear Cook air fryer and the temperatures and timings are specifically tailored for this model. Please be aware that various air fryer brands may cook differently, so I would advise you to regularly check to see how the fries are cooking for best results.
- ✔️ For extra spice, save a bit of the seasoning to sprinkle over the fries once they are cooked.
- ✔️ Serve with your favourite dipping sauce. A simple garlic aioli or spicy ketchup could work well.
🥡 Storage & Reheating
I would recommend eating these copycat cajun fries straight away fresh from the oven as this is when they will be their most crispy.
Leftover fries can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven at 180˚C Fan / 350˚ F for around 10-15 minutes until warmed through, or in the air fryer for 4-5 mins.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
Well, you can’t have fries without a burger! So go for the full Five Guys experience and make my Five Guys Burger as well, or why not serve alongside this slow cooked BBQ beef brisket piled high in a bun?
A side of dairy free coleslaw is also great with a burger and fries.
For a healthier version of fish & chips, serve the fries alongside this sea bass in the air fryer and minted mushy peas.
They also taste great with these crispy egg free chicken tenders too!
💬 Recipe FAQs
Yes, both the original and cajun fries at the Five Guys restaurants are gluten free. My recipe is also gluten free.
I would class them as medium to hot on the spice level, which in my opinion is just about the right level of spice kick! If you are making this recipe and prefer them a little tamer just use half the amount of spice blend.
📖 More Delicious Potato Dishes..
Check out these other tasty recipes using the humble potato!
If you loved this recipe, please leave me a 5🌟 rating or comment below. I really do appreciate it. 😊
📖 Recipe
Copycat Five Guys Cajun Fries (Oven or Air Fryer)
Equipment
- Air Fryer optional
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes chopped into fries
Spice Mix
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven or air fryer to 200˚C Fan / 390˚ F.
- To make the potatoes into French fries, turn the potato on its side and cut into slices lengthways, then cut the slices into French fries.
- Next, mix all of the spice ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Place the chopped potatoes into a large mixing bowl, add the cajun seasoning and olive oil, then mix everything together with a spoon until the seasoning has covered all of the fries.
Cooking In The Oven
- If baking in the oven, put the fries onto a baking sheet in a single layer & bake in a hot oven for around 30-35 minutes until brown. Turn the fries halfway through cooking with a spatula to get that gorgeous crispiness all over.
Cooking In The Air Fryer
- To make in the air fryer, put the fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket and bake at 200˚C / 390˚ F for around 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket a few times whilst cooking.
Notes
- When making the fries, try and cut them all the same size as much as possible to ensure they cook evenly and at the same time.
- Use the right type of potato. Russet potatoes or Maris Pipers are the best choice for making Cajun fries because they have a high starch content, which makes them crispy.
- Whether you're using an oven or air fryer, make sure you spread the fries out in a single layer for best results. If you're using an oven, use multiple baking trays or make two batches in the air fryer. This will help the fries crisp up evenly and prevent them from becoming soggy and clumping together.
- This recipe has been tested using my Instant Pot Vortex Plus Clear Cook air fryer and the temperatures and timings are specifically tailored for this model. Please be aware that various air fryer brands may cook differently, so I would advise you to regularly check to see how the fries are cooking for best results.
- For extra spice, save a bit of the seasoning to sprinkle over the fries once they are cooked.
- Serve with your favourite dipping sauce. A simple garlic aioli or spicy ketchup could work well.
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