Loaded Smashburger Fries

Best thing I ate this week: Loaded Smashburger Fries. What can I say - I am a bona-fide fry lover! The way I have been dying to try this specific riff on French fries , and the level of excitement I had all day leading up to this dinner is something I can’t even explain. It had secret sauce. It had pickles. It had all the “expected” burger toppings. And it was well worth the anticipation because everything about this dinner was 10/10! The melted cheese all over the fries, the crispy lettuce + tomatoes, the most delicious burger sauce drizzled over the whole thing. Literally all of it was true perfection. It gave all the satisfaction of enjoying a big, juicy, sauced up burger (something I truly love), but in a fun new way.

 
 

For the classic burger fix

Burgers + fries are a top 5 favorite food to me, and I love it for 2 reasons:

  • the sauce

  • a warm crispy side of fries.

If a burger is dialed in with these 2 things, I am beyond satisfied. And this meal is literally centered around these 2 components.

The crispy fries are the base. The vessel for enjoying all of the other ingredients! My tip for a really good at home fry is season them well. Get crafty with a fancy flavored salt mix if you’ve got one, or just don’t skimp on plain ol’ salt + pepper. In other words, you want the salt! The second thing is to use the convection feature on the oven. It is always our key to crispy, perfectly roasted fry.

Not so traditional - the burger. We kept is meat free, and the Beyond Meat Smashburger Patties are what we used. They were great! I really like the flavor of the Beyond Meat products. We don’t have them often, and when we do it feels like a fun treat. Chopped up into small dice sized pieces was the perfect meat free substitute for a crumbled beef.

Crisp + cold veggies on a bed of warm fries is a happy combo

Loved every bit of getting some lettuce + tomato with every forkful of the fries - makes it feels like a little French fry salad.

All that’s needed are the classic burger toppings - lettuce, pickle, and tomato. For the lettuce, think chopped salad/shredded lettuce. Really slice it up thin so you don’t get any big chunks of lettuce. Small little pieces that are compatible for a classic fry. The same method is a great way to approach the tomato prep - small little pieces that are French fry congruous. I kept my pickle slices large + chunky, and I standby that decision. Aesthetically, it was delightful!

 
 

This meal is nothing without the sauce

Honestly, make these fries just for the sauce. It is such a good secret sauce that tastes great in this loaded fry situation, and worth reaching for anytime a classic American burger bbq comes into the equation. It’s creamy + savory + has the perfect amount of pickles mixed in. The key is to make plenty, because you’ll want extra for fry dipping (I definitely did)

A heavenly Tuesday night dinner that I can’t wait to make again, and a fry sauce I will be making over and over once bbq season hits!

 
 

For the fry sauce

  • 1 c. mayo (I used a low fat option)

  • 2 tbsp ketchup

  • 1 dill pickle, minced

  • 1/4 white onion, grated

  • 1-2 tsp. pickle juice

  • 1 tsp. honey

  • 1/2 tsp paprika

For the fries

  • 2 russet potatos, cut into fry strips

  • EVOO

  • salt + pepper

  • 2 Beyond Meat smashburger patties (or another meat free equivalent)

  • 1 c. white cheddar

  • shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce

  • 1 tomato, finely diced

  • 2 pickles, sliced into disks

  • candied jalapeños or a sliced jalapeño

Start by prepping the fries. Place the cut fries in a bowl of cold water and soak for 1-3 hours. Drain + let them dry for 1 hour.

Next, move to making the sauce. Take all of the ingredients for the fry sauce + put them in a bowl. Whisk together until you have a smooth consistency. Cover + set in the fridge.

Move to roasting your fries. Preheat the oven to 375. Toss the dried potatoes with 2 tablespoons of EVOO, salt + pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, toss, and return to the oven to roast for an additional 20-25 minutes. This time increasing the heat to 425, and turning on the convection feature the last 10 minutes of the cook time. The fries should be crispy + golden brown when they’re ready.

As the fries bake, cook the burger patties on the stove - heating a skillet to medium and crisping up both sides.

When fries have finished baking, remove from the oven, sprinkle the cheese over the top, and place back in the oven for just 2 minutes. Remove from the oven + top with the lettuce, tomato, and burger pieces. Finish with the pickle + jalapeño disks over the top. Drizzle with a bit of the secret sauce. Serve on the baking tray with the remaining fry sauce on the side.

Lesley ZehnerComment