French fries have become one of the world's most beloved dishes: a tasty side dish, but also a snack to be eaten alone, sitting down at the table, or as street food. Their invention is disputed between Belgium and France, but in both cases it seems they became the recipe we know by the late 1700s. Whoever invented them, one thing is certain: today they are loved and consumed all over the world, whether purchased from kiosks or restaurants or prepared by hand at home.
And people around the world have created their own unique versions, adapting the basic French fries recipe to their place of origin, expanding it with unusual shapes, rich toppings, and many other tasty ideas. Here are some of the most delicious, unique, and inviting French fries in the world.
1. Frites (Belgium)
In Belgium, fries are a true institution: they're the most beloved local street food, with over 5,000 kiosks spread across the country. A national pride, they even have a museum dedicated to them, the Frietmuseum in Bruges. Classic fries are double-fried in beef fat so they're soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, and are paired with a variety of sauces, from classic mayonnaise to more unusual ones. However, there are also a whole host of truly unique variations of fries. One of the most unusual is moules frites, fries accompanied by mussels pan-fried in white wine, garlic, and herbs. They're served with fries, but in separate bowls, and eaten with mayonnaise.
2. Vlaamse Frites (Holland)
Dutch culinary tradition is closely tied to potatoes, which are cooked and prepared in a wide variety of ways in the Netherlands. French fries are, of course, a must: they're Amsterdam's most popular street food, and it's common to see long lines of kiosks lining the city streets, as they're a popular snack even among locals. The traditional cone-shaped dish is called vlaamse frites, and includes a generous portion of thick-cut, double-fried potatoes, crispy on the outside, and served with various sauces, although mayonnaise is the most popular among locals.
3. Poutine (Canada)
Canadians have a very unique way of eating their classic serving of fries. The dish is called poutine and originated in Quebec, although it has spread throughout Canada and even to some northern US states. It consists of crispy, golden fries topped with cheese curds and gravy, a brown sauce typical of English and American cuisine made with roast drippings or beef broth, then mixed with butter and flour. This is the most typical combination of ingredients, but there are many different variations: for example, you can find poutine with crumbled bacon or sausage, sometimes mozzarella is used instead of cheese, and Worcestershire sauce, with its sweet and sour and spicy flavor, is added.
4. Patatas Bravas (Spain)
They're called "wild potatoes" and are a uniquely Spanish invention: patatas bravas, a staple in tapas bars, incredibly delicious and easy to recreate at home . These are special fried potatoes, cut not into sticks but irregularly and shaped like bite-sized pieces, fried twice to leave them crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. What makes patatas bravas special, however, is the incredibly spicy sauce from which they take their name, made with tomato, vinegar, and piménton (a type of paprika). They're served both hot and cold, and mayonnaise or a handful of parsley is usually added as a finishing touch.
5. Chili Cheese Fries (USA & Mexico)
In the United States and Mexico, Tex-Mex cuisine has become a staple of both countries' local cuisine. This unique fusion cuisine, born from the fusion of different cultures, features Mexican, Spanish, Native American, and Texan influences. In addition to dishes famous beyond the US, such as burritos, tacos, nachos, and tortillas, there are also some very special, highly seasoned and truly tasty chips. These are chili cheese fries, classic French fries that are topped with a special sauce made from chili con carne, melted cheddar cheese, sour cream, and spring onions.
6. Furaido Potato (Japan)
A very special type of French fries comes from Japan: they're called furaido potato, and they're portions of fried potatoes made unique by the seasoning that accompanies them, furikake. It's a mixture of dried fish, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar, and salt that gives classic potatoes a truly unique seafood flavor.
7. Honey Butter Fries (South Korea)
The prize for the world's most unusual French fries goes to South Korea with its honey butter fries: as you might guess from the name, Koreans prefer sweet, unsalted fries. This unique recipe has become popular throughout the country since the 2000s: the potatoes are fried just once, then topped with a creamy sauce made from butter and honey, to which pepper or chili powder is added according to taste.
8. Salchipapas (Peru)
Peru's most famous street food, also popular in other South American countries, is salchipapas: the name derives from "salchicha" (hot dog) and "papa" (potato), referring to the generous condiment served over the fries. The star of the show is the sausage cut into pieces and sprinkled over the fries, which are then topped with ketchup, mayonnaise, and aji sauce, a spicy condiment containing tomatoes, cilantro, aji chilies, and onions.
9. Tornado Potatoes (Australia)
Tornado potatoes, also known as twister potatoes, are a truly unique type of French fries with a completely different shape. Instead of the classic matchstick shape, the potatoes are cut into spirals from a whole potato, threaded onto long skewers, and coated in a mixture of flour, cornstarch, paprika, and herbs, before being fried in hot oil. Tornado potatoes are particularly popular in Australia, where they are a typical street food at fairs, festivals, and concerts, but they are now widespread throughout the world and are also very easy to make at home.
10. Masala Chips (Kenya)
Kenyan cuisine, like all African cuisine, is an explosion of flavors thanks to the extensive use of spices that make every dish a true concentration of flavor. And French fries are no exception. Masala chips, the most common, are based on classic French fries, but it's the seasoning that makes the difference: the star is garam masala, a spice blend typical of Indian and Pakistani cuisine, to which are added garlic paste, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, green chilies, paprika, lemon juice, coriander, turmeric, garlic, and butter.
11. Makkaraperunat (Finland)
Speaking of substantial condiments, the Finns are no slouch either, offering a delicious and flavorful type of fried potato. They're called makkaraperunat, although the name varies depending on the part of the country you're in, and they're Finland's most beloved street food. They consist of classic fried potatoes (though there's also a variant with baked potatoes) topped with slices of fried or grilled sausage and a variety of toppings that vary greatly depending on the kiosk where you try this specialty, but almost always include mustard, ketchup, onion, garlic, pickle relish, and mayonnaise.
12. Patso (Turkey)
We conclude our journey around the world with Turkey and its patso, which makes our list not so much for the uniqueness of the fries as for the way they're served. The recipe calls for a generous portion of fried potatoes to fill a sandwich, the slices of which are spread with butter beforehand. Once the fries are inserted, the sandwich is sprinkled with cheese and various sauces are added, especially ketchup or mayonnaise. Patso is a beloved street food, especially in Istanbul, and is usually accompanied with ayran, a traditional Turkish drink made from yogurt, water, salt, and ice.
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