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Loaded French Fries – Topped With Cheese, Bacon, & Ranch Dressing

Whenever my family and I go to a restaurant and see Loaded French Fries on the appetizer menu I know that in minutes, a tray of gooey goodness will be sitting on the table ready to be enjoyed.

It is just so hard to resist a platter of crispy French fries that have cheese sauce, bacon, and Ranch dressing drizzled on top.

Although, as much as I love them, I rarely make them at home. However, recently I was asked to host a watch party at my house and I knew that they would be a huge hit!

And I was right! As soon as I brought them to the table, they were gone in minutes. It was then that I knew that I had to share the recipe to encourage you to make them as well.

loaded French fries
A plate with French fries drizzled with homemade cheese sauce and then topped with bacon, Ranch dressing and diced green onions.

Loaded French Fries Recipe

INGREDIENTS

A bag of frozen French fries*
Butter
All-purpose flour
Milk
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Ranch dressing
Green onions for garnish

*Although you can use any style of French fry that you prefer, I highly recommend making this recipe with crinkle cut, steak fries, or waffle fries.

The toppings will adhere to the surface better than if you use shoestring or skinny fries.

Of course, if you have a ton of time and want to make your own French fries, you can certainly do that as well.

INSTRUCTIONS

In order to make this Loaded French Fries recipe, the first step is to bake the fries according to package directions. If you are making homemade French fries, be sure to check out how to make Air Fryer French Fries.

While the French fries are cooking with your preferred method it is time to make the homemade cheese sauce. Start by melting the butter in a small saucepan.

crinkle cut French fries
Although you can use whatever type of French fry that you prefer, we find that the crinkle cut varieties hold the toppings much better.

Then when the butter is melted, whisk in the flour. Cook and continue to whisk until the flour is absorbed and no longer visible.

Next, slowly whisk in the milk. Continue to cook until the mixture thickens slightly, which will take about 5 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in shredded Cheddar cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese is completely melted.

Then season with salt and pepper to taste. If you like a little heat to your cheese sauce, add in a little hot pepper flakes or hot sauce.

Then when the fries come out of the oven transfer them to a heat safe, serving platter. Immediately drizzle the top with the prepared homemade cheese sauce.

Then to make them Loaded French fries sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top and drizzle the top with Ranch dressing.

Finally, garnish the fries with diced green onions. Serve immediately.

homemade cheese sauce
Although you could use store-bought cheese sauce, it is super easy to make your own. Plus, that means no extra trips to the grocery store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe with Sweet Potato Fries?

You can use whatever type of cooked fries that you would like in this recipe. However, I highly recommend that you use wide, or ridged fries so that the toppings have a good surface area to cover.

What other toppings can I use?

I have included our favorite, go-to ingredients for Loaded French Fries. However, you can use whatever toppings that you have on hand. Some of our favorite toppings include: taco meat, pulled pork, barbecue sauce, diced onions, shredded cheese, feta cheese and olives. The choice is up to you!

Can I save the leftovers?

Unfortunately, this recipe does not reheat well. It is best to indulge yourself and eat as much as you can!

cheese sauce on fries
When the fries come out of the oven transfer them to a serving tray. Then drizzle the homemade cheese sauce on top, coving as much surface area as possible.

Other Favorite Appetizers

Although I absolutely love to make Loaded French Fries, I also realize that sometimes they just aren’t practical to serve. Sometimes you need to have easy, hand held appetizers that aren’t quite so messy.

So be sure to check out some of our other favorite appetizers that you can serve on game day or for any party or potluck.

  1. Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
  2. Crock Pot Beer Cheese Dip
  3. Bacon Wrapped Chicken Skewer Bites
  4. Homemade Pizza Rolls
  5. Ham & Cheese Pinwheels
  6. Instant Pot Bacon Cheeseburger Dip
  7. Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos
  8. Air Fryer ‘Fried’ Ravioli
  9. Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Dip
  10. Cheesy Ranch Bean Dip
loaded french fries
The best part about Loaded French Fries is that you can add as many, or as little toppings that you would like.

Enjoy! Mary

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Yield: 6

Loaded French Fries

Loaded Potato Fries

French fries topped with a homemade cheese sauce, crumbled bacon bits and drizzled with Ranch dressing. The perfect party food recipe!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 32 oz frozen french fries, crinkle cut

CHEESE SAUCE INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

TOPPINGS

  • 1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1/4 cup Ranch dressing

Instructions

  1. Bake the French fries according to package directions.
  2. While the French fries are cooking, make the cheese sauce by melting the butter in a small saucepan. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour. Cook and continue to whisk until the flour is absorbed.
  3. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture thickens slightly about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in shredded Cheddar cheese until it is completely melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. When the fries come out of the oven place them on a serving platter and drizzle with top with cheese sauce. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top and drizzle with Ranch dressing.
  5. Garnish with diced green onions.

Serve warm.

Notes

Recipe provided by Make Your Meals

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 637Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 1500mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 25g

Nutritional Information is to be used as a general guideline only . Nutritional calculations will vary from the types and brands of the products used.

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