How To Get Perfectly Crisp Puffed Potatoes

They're not french fries, they're not hash browns, and they're not tater tots. They're puffed potatoes, and they are just one of many recipes that have skyrocketed in popularity via TikTok. A combination of all the best qualities of french fries and potato chips, these fried spuds are fluffy, puffy, airy, and light, and look like little golden-brown pillows. While making them does take some time, equipment, and frying know-how, the results are deliciously crispy, and much more interesting than the average fry.

The trick for getting these treats to puff up in the proper way? They're fried twice. The first fry cooks them through, then the second dip in the oil gets them puffy, crunchy and ready for salting and dipping into a favorite sauce. Just make sure to have a proper thermometer on hand to check oil temperature, as cooking these requires frying at two separate temperatures for best results.

Puffed potatoes begin with proper preparation  (russet potatoes work best for this recipe) by washing, peeling, and slicing them into thick, one-eighth inch slices. Lay them in a bowl and salt them, then rinse them and fully dry them off.

Toss the potatoes with cornstarch so they're fully coated. Then fry them twice: once in 300 degree Fahrenheit oil, and then once in 375 Fahrenheit oil. On the first fry, wait until the slices just start turning golden, then remove them. For the second fry, you'll notice the potatoes puff up — once they change color from golden to dark golden, you'll know they're ready.

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The trick for perfectly seasoned potatoes, whether you're making these or french fries, is to salt them while they're still hot. The salt will cling to the hot oil and season the puffs more thoroughly. Once seasoned, they'll be ready to enjoy immediately — just don't burn your fingers.

TikTok is abundant with potato hacks, some of which can help prep those potatoes faster in anticipation of frying. One that made the rounds last year is a method for easily peeling potatoes, simply using a peeler and a fork. By holding the potato on one end with the fork, it's easy to peel the entire thing quickly and efficiently without slippery hands threatening to drop it, or having to waste time turning it over in your palm to get the right angle. Y-peelers work best for this method.

Another hack for peeling spuds: Take a knife and cut a shallow circle around the middle of the potato (like you're drawing the potato a belt around its middle). Then boil the potato; once removed from the water and cooled down, you can simply pop the skin off by pulling on either side until it slides away. This method, of course, is best for dishes that require cooked spuds, such as mashed potatoes or potato croquettes.