Belgian Fries with Mayonnaise (Double-Fried Chips)

Belgian fries are the benchmark for thick-cut chips: crisp, deeply golden on the outside, with a soft, steamy centre that comes from frying in two stages rather than cooking them hard from the start. The first fry gently cooks the potato through, while the second gives the surface its signature crunch. Rinsing away excess starch and drying the chips thoroughly are key to a clean, even finish. Served hot with fine sea salt and mayonnaise for dipping, they make a classic Belgian-style side or snack, simple in ingredients but precise in technique.
Recipe by JustRecipes Editorial Team
Content validated: August 2026 How we create recipes
Made this recipe? Rate it
Cuisine style Belgian friterie-style side
Flavor profile Salty • Crisp • Creamy dip
Techniques Rinsing and drying • Double-frying • Batch frying
Key equipment Large pot • Kitchen thermometer • Slotted spoon
Time commitment Under 1 hour

Why this recipe works

  • Crisp outside, fluffy centre: The first fry cooks the potato through, while the second fry creates the golden, crisp exterior that defines proper frites.
  • Classic double-fry method: Cooking the chips in two stages gives better texture control than a single fry, especially with thick-cut potatoes.
  • Simple ingredients: Potatoes, neutral oil, salt, and mayonnaise keep the focus on texture, seasoning, and the clean flavour of the fries.

Get the most out of this recipe

Timing notes

  • Do not skip the cooling stage: The short rest between fries helps the chips firm up and release steam, which improves the final crispness.
  • Serve immediately: Belgian fries are at their best as soon as they are salted; they soften quickly once steam builds up.

Common mistakes

  • Watch the oil temperature: If the first fry is too hot, the chips brown before the centre cooks; if the second fry is too cool, they can turn greasy.
  • Fry in batches: Adding too many chips at once drops the oil temperature and makes it harder to achieve an even, crisp finish.
  • Dry the potatoes thoroughly: Surface moisture causes spluttering and slows browning, so the cut chips should be well dried before frying.

Ingredient notes

  • Choose floury potatoes: Russet-style potatoes work well because their starch content helps create a fluffy interior and crisp surface.
  • Use a neutral frying oil: Sunflower or vegetable oil keeps the flavour clean and lets the potato and seasoning stand out.
  • Choose mayonnaise carefully: If serving anyone pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised, use pasteurised mayonnaise.

Equipment you'll need

Colander Kitchen scale Kitchen thermometer Large pot Slotted spoon
Ingredients
Instructions
Print
  1. Peel the potatoes, then cut into chips about 1 cm thick. Rinse well under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain in a colander. Pat very dry with a clean tea towel so there is no surface moisture.
  2. Pour the sunflower oil into a large pot and heat to 150°C (300°F). Fry the chips in 2 to 3 batches for 6 to 8 minutes, until pale and tender but not browned. Lift out with a slotted spoon and let them cool on a tray for 10 minutes.
  3. Increase the oil temperature to 180°C (355°F). Fry the chips again in batches for 2 to 4 minutes, until deep golden and crisp. Drain well, season immediately with the fine sea salt, and serve hot with the mayonnaise for dipping.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.

Recipe notes

Tips

  • Keep the chips moving gently in the oil so they cook evenly and do not stick together.
  • For the fluffiest centre, make sure the first fry is at the lower temperature and the chips have time to cool before the second fry.
  • Mayonnaise contains raw egg; if you are pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised, choose pasteurised mayonnaise.

Substitutions

  • Replace sunflower oil with vegetable oil for a similar neutral frying flavour.
  • Replace mayonnaise with aioli for a garlicky dip.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 2 days
  • Best eaten straight away. If needed, cool completely and refrigerate the chips in an airtight container, then reheat on a baking tray at 220°C (430°F) for 8 to 12 minutes until piping hot and crisp; keep the mayonnaise refrigerated and serve cold.

Ratings & reviews

Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.

Tried this recipe?

Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.

If you leave a comment, use 10–500 characters.

Stay inspired

Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.

Pinterest
Belgian Fries with Mayonnaise (Double-Fried Chips)
Image by JustRecipes
Pinterest

Recipe overview

  • Servings: 4 servings
  • Total time: 50min (25min active)
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Cuisine: Belgian
  • Allergens:
    Eggs
Kid friendly
Pinterest Signal WhatsApp

Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.

Add to meal planner

Equipment you'll need

Colander Kitchen scale Kitchen thermometer Large pot Slotted spoon

Got ingredients left?

Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.

Find recipes with these ingredients →

More variations

View all

More from this course

View all

Cook with these ingredients

Fine sea salt

1 cup ≈ 268.8 g
Convert ingredient→

Mayonnaise

1 cup ≈ 220 g
Convert ingredient→

Sunflower oil

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

More with similar ingredients

View all

You might also like

Browse alphabetically

Looking for a specific recipe? Choose a letter below to jump directly to recipes starting with that letter or number.

Explore the Recipe Index

Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?

Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.

Add JustRecipes to Google

Every recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.