The ultimate copycat Five Guys cajun fries recipe! This delicious homemade cajun fries recipe uses the exact same Five Guys cajun seasoning the popular burger chain uses in their own famous fries, resulting in the most deliciously-spiced, golden brown crispy fries. This version might even be better than the original, just saying…

Not to brag, but homemade fries are kind of my thing. As a formerly fussy child who only ever ate nuggets and chips for years, I’d like to think I’ve developed somewhat of an expertise in creating the perfect fry – and this copycat Five Guys cajun fries recipe is no different.

I absolutely love the Five Guys fries – from the crazy portion size that feels like a real treat to the beautifully cooked fries and spicy cajun seasoning.

However, being vegetarian, there’s not a huge amount else on offer to me on the Five Guys menu – which is why I first started testing out my own copycat recipe. However, this copycat cajun fries Five Guys recipe is perfect whether you just need a tasty homemade recipe, want to cut down on takeaways, or are looking for the perfect side to your Friday night fakeaway!

For more potato goodness, make sure you’ve taken a look at my perfect roast potatoes recipe, or these mind-blowingly good crispy potato tacos.

If you want to level these cajun fries up even more, you need to try these dirty fries!

What Makes A Five Guys Cajun Fry?

To make sure my copycat version was as authentic as possible, I of course had to venture down to Five Guys for some first-hand testing (I’m committed to the cause, all for you guys!).

1. Lots of fries!

Of course, one of the best things about Five Guys fries is the ‘topper’ of fries that line the brown bag they deliver them to you in. Even though every customer gets that topper of fries, it still feels like you’ve got an extra heaping of fries in the bag just for you. So, this recipe delivers a large portion of fries per person – whether you put them in a brown paper bag is up to you, though!

2. Golden fries cooked in peanut oil

Next, we need to re-create that perfectly crispy outside and fluffy interior that Five Guys achieves by double-frying the fries in peanut oil. An air fryer is perfect for this, resulting in beautifully crispy fries without the hassle of deep frying them at home! You can also make these fries in the oven – I’ve included steps for both below:

• Copycat Five Guys Cajun Fries (Oven Edition)
• Copycat Five Guys Cajun Fries (Air Fryer Edition)

3. Cajun spice blend

Finally, of course, we have to perfect that all-important cajun spice blend. I dug through the Five Guys ingredient notes online to find the exact spices and herbs used in their very own cajun spice blend, which include garlic and onion powder, paprika, oregano, white pepper, cayenne pepper, and celery seeds.

The exact quantities of each spice you need to make your own cajun spice blend for these copycat fries are listed a few sections down.

Ingredients

The exact ingredient quantities and step-by-step instructions are all in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need to make this recipe. I normally include a substitutions section but to be honest, this recipe is potatoes and spices, so there’s not much to substitute!

• Potatoes: Any floury potato with a high starch content are best for making perfectly crispy fries. Examples of this are russet potatoes, Yukon Golds, or Maris Pipers.
  
• Cajun Seasoning: I’ve listed the exact spice blend I used for this recipe to give you an exact Five Guys copycat flavor below. If you’d rather save on ingredients, feel free to use a pre-mixed cajun spice blend.
  
• Oil: Five Guys use peanut oil to make their fries, so if you want the most authentic experience for this recipe, you’ll use that. Alternatively, any neutral oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or rapeseed oil will also work.

Mixing The Perfect Homemade Cajun Spice Blend

Here are all the spices you need to make the perfect homemade cajun spice blend that’s identical to the Five Guys blend:

• 1 tsp paprika
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 0.5 tsp celery seeds
• 1 tsp salt

This will make you roughly 3 tablespoons of cajun spice blend, which is more than enough for this five-guys cajun fries recipe. However, you could double up the quantities for more.

Some homemade cajun spice blends will suggest an equal amount of cayenne pepper to the other spices. Personally, when I first tested out this recipe with those quantities the cajun fries were way too spicy – and that’s coming from someone who likes a bit of fire!

Of course, if you want seriously spicy cajun fries you can up the cayenne pepper or even add some chili powder. If you prefer a milder spice, stick to the suggested ratios or even omit the cayenne pepper altogether.

How To Make These Copycat Five Guys Cajun Fries

These potatoes are super easy to make provided you leave a little bit of prep time before you need to serve them up.

Step 1: Peel, Cut, And Soak Your Fries

Start by peeling your potatoes and cutting them into thin, fry-like shapes that are about 0.5cm – 1cm wide. Then, place the fries into a large bowl of ice-cold water and leave them there for at least 30 minutes (if not longer – I prep them when I have a chance and have left the potatoes for an hour plus and they’ve been fine).

This step removes a lot of starch from the fries, leaving them perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside after baking.

Now, you could skip the soaking step if you’re in a rush, but for the most perfect fries you’ve ever made, I’d really recommend carving out that extra 30 minutes. Drain them and pat the fries dry before mixing with the cajun spices.

Step 2: Coat The Fries In The Cajun Seasonings & Line Up on Your Baking Tray

While the fries are soaking, make your cajun spice mix by combining all the spices listed in the recipe. (I’ve detailed the perfect cajun spice blend below).

Once you’ve patted the soaked fries dry, place them back in the (dry) bowl and add the oil and 2 tbsp of your cajun spice mix. Shake to ensure every fry is evenly coated.

Line a large baking tray with baking paper to ensure the fries don’t stick to the tray and lose their crispiness, and tip the fries onto your baking tray.Try to line them up so there is no space between each fry – this takes extra time but is so worth it for the extra crispiness you’ll get to every single fry!

Step 3: Bake For 30-40 Minutes At 200C | 400°F Until Golden And Crispy

Bake your fries for 30-40 minutes or until they’re beautifully golden and crispy – you shouldn’t need to flip them halfway, but feel free to if you think they need to be.

After baking, sprinkle 1-2 tsp more of the cajun spice mix over the fries and enjoy! So good!

How To Make Copycat Five Guys Cajun Fries Using An Air Fryer

If you have an air fryer, you might be wondering if you could save some time by making your cajun fries in the air fryer instead of in the oven. The answer is yes, absolutely.

I use my air fryer to cook my Five Guys cajun fries all the time, and it delivers super crispy fries every single time.

To make your cajun fries using your air fryer, follow all the steps listed in the section until you toss the uncooked fries in the cajun seasonings and peanut oil.

Place the cajun fries in the air fryer basket and air fry them for around 15-20 minutes for 200C | 400F. Toss them halfway through to ensure every fry gets perfectly golden and crispy.

Step 4: Add One Last Sprinkle of Cajun Spices And Fry For Another 5 Minutes Until Golden and Crispy

After the initial air frying, remove the basket, add 1 tsp or so more seasoning, then air fry for another 5 minutes to make the fries extra crispy! Finally, remove from the air fryer and serve with chopped parsley and your choice of dipping sauce.

Using an air fryer is a great way to make crispy fries with less oil and in less time than traditional oven baking.

My Top Tips

• Try to cut your fries evenly: Keeping your fries a single uniform width and length (as much as possible) will ensure they all cook evenly in the air fryer or oven, with no unexpected undercooked fries!
  
• Soak your potatoes before cooking: You may be used to just chopping your potatoes and then cooking them straight away, but don’t underestimate the impact soaking your fries can have! This process removes a lot of the starch from the potatoes, which leaves them crispier on the outside and fluffier on the inside once cooked. Leave for a minimum of 30 minutes, but you could leave for an hour or two if that’s easier. Use ice-cold water.
  
• Pat the potatoes dry after cooking: Throwing wet fries straight from your bowl into your air fryer or baking tray won’t give them that beautifully crispy texture (and no one wants soggy fries!). Instead, drain the fries and then pat them dry with a clean cloth.
  
• Avoid using too much oil: Too much oil will leave your fries swimming in grease, but too little and they won’t develop that beautifully golden brown color. About a tablespoon is perfect for this recipe.
  
• Preheat your oven: This is a must – never put your Five Guys cajun fries in a cold oven!
  
• Line your baking tray: I find it most effective to line my baking trays with baking paper, which ensures the fries don’t stick to the tray and lose that crispy bottom!
  
• Space out your fries on your tray: If you’re using an air fryer you can disregard this step, but if you’re cooking your cajun fries in the oven, then try to space them out evenly on your baking tray – ideally no overlapping and very little touching. This helps them cook more evenly all over and develop that crispy, crunchy exterior.

FAQs

Is This Exactly How Five Guys Makes Their Fries?

So, this is as close as you can get to Five Guys cajun fries at home without a deep fryer. Five Guys make their fries by washing and chopping them and soaking them in cold water.

Then, the fries are pre-cooked in peanut oil for around 10 minutes, before frying again. Then, the fries are shaken 15 times to get all the grease out before being doused in that signature cajun seasoning.

What Oil Should I Use?

Five Guys are well-known for using peanut oil to cook their absolutely divine fries, so to keep this recipe as authentic as possible, that’s what I’ve used too.

However, if you don’t have peanut oil, any other cooking oil such as olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil could use work.

How Much Oil To Use For These Cajun Fries Five Guys Style?

If you’re using the air fryer method, then a teaspoon of oil should be perfect enough to make crispy, golden fries.

If you’re using an oven, then about a tablespoon of oil per 400g potatoes is fine. You don’t want to use too much oil and result in greasy fries!

Can I Use A Store Bought Cajun Spice Blend?

Yes! A store-bought cajun blend will work just fine. Personally I like to be able to adjust my seasonings to my own tastes.

Do I Have To Soak The Potatoes?

It’s not absolutely essential to soak your fries, but I would strongly advise against skipping this step if you want that beautiful, golden texture.

What Potatoes Are Best?

Any large white potatoes will work fine for this recipe, honestly. Just so long as you can make fry-like shapes out of them!

How spicy are these cajun fries?

The first times I tested this Five Guys cajun fries recipe, they were far too spicy! So, I toned down the amount of cayenne pepper to result in spicy cajun fries without that unpleasant bite of spice. If you like more spice, increase the cayenne, and omit it if you want a milder flavor.

Can I use sweet potato instead for this recipe?

You could use sweet potato for this recipe. I haven’t tried it, and of course you’ll get a slightly different flavor.

What To Serve With These Cajun Fries

If you’re keeping it super authentic, then the only thing you can pair with these cajun fries is a burger! However, These fries are also amazing used as the filling for potato tacos (don’t knock it til you try it!), paired with a simple white bean stew, or even with some tasty crispy tofu nuggets.

Storing and Serving

These cajun fries are best served immediately for the freshest flavors and best texture! However, they will also keep in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. You could eat them cold (although this won’t have the best texture), or reheat them in the oven or air fryer for a couple of minutes to return them to that beautifully hot and crispy texture.