Turn Those Veggies Sitting In The Fridge Into Crispy Fries

Potatoes are the go-to for fries, but they are far from the only good options on the table. In fact, many of your favorite produce items make for tasty fries. Parsnips, rutabagas, and even turnips will help diversify your side dishes and keep the whole family satisfied.

Carrot fries are yet another orange vegetable alternative to traditional potatoes, after sweet potatoes, which have become commonplace in many restaurants and homes. Carrots are crunchy, sweet, and hold their structure when cooked — not to mention they pair well with a variety of seasonings. You can keep the skin on or peel it, though an essential carrot tip is to scrub the root vegetable clean if you plan to eat the skin. The only drawback is they may be softer than the average french fry — but you can overcome this with a pantry staple.

Slice your carrots into your desired fry shape and toss them in some cornstarch. This step is crucial as carrots don't naturally contain a lot of starch, and it's this element that results in the satisfying crunch of potato fries. Starch absorbs moisture and frying reduces that trapped moisture, leaving a satisfying crunch behind.

After the cornstarch, toss your carrot fries in some oil and start cooking. This can be done in the oven, on the stove, or in the air fryer. Once they're ready, season them while still hot with your choice of topping. While salt alone will hit the spot, you can branch out with za'atar, cayenne and garlic, or cinnamon and nutmeg for an array of flavored fries.

Root vegetables are the perfect produce variety for fries as they are excellent sources of fiber, making them substantial and filling — just like classic potatoes. Like carrots, turnips and rutabagas are non-starchy root vegetables that can mimic many qualities of potato fries, with minor adjustments. Plus, the humble rutabaga is often overlooked, but it's as delicious and versatile as its cousins cabbage and turnip. If you don't have cornstarch on hand, you can also use potato starch or rice flour for a crispy coating.

Turnips are an excellent choice because they have slightly more natural flavor than potatoes thanks to their higher sulfur levels, giving them a peppery bite. Still, they are easy to fry when tossed in cornstarch and oil, and lend themselves well to different seasonings. To really blend flavors, coat your turnip fries in their spices before frying them. The texture won't be impacted at all but the vegetable will soak up the flavors as it cooks.

Rutabagas, when cooked, actually have a very similar taste in-between a potato and a sweet potato, making it a wonder why they aren't more popular. Additionally, most rutabaga fries recipes don't require cornstarch, so oil and seasonings are all you need to turn this pseudo-spud into a delicious, crunchy side — perfect when dipped into some homemade ketchup or tandoori barbecue sauce.