Chili Cheese Fries (Printable)

Crispy fries layered with spicy beef chili and gooey cheddar cheese for a tasty side or snack.

# What You Need:

→ Chili

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 9 oz ground beef
05 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
08 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
10 - 14 oz canned chopped tomatoes
11 - 7 oz canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Fries

13 - 1.3 lbs frozen French fries (or homemade)
14 - Vegetable oil, for frying or baking

→ Topping

15 - 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
16 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
17 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)
18 - Sour cream, for serving (optional)

# How-To:

01 - Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
02 - Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in tomato paste, ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and optional cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add chopped tomatoes and kidney beans. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
05 - Prepare French fries according to package instructions or your preferred method, frying or baking until golden and crisp.
06 - Set oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).
07 - Arrange cooked fries on an ovenproof platter or baking sheet. Evenly spoon hot chili over the fries, then sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top.
08 - Bake assembled fries and chili for 5 to 7 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
09 - Remove from oven. Garnish with thinly sliced spring onions and chopped cilantro or parsley if using. Serve immediately, optionally with sour cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours cooking, but the actual hands-on time is barely thirty minutes.
  • One plate disappears faster than you can grab napkins, and somehow everyone wants seconds.
  • The chili is rich enough to stand alone, but layered on warm fries with melted cheese, it becomes something you crave.
02 -
  • If your chili is watery after simmering, you haven't reduced it enough, and it'll make your fries soggy. Let it cook a bit longer until it's thick enough to coat a spoon.
  • The oven step is crucial because cold cheese on hot fries won't melt properly, but hot chili plus oven time makes everything blend together into something transcendent.
03 -
  • Don't skip the step of toasting the spices in tomato paste, because those thirty seconds of heat unlock flavors that would stay dormant otherwise.
  • If you're serving a crowd, make the chili ahead and reheat it just before you finish the fries, giving you one less thing to coordinate in those final minutes.
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