Copycat Texas Roadhouse Cheese Fries
Crispy double-fried steak fries loaded with a smooth, pourable cheddar cheese sauce and crispy bacon — a tested copycat of the Texas Roadhouse classic that doesn't go soggy under the cheese.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 520kcal
Ingredients
For the Fries:
- 2 pound russet potatoes, cut into ½-inch steak fries
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 11/2 cup whole milk
- 2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For Topping:
- 6 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Ranch dressing, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cut the russet potatoes into ½-inch steak fries. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain and spread on a towel-lined sheet pan to dry completely for 10 minutes.
- Toss the dried fries with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Spread in a single layer on a heavy sheet pan, without crowding.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until deeply golden and crisp on the edges.
- While the fries bake, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 60 seconds until lightly toasted-smelling.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and simmer until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3–4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar a handful at a time until fully melted and smooth. Season with salt to taste.
- Pile the hot fries onto a platter. Pour two-thirds of the cheese sauce over the fries along with half the bacon, and toss gently to coat.
- Drizzle the remaining cheese sauce over the top and scatter the rest of the bacon.
- Serve immediately with ranch dressing on the side.
Notes
- Shred your own cheddar rather than using pre-shredded — it melts smoother and avoids a grainy texture in the sauce.
- Don't skip the parboil step; it's the difference between crisp fries and soggy ones once the cheese sauce is added.
- For a gluten-free version, replace the flour with 2 tablespoons cornstarch whisked into the cold milk before heating.
- Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 2 days but will lose their crispness — reheat on a sheet pan at 400°F for best results.
- This recipe does not freeze well once assembled; the potato and cheese sauce textures both suffer after thawing.
- To make ahead, parboil and dry the fries up to a day in advance and refrigerate before baking fresh.
- If the cheese sauce thickens too much before serving, whisk in a tablespoon of warm milk at a time over low heat to loosen it.
- Double the recipe using two separate sheet pans rather than one crowded pan to keep the fries crisp.