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Golden crispy potato olés piled on a floral gold-rim plate with warm queso cheese sauce for dipping
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Crispy Potato Olés Recipe

Crispy, double-fried seasoned potato wedges served with a smooth queso dipping sauce — a foolproof copycat version of the fast-food favorite.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 410kcal

Ingredients

For the Potato Wedges:

  • 3 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs), cut into thick wedges
  • 3 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for finishing
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 cup vegetable or peanut oil, for frying

For the Cheese Sauce:

  • 8 oz Velveeta or American cheese, cubed
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 2 tablespoon diced pickled jalapeños (optional)
  • Pinch of ground cumin (optional)

Instructions

  • Cut the potatoes into thick wedges and submerge in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
  • Whisk the cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.
  • Drain the potatoes and pat completely dry, then toss in the seasoned cornstarch mixture until evenly coated.
  • Heat oil to 325°F in a large pot and fry the wedges in batches for 4–5 minutes, until pale gold. Transfer to a wire rack.
  • Increase the oil to 375°F and fry the wedges a second time for 2–3 minutes, until deep golden brown and audibly crisp.
  • While the second fry finishes, melt the cheese and milk together in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Stir in jalapeños if using.
  • Sprinkle the hot wedges with extra salt immediately after frying, then serve with the warm cheese sauce for dipping.

Notes

  • Pat the potatoes fully dry before coating — surface moisture is the number one cause of a coating that doesn't crisp up.
  • Fry in small batches; overcrowding drops the oil temperature and results in soggy wedges.
  • Freeze uncooked, coated wedges on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months; fry straight from frozen.
  • Natural cheddar will separate as it cools — stick with a processed melting cheese for the smoothest sauce.
  • Reheat leftovers in the oven or air fryer, not the microwave, to bring back the crunch.
  • Cornstarch can be swapped 1:1 with potato starch if that's what you have on hand.
  • The cheese sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and gently reheated with a splash of milk.
  • For a milder version, omit the cayenne and jalapeños entirely — the seasoning blend still works without the heat.