I have a bone to pick with… the universe.
Who decided that July 4th, a fun and boozy holiday, should fall on a Wednesday? Sure, the date is fixed, but wouldn’t it be nicer if it landed on a Thursday so we could enjoy a long weekend? I’m lobbying for that change — more long weekends, please.
I suspect the same cosmic committee that assigned July 4th to a midweek day also invented the word “skinny” for jeans, put calories in chocolate, made puppies grow up, and revealed that large amounts of tequila produce the most unpleasant mornings. Life isn’t always fair.
What. Ever.
If you’re reading this feeling a little hungover and avoiding the inevitable upchuck, here’s a comforting idea: fries. These sour cream and onion oven fries are worth firing up the oven for, even on a hot day.
Growing up, I wasn’t a huge fan of sour cream and onion chips — unless they were Pringles. My grandmother kept a stash of chips in a funny secret place in the basement, and whenever we visited we’d raid her collection. Pringles would disappear instantly once the tube came out: “Once you popped, you couldn’t stop.” That memory probably explains a lot about my weaknesses today.
These oven fries are simple and flavorful. The seasoning is straightforward: powdered buttermilk, onion and garlic powders, salt, pepper, fresh dill and a bit of Parmesan. Toss potato wedges in olive oil, sprinkle most of the seasoning on before baking, then finish by tossing them with the remaining mixture so every bite tastes bright and tangy rather than artificially strong.
Sour Cream + Onion Oven Fries
serves 3-4
- 2.5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into wedges
- 3–4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons powdered buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 1/2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack on top; spray the rack with nonstick spray.
Place the potato wedges in a large bowl and coat evenly with olive oil, using your hands to toss them. In a small bowl, combine the powdered buttermilk, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and chopped dill. Sprinkle about three-quarters of this seasoning mix over the potato wedges, tossing so they are well coated. Arrange the potatoes on the wire rack and sprinkle with the Parmesan.
Bake for 20 minutes, then flip and toss the wedges once and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until the fries are golden and crispy. Remove them from the oven and immediately toss with the remaining sour cream and onion mix and a little extra fresh dill. Serve right away.
Note: powdered buttermilk is usually available in the baking section of most grocery stores.
Now let’s get to it, weekend.