You Only Need 2 Other Ingredients To Turn Frozen Fries Into A Legendary Meal

If you find yourself typically hunting along the perimeter when you hit the grocery store, it's less likely that you'll encounter the freezer section. Though this may be intentional, skipping these chilly offerings may be doing your weekly meal plan a disservice. Inside you'll find frozen fries, which can actually be elevated to create a substantial meal on a budget. This recipe takes this frozen ingredient and combines it with cheese and gravy to create a rich, poutine-adjacent dish. You probably already have these simple ingredients at home.

In order to achieve this recipe, you'll need some variety of stock ... This could be chicken, beef, or vegetable to serve as the base for your gravy. Though this component would be nothing if not for flour, which acts as a thickening agent. Herbs and spices work together to create standout flavor with butter and bouillon. If you're wanting to create this meal but don't have time to make your own gravy, there are many ways to boost the taste of store-bought gravy in a pinch.

This meal option is great as you can incorporate a variety of interesting cheeses, which could be drizzled, sprinkled, or added as curds overtop. Fries are a nice freezer staple as they can be incorporated into your weekly meals on the fly, or pre-planned out (with little concern of expiry dates). Consider this as an option to help make the most of your leftovers. For example — if you happened to have some gravy saved from a dinner of chicken and vegetables the night before, frozen fries could make for a low-effort, enjoyable meal the next. 

A frozen bag of fries could be a saving grace on that Saturday night when you just don't want to battle the weekend grocery store havoc. Despite the fact that we know you'll love this combination, there are many other ways to turn this overlooked ingredient into a noteworthy dish. Just make sure you know how to properly cook your frozen fries. 

The type of fries you choose will shift the best ways to use them, dish to dish. Thick cut steak fries may be better for dipping into a variety of homemade sauces, for example. They could also make for a fabulous a carne asada base. Fresh chopped herbs scattered over top with flaky salt is another simple yet impactful option. Instead of tortilla chips, try swapping for frozen shoestring fries — just make sure to crisp them up before adding your toppings. But don't stop there, make sure to pop them back into the oven with cheese on top in order get the most textural variety. 

You could also use frozen home fries and turn them into a ham, cheese, and vegetable oven bake — an easy comfort dish sure to satisfy your friends and family. Consider incorporating pulled chicken, beef, or pork — added protein will also make this dish more substantial. Ultimately, there are many ways to make the most of this unassuming kitchen hero, hidden in the freezer section.