I’ve got to brag for just a second, my husband took one bite of these fries and told me that they were one of the best things I’ve ever made! It made me really happy, although I secretly wanted to eat the whole pan for myself, but it makes me certain that you will love them too!
Do you remember that creamy butternut squash mac n’ cheese I made a few weeks ago? Well, I was so smitten with that “cheese” sauce that I just had to use it again. And since I am being forced into watching football games every single night (when did football start being played every single night?!) I might as well have my football snacks and eat them too.
I think what I love most about this dish is that I feel really sneaky eating it, like I’m getting away with something big. These chili cheese fries definitely have lot of taste, but they don’t have all the oil and grease that come with a big basket of chili cheese fries that you might get at the pub. You can actually feel pretty good about yourself after eating these!
I started making my own oven baked french fries a few years ago and I have never turned back to the frozen ones. Homemade fries are so much better and you can mix things up and flavor them with any spices you wish. All you need to do is cut a russet potato into french fries and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 25 – 30 minutes until they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
You could always use frozen french fries and canned chili to make things a little easier, but the extra time that you take to cut your own potatoes and mix up your own chili is totally worth it! Trust me, you won’t regret it, and if you are anything like my husband you will be telling yourself that these vegan chili cheese fries are one of the best things you have ever made š
Vegan Chili Cheese Fries
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
French Fries:
- 2 large russet potatoes
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Chili:
- 1 1/2 cup beans, I used 3/4 cup kidney beans and 3/4 cup pinto beans, or 1–15 oz can of beans
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 medium size tomato, diced small
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon water or vegetable broth
Cheese Sauce:
- 2 1/2 cups diced butternut squash
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup water, or more depending on desired consistency
Optional Toppings:
- Jalapeno slices for topping
- Sliced green onions
- Sliced black olives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place diced butternut squash onto a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, toss to coat. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until fork tender, flipping once.
- Place the buttnernut squash and the remaining cheese sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until a smooth sauce forms. Set aside.
- Heat a medium size pot over medium heat. Coat the bottom with a small amount of olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Stir fir a few minutes until onion begins to soften. Then add the tomato, beans, tomato paste, water, and all of the seasonings. Stir together and let mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Turn the oven up to 400 degrees F. Cut the potatoes in half, lenthgwise, and then cut each half into french fries. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a large sheetpan and place potatoes on top. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, toss to coat. Place fries into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes until tender on the inside and crisp on the outside, flipping once.
- Once fries are done, spoon on the chili and cheese sauce and place back into the oven for 5-10 minutes until everything is warmed though. Top with jalapenos and sliced green onions, if desired.
- Category: Appetizer, Side, Gluten Free, Vegan
Find Cheeto! (and try not to judge me too much for my messiness)
These look soooo good right now! It’s almost midnight here, and it’s just about time for a midnight snack. I wish I could have these fries!
Thank you, Karishma! I was just getting so hungry for them while I was putting this post together and wishing I had them as a second dinner š
Holy cow these look AMAZING! Serious football snack food, looks absolutely delicious!
Thank you so much, Denise!! I need some serious football snacks to get though the games š
What a great idea! And so much healthier than dousing these with traditional cheese sauce. Oven baked fries AND a butternut cheese sauce? These are down right healthy!
Thank you, Katie! It is nice to eat a healthier version of a usually not so healthy food because I can eat a ton and not feel too bad š
I love that you smeared that delicious butternut cheese sauce all over those fries!! Such a perfect football meal…but the semi healthy kind. š I bet it would also be great as a nacho sauce.
Nacho sauce is an amazing idea!! I need that now!
Izzy, I had to do a double take on these…. first, I thought your cheese sauce was cheese, then I saw vegan. WoW! Beautiful work here. I can completely see how these would be habit forming. This falls in line with pure comfort/junk (but non junk here) food and is right up there with nachos, potato skins and doughnuts!! Aren’t homemade fries the best!? I haven’t stopped making them since I got my spiralizer… but I really like the thickness of the fries in this mouthwatering recipe! Thanks, Izzy for another great recipe! BTW – that sweet Cheeto of your’s is always into something! How in the world did he get up there?! LOL
Hi Traci! It is so creamy and so delicious, It adds such a nice seasonal cheesy flavor š I think I need to put this sauce on both nachos and potato skins!! And now I’m craving doughnuts, haha! Ohh, I need to start using my spiralizer for fires, does it make them curly fries?!! Cheeto might have had a little help getting up there, haha! It has been so windy today and he as just been running around the house with a puffed tail all day š
I’m not even vegan, but we would totally go for these in our house! They look SO good!
I was sure my husband wouldn’t like them, but he gobbled them up! I bet your family would love them too š
These fries look marvelous. Dinner in fry form. Oh my, and I love it when my husband raves over something I have made. I just glow because kitchen time….weeeellll, it’s not always my thing. I made the cauliflower soup from the Pioneer women and he’s still talking about it. Must try these fries for round two and bragging rights!!
Thanks Laura! Such a good dinner too! I know, isn’t it nice?! We don’t always like the same things, but sometimes he comes around to my side š Cauliflower soup sounds so good! I’ll have to check it out so I can brag some more!
I’m coming over for dinner, hope you don’t mind. Fun fact: I didn’t get to try chili fries until I was 24 years old! Then I saw a vegan version at a restaurant and inhaled a whole order that I had gotten to “share”. New favorite food. This looks super tasty and probably a billion times healthier than the huge plate I ate!
Yes, please do some over for dinner! I need someone to stop me from eating the entire pan!! They are so hard not to inhale! There is something so good about french fries, cheese, and chili!
How fantastic! They certainly look like real chili cheese fries!!
Thanks, Annie! They taste like them too š
This sounds like the ultimate comforting dinner Izzy! I love making homemade fries at home (had baked sweet potato fries twice this week for dinner)! I need to make these ASAP! They look ah-mazing! Pinned š
And I plan on picking up a butternut squash and trying your cheese sauce next week š Yumm!!
Thank you, Ceara! Sweet potato fries are the best! I try to make them a few times a week! You will love this cheese sauce, Ceara! Thanks so much for pinning š
I like mixing butternut squash with nutritional yeast for a cheesy sauce too, its so savory and healthy. Great recipe.
It really is so good, isn’t it?!!
These fries look mouthwatering, Izzy! I can see why your husband loved them so much! I love all of the chili flavor going on here. What a perfect snack or dinner!
Thank you, Gayle! I definitely enjoyed them for dinner! Two days in a row… š
What a great healthy substitute… these look so, so yummy! I love the sneaky cheese sauce!
Thank you, Jess!
These chili cheese fries loo amazing! Love that you used butternut squash for the cheese sauce. I never would have thought of doing that!
Thank you Christin! I now think that butternut squash should be put into everything š It is just so good!
These fries look so so good Isadora! I can eat thisi all day long.. this butternut squash cheese sauce is calling my name!! Oh-so-delicious!
Thank you, Aprita! I pretty much did eat them all day š
Oooh my. I’m not from the US so have never had the real deal but either way I’ll say your version sounds a lot better. I’m a huge fan of squash-based vegan cheesy sauces – in fact, I had some with my lunch today – and being German it’s pretty much common knowledge I like potatoes, haha. And chili is a true no-brainer. Any time of the year. I’ve had homemade baked fries with chili before but you created all-around awesomness by adding the sauce. This is a recipe I’m definitely going to try!
Thank you so much! I’m a huge fan of them too and I want to put them all over everything I eat these days! I hope you love these fries š
wow this dish looks so creamy! When I saw the picture I thought it was real cheesy but actually is vegan which is much better. Love this recipe, Isa!
Haha, I love fooling people with my butternut squash cheese š So glad you love the recipe, Olivia!
Oh these fries look to die for! The cheese looks so creamy, and squash?! Wow, I have to try these. Great idea!
Thank you so much, Karen! I hope you love them! I’m pretty obsessed š
I would never guess this was vegan, the cheese sauce looks perfectly smooth and creamy!
Thanks Danielle! It really is so smooth and creamy š
Oh yaaa!! These look so delicious, and I’m so impressed and love that they’re vegan!
Thanks Rachel!! They really do taste so good that it is hard to tell they are vegan š
I just love these potatoes and can eat them every day! You’ve done a great job with the vegan sauce, because the regular kind can be fattening! Pinning and will try them !
Me too, Mira! Potatoes are my favorite, especially in french fry form! I hope you enjoy them š
Holy moly, these look amazing! I can’t wait to try these next weekend (I’m watching way too much football myself!)
Thank you! I know I’ve been watching too much football when I start recognizing names of players and coaches!
I adore you food photography! Love the spices you used for this recipe!!
Hi Nicole!! Thank you so much! I tend to put cumin and paprika in pretty much everything I make these days š
Oh my goodness Izzy, this looks amazing!!! Cheesy fries are one of my guilty eats so I absolutely love that this is healthier. The butternut vegan cheese sauce sounds amazing and I love how creamy and tasty it looks! I would never have guessed this is vegan – such a great idea! Pinning and can’t wait to try this!
Thank you, Kelly! Cheesy fries are one of my guilty pleasure eats too! I used to eat them all the time when I was younger! The butternut squash sauce really is so creamy and adds the perfect touch to these chili fries š
Wow, Isadora. This is crazy impressive! No wonder your husband was into it! I can’t believe how inventive you are.
Thank you so much, Mir! It is always a win when the husband approves of the food!
Oh my gosh, these fries are CRAZY! All that chili-cheesy goodness is literally making me drool. These have Monday written aaall over ’em! š
Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, haha! I’m now thinking of making some nachos out of this chili cheesy goodness!
Wow this looks like the ultimate comfort food! I’m so craving this right now! Definitely making tomorrow for dinner š
Thank you Lilli! It really does make a great comfort food! I hope you enjoyed it š
this is such a great idea — I love everything about this! butternut squash as a chili/fries topping is just brilliant!
Thanks, Marcie!! I can’t stop thinking of things to put this creamy butternut squash all over š
Ohh my goodness, these fries are undoubtedly bragging material! Hello, Superbowl 2015 snack, it’s nice to meet ya. Aw, forget that, I want to make this recipe tonight’s dinner;-) Thank you for sharing, Izzy!
I had them for dinner and I can tell you that you won’t regret it! I have also put them on the menu for the superbowl! These fries and a bottle of wine will help me get through the game for sure š
I can see why your husband said this is one of his favorite things you’ve ever made! Looks so good! And healthy too. I’d love some chili cheese fries without the guilt : )
Haha, I love the no guilt part too! I think that means we can eat a few trays of these š
OMG this looks incredible. I haven’t eaten cheese fries since 2009 and I didn’t know I was craving them so much! I can’t get butternut squash here in Chile, do you think that a regular pumpkin will do the trick?
Thank you, Valentina! I’ve been eating way too many these days! I think you could definitely use pumpkin for these! I would just taste as you go and adjust seasonings if needed. I hope you enjoy these fries š
Izzy! These look so delicious, and that says something coming from someone who eats A LOT of cheese! I love the addition of the butternut squash to the cheese sauce, that’s brillz!
Haha, I found Cheeto, that little devil. š
Hi Lauren! I do love my cheese too, haha, but I also happen to love butternut squash so this worked out perfectly! Cheeto’s new favorite hiding place is behind the Christmas tree š
Dear Isadora, These look like the ultimate party food! What a fun dish to serve up. Looks absolutely delish. xo, Catherine
DANG! These are so good!! I just made this recipe and it is amazing! WOW. WOW. I subbed red potatoes and they were just as delicious. Thank you!
Thank you so much!! I was just thinking about making them again! I’m so glad you enjoyed them š