The Clever Hack To Get Curly Fries Without A Spiralizer

Take a walk through Crate and Barrel, Bed Bath and Beyond, or any other kitchen supply store and you will probably find what might seem like 1000 different gadgets meant for incredibly specific kitchen tasks. For example, the Williams Sonoma website lists so many cooks' tools categories and items it can make your head spin. 

As tempting as these items can be, limited cabinet space or funds can make it very difficult to justify buying them all, but what is one to do when a craving strikes for a food that may require a very specific tool to make? Improvise! Believe it or not, many specialty foods can still be prepared at home with simpler tools many people already have in their kitchens — it just takes a little bit of creativity and some extra work. 

Case in point: curly fries. While nearly every recipe on the internet suggests the need for a spiralizer to make this variation of French fries, the fact is these snacks can be prepared at home with some fancy knife work and a simple kitchen skewer.

According to The Daring Kitchen the easiest way to do this is to skewer a peeled potato lengthwise on a metal or wooden kitchen skewer and, using a sharp knife, cut spirals into the potato as evenly as you can from top to bottom, while slowly rotating the skewer. This technique can also be seen demonstrated on WikiHow. The website notes that this DIY method can take time because it's important to cut the spirals evenly so they look more appealing.

Once the potatoes have been successfully hand-spiralized, they can be baked, fried, or even air-fried (via Meal Plan Addict) to your liking. To bake, simply spread the spirals out on a tray, season with salt, oil, and your preferred spices, and pop them in the oven under 350-degree heat. If you want to make a traditional fried version, soak the potato curls in cold water for about half an hour before patting them dry and frying them in hot oil for 5-10 minutes in small batches. Once they come out, sprinkle them with salt and your preferred seasonings.

For those unsure about how to season your curly fries, Yummly offers a list of potential flavor combinations including mimics of Arby's famous curly fries and seasonings ranging from spicy chili fries to parmesan and garlic varieties.