Animal Style Fries (In-N-Out Copycat)

Enjoy the deliciousness of In-N-Out's famous Animal Style Fries from the comfort of your home! Animal Style Fries feature crispy French fries covered with melted American cheese, caramelized onions, and In-N-Out secret sauce. Recreate this indulgent California staple no matter where you live!

As long time goers of In-N-Out, we have tried just about everything on both their standard menu and not-so-secret menu. One dish we keep coming back to is their animal style fries. In this recipe, we have recreated animal fries so everyone can enjoy them!

Jump to:

• About Animal Style Fries
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• What to Serve with Animal Style Fries
• FAQ
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tips
• Did you Like This Recipe?
• Animal Style Fries (In-N-Out Copycat)
• Storage
• Top tips
• Food safety

About Animal Style Fries

• Taste - The combination of crispy fries, caramelized onions, American cheese, and In-N-Out Sauce is a uniquely rich flavor medley.
• Texture - The fries are crispy while the caramelized onions have a light crunch. The cheese and in n out sauce are gooey.
• Effort - These fries require a few steps. In order to streamline it, you can use store-bought fries instead of making them yourself.
• Time - It takes 10-12 minutes to cook the onions and about 15 minutes to cook the potatoes twice and season them. While the onions and fries are cooking, it takes a couple minutes to whip together the In-N-Out Sauce.

Ingredients

Fries

• Potatoes - Yukon and russet potatoes have pleasant flavor. When fried, both get crispy on the outside while maintaining a fluffy interior.
• Frying oil - Canola, peanut, and vegetable oil are great for frying potatoes because they all have a high smoke point.
• Kosher salt or sea salt - Salt accentuates the other ingredients.
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper - Pepper adds a little spice.
• American Cheese - American cheese is light and creamy. Its mild flavor blends well with the rich onions and In-N-Out sauce.

Caramelized Onions

• Onion - Onion is an aromatic that tastes delicious when browned in butter.
• Butter - Butter is a tasty fat for cooking the onions.
• Water - Water rehydrates the onions while cooking to keep them from drying out.

In N Out Special Sauce

• Mayonnaise - Mayo is the base for the In-N-Out sauce. We prefer kewpie mayo because it has a rich umami flavor and extra creamy consistency.
• Ketchup - Ketchup adds a sweet and slightly vinegary taste to the sauce.
• Sweet pickle relish - Pickle relish adds pickled flavoring and tartness to the sauce.
• White vinegar - Vinegar provides tanginess and acidity.
• Sugar - Sugar adds a light sweetness to the sauce.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Caremlized Onions

• Caramelize onions - Place a medium skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter. Add chopped onions and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes, until the onions are caramelized and browned. 
• Add water, stir, repeat - Add about a tablespoon of water every few minutes and give the onions a stir. This rehydrates the onions and deglazes the pan, incorporating all of the browned flavorful bits that get stuck on the pan. Repeat this until the onions are deep brown and caramelized.

Fries

• As the onions cook, make the fries. Use store-bought fries and follow the instructions on the packaging or make our homemade fries.
• Chill potatoes - Place the cut potato in a large bowl and fill with cold water. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes and as long as overnight. When ready to fry, drain the water completely and place the sliced potatoes on a clean kitchen towel or on paper towels to dry right before frying.
• Heat oil for frying - Add about 3 inches of oil to a large pot or dutch oven and heat the oil to 300˚F. If you don’t have a thermometer, take the end of a wooden spoon and dip it in the oil. If the oil starts to bubble against the spoon, it’s ready for frying.
• First fry - Add a third of the potatoes to the oil and cook for 5 minutes, until the potatoes turn light golden brown. Remove from the oil, carefully shake the excess oil into the pot, and place the fries on a rack. Return the oil back to 300˚F between each batch to ensure the fries cook evenly.
• Second fry - Once all of the fries have cooked once, increase the heat of the oil to 400˚F. Repeat the process and add a third of the fries to the oil and fry until they become deep golden brown.
• Season fries - Remove the fries from the oil, shake off the excess oil, and place in a mixing boil. Season with salt and pepper. Gently toss and set aside.

In N Out Sauce

• As the fries cook, make the secret sauce.
• Whisk ingredients - Add mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, white vinegar, and sugar to a bowl and whisk until combined.

Assembly

• Broil fries and cheese & assemble - Preheat oven to broil on high. Place cooked french fries on a foil-line baking sheet and place cheese evenly on top. Broil for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and top with grilled onions and secret sauce. Enjoy with a fork immediately.

Hint: You can use store-bought frozen fries instead of frying them yourself. While we prefer the taste of our fries, using store-bought fries will save you time and effort so you can focus on the grilled onions and secret sauce.

What to Serve with Animal Style Fries

These animal fries are a unique side that can be enjoyed on its own or paired with a main course. Check out these dishes that pair deliciously with in n out fries:

• Wagyu Beef Cheeseburger
• Pesto Swiss And Turkey Skillet Sliders
• BBQ Baked Chicken Thighs (Baked in Oven)

FAQ

Substitutions

• Cheese - Melt sliced cheddar or muenster if you prefer the taste to American.
• White American - Use White American cheese if you want a tangier and sharper cheese.
• Frozen Fries - In order to make these fries with frozen fries, just follow the instructions on the packaging, then add the cheese, onions, and In N Out Sauce.

Variations

• Spicy -  Add paprika, cajun seasoning, or chili powder to add spice.
• Vegan - In order to make this recipe vegan, omit the American cheese.
• Parmesan truffle fries - Check out our Parmesan Truffle Fries if you want to make rich and uniquely flavored fries.

Equipment

These easy cheese fries call for a few kitchen essentials that can be used for countless other recipes. For the fries and onions, you will need a tongs, knife, cutting board, dutch oven, oil thermometer, baking sheet, mixing bowl, non stick pan or standard skillet, and a wooden spoon. For the In-N-Out Thousand Island Sauce, you will also need measuring spoons, and a spoon or chopsticks to mix.

Storage

Store these homemade French fries, onions, and secret sauce in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. In order to reheat the fries, heat the oven to 300°F and reheat for 5-10 minutes, or until crispy (add the cheese for the last few minutes). Reheat the onions in a pan over low heat. These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

Food safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.