Steak frites
This steak frites recipe pan-sears ribeye steaks in butter, fries the potatoes twice until shatteringly crisp, and finishes everything with garlic, shallot and parsley butter. One serving is about 400 g — a 200 g steak with a generous pile of frites. It is the dish every Paris bistro is judged by: simple, fast and unforgiving of shortcuts.
Steak frites is the dish the Paris bistro was built around: a pan-fried steak, usually entrecôte, served with a pile of thin, crisp frites and nothing to hide behind. The frites are cooked the Belgian way, fried twice — once gently to cook them through, once hot to crisp them — a technique that crossed into France with the brasseries of the 19th century and never left. In Paris the plate is a test of a kitchen: the steak must be browned outside and rosy inside, the frites must be crisp enough to hear, and the butter must be garlic-sharp.
Pairs well with: A glass of red Bordeaux, Dijon mustard and a green salad
Provenance
France
Paris Bistro Classic
Nordic & European
Time Dedication
55m
20m prep • 35m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
791 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 400 g
Technical Skill
Intermediate
Intermediate (Two-Stage Frying)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Hearty Midday Main
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Paris Bistro Classic
Photo: LuvsMG481, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Medium — about $8–10 per serving at home (USD)
Real steak frites means a ripping-hot pan, a rested steak sliced against the grain, and frites fried twice — never once. Nutrition is estimated from USDA values.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Cut the Potatoes and Make the Butter
20 Mins • Cutting & Mixing
Peel the potatoes, cut them into even 1 cm batons and soak them in cold water for 20 minutes, then dry them thoroughly in a clean cloth. Mash half the soft butter with the garlic, shallot, parsley and lemon juice into a herb butter and set aside. Take the steaks out of the fridge so they lose their chill.
Maestro Tip: Soaking washes the surface starch off the potatoes — that is what stops the frites sticking together and lets them fry crisp.
10 Mins Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)
Heat the oil to 160°C (320°F) and fry the dried potato batons in batches for 5–6 minutes until pale, soft and bendable but not coloured. Lift out and drain on a rack.
The first fry cooks them through; colour comes later, in the second fry.
Done when: Pale, limp and cooked through — they bend without breaking.
8 Mins High heat, about 200°C (400°F)
Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper. Melt half the butter in a heavy pan until it foams, lay the steaks in away from you, and sear 3–4 minutes a side for medium. Baste with the foaming butter in the last minute. Cook to 63°C (145°F) at the centre for medium, then rest for 5 minutes.
Do not move the steak once it is down — leaving it alone is what builds the brown crust.
Done when: Deep brown crust outside; 63°C (145°F) at the centre for medium.
5 Mins High heat, about 190°C (375°F)
While the steak rests, raise the oil to 190°C (375°F) and fry the potatoes again in batches for 2–3 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain on the rack and salt at once while they are hot.
Salt frites the second they leave the oil — salt will not stick to cold frites.
Done when: Deep golden, crisp enough to hear, fluffy inside.
5 Mins No heat — resting
Slice the rested steak against the grain into thick strips. Pile the hot frites beside the steak, spoon the garlic-herb butter over the steak so it melts into every cut, and serve at once with Dijon on the side.
Resting lets the juices settle; cutting a steak straight from the pan floods the board.
Done when: Rosy slices, glistening butter, and frites still crackling.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Slice the rested steak against the grain, fan it beside a tall pile of hot frites, and spoon the garlic-herb butter over the top so it melts into every cut. Serve at once with Dijon on the side.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
791
kcal / serving
Protein
46g
Complete AA
Carbs
43g
Complex
Fats
48g
Healthy
| Energy | 791 kcal |
| Protein | 46 g |
| Carbohydrates | 43 g |
| Fat | 48 g |
| Fibre | 5.6 g |
| Sugar | 2.9 g |
| Sodium | 610 mg |
| Energy | 198 kcal |
| Protein | 11.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10.8 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fibre | 1.4 g |
| Sugar | 0.7 g |
| Sodium | 153 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin B12, niacin and zinc (beef), vitamin C and potassium (potatoes), vitamin K (parsley), iron (beef). Nutrition is estimated.
Serious Protein
About 46.3 g of protein per serving — roughly 23% of the plate's energy — from the ribeye, which also brings iron, zinc and vitamin B12.
Real Potatoes, Real Potassium
The frites are just potatoes, oil and salt — no coating, no additives — and potatoes bring potassium and vitamin C to the plate.
No Sauce from a Jar
The garlic-herb butter is made in a minute from butter, garlic, shallot and parsley — flavour from real ingredients, not a packet.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Drinks
Red Bordeaux
A medium-bodied red wine stands up to the ribeye's fat and the garlic butter without overpowering the frites.
Vegetables
Green Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
A sharp, mustardy salad cuts the richness of the butter and the fried potatoes and keeps the plate balanced.
Sides
Dijon Mustard
A dab of Dijon on the side is the bistro way — its sharpness lifts every bite of steak and every frite.
Full Menus
Roasted Tomatoes
Slow-roasted tomatoes add sweetness and acidity that the rich, salty plate needs.
Complete menu
Serve the steak frites with a green salad and roasted tomatoes, and finish with a simple fruit dessert and coffee.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Go Easy on a Second Helping of Frites
The frites carry most of the plate's fat and salt, so a second pile quickly doubles both. One generous pile is the dish. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Do Not Pair with a Creamy Starter
A cream soup or cheesy starter on top of steak, butter and fried potatoes makes the meal very heavy; start with a light salad instead. This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
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