One of life's pleasures, at least for me, is flopping onto the sofa after a long day, putting on some trashy TV, and smashing a plate of carbs with a cold beer. My cravings always lean towards something hot, crunchy, and salty on the side. These togarashi fries are my Japanese take on cajun fries, and they're oven baked, a little spicy, and not quite as calorific as their takeout cousins. Tossed with shichimi togarashi, they bring heat, sesame, and umami that make them completely addictive.
Why you'll love Togarashi Fries
- No deep fryer needed. These oven fries still come out crunchy and golden.
- Ready in about 30 minutes so they're perfect for a weeknight craving.
- Easy to customise. Try them with different dips or swap in Japanese seasonings like furikake.
- They go with almost anything, from burgers to rice dishes to noodles, or just as a snack with a cold beer on the sofa.
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Ingredients
Serves 2 | Prep time 5 minutes | Cooking time 20 minutes
This is an overview with extra tips and guidance. See the printable recipe card for quantities and step by step instructions.
- Maris Piper potatoes - a great all-rounder for oven fries. They crisp up beautifully while staying fluffy inside. Organic baking potatoes also work well if you want larger, easy-to-cut fries.
- Olive oil - helps the fries roast evenly. You can use sunflower or another neutral oil if you prefer.
- Salt - sea salt gives the best flavour, so season generously. No one wants a bland fry.
- Shichimi togarashi - a Japanese seven spice blend made from chili, citrus peel, sesame, nori, and other aromatics. It has gentle heat and a bright, complex flavour. If you like more spice, add a pinch of chili powder to the mix. You can usually find it in Japanese or Asian grocery stores, and many supermarkets now carry it in the spice aisle.
Instructions
Making togarashi fries at home is simple, but there are a few tricks to getting them perfectly crunchy and full of flavour. Here I'll walk you through each step with photos and tips so your fries come out golden on the outside, fluffy in the middle, and seasoned beautifully with shichimi togarashi.
Preheat the oven and prep the potatoes
Set your oven to 200°C (fan) or 220°C (conventional). Peel your potatoes and give them a good rinse to remove any dirt or surface starch. This helps them crisp up nicely in the oven.
Slice the potatoes evenly
Cut the potatoes into strips about 1.5-2 cm thick. Try to keep them roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate. Thinner fries will go crisper, while thicker fries stay fluffier in the middle.
Tip: Slicing really matters. Choose the thickness you want, then keep one fry in front of you as a guide so the rest match. Consistent size means they'll cook evenly, giving you fries that are golden and crisp all the way through instead of some ending up overcooked while others are still underdone.
Coat with oil
Toss the sliced potatoes with olive oil in a large baking tray. Make sure each fry is lightly coated so they roast evenly. Don't overcrowd the tray. If the fries overlap, they trap steam and turn soft instead of crisping up.
Roast until golden
Bake the fries for about 15 minutes, then take them out and give the tray a gentle shake or flip the fries with a spatula. This helps them brown evenly. Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes until they're crisp and golden brown.
Tip: If your oven has hot spots, swap the tray from top to bottom halfway through for even cooking.
Season while hot
As soon as the fries come out of the oven, transfer them to a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and shichimi togarashi, then toss gently to coat. Seasoning while they're hot helps the spices stick better.
Serve straight away
Togarashi fries are at their best fresh from the oven. Tumble them onto a serving plate and enjoy immediately. They make the perfect side or late-night snack with your favourite dip and a cold drink.
What to Serve with Togarashi Fries
These spicy oven fries are versatile and go with all sorts of dishes and drinks. Here are some of our favorite pairings:
Dips
- Vegan kewpie mayo
- Tonkatsu sauce
- Wasabi mayo
- Tonkatsu mayo
- Or keep it classic with tomato ketchup, mustard, or miso mayo.
Burgers
Sushi night
- Serve them alongside a platter from our favourite vegan sushi recipes for a fun mix of textures and flavours.
Drinks
- Pair with a crisp lager. See our guide to the best Japanese beers
- Or shake up a refreshing yuzu cocktail
What can you use instead of shichimi togarashi?
Shichimi togarashi, the Japanese seven spice blend that makes these fries special, usually contains sesame seeds. If you need a sesame-free option, swap it for ichimi togarashi, a simple chili powder made from red pepper (ichimi literally means "one spice").
You can also try a few other seasonings if you want to mix things up:
- Furikake for a nutty, seaweed-rich edge.
- Smoked paprika for gentle heat and a smoky kick.
- Garlic powder for a savoury boost that works brilliantly on fries.
All of these will keep your togarashi fries crunchy and moreish while letting you play around with different tastes.
How do you store togarashi fries?
Togarashi fries are always best eaten fresh, straight from the oven when they are at their crispiest. If you have leftovers, you can keep them for later:
- Store cooled fries in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat in the oven or air fryer until hot and crunchy again.
- Avoid microwaving, as it will make the fries soft and soggy.
Because these are oven fries, they lose their crunch quickly, so the sooner you eat them the better.
FAQ
Shichimi togarashi, also known as Japanese seven spice, is a blend of red chili pepper, sansho pepper, roasted sesame seeds, dried citrus peel, nori (seaweed), ginger, and either hemp or poppy seeds. The mix gives a balance of heat, brightness, nuttiness, and umami that makes these fries so addictive.
Shichimi togarashi has a gentle heat rather than an intense burn. You'll notice a warm chili kick balanced with citrus and sesame. If you prefer extra spice, you can always add more chili powder to your fries when seasoning.
Yes. Traditional shichimi togarashi contains sesame seeds, but you can swap it for ichimi togarashi, which is made from just red chili pepper. You'll lose a bit of nuttiness but keep the heat, making it a good sesame-free alternative.
If you don't have shichimi togarashi on hand, you can try furikake for a seaweed-rich umami flavour, smoked paprika for a subtle kick, or garlic powder for a savoury boost. All of these seasonings work well on fries while giving a slightly different spin.
Togarashi fries pair beautifully with Japanese-inspired mains. Try them with our tofu katsu burger, or as part of a sushi night spread with our favourite vegan sushi recipes. For drinks, they're especially good with a crisp lager, see our guide to the best Japanese beers.
Other popular recipes
- Yuzu Ramen (Japanese Citrus Noodle Soup Recipe)
- Mabo Nasu (Mapo Eggplant 麻婆茄子)
- Our Favourite Vegan Udon Noodle Recipes
- Vegan Yaki Udon - Easy 25-Minute Stir-Fried Noodles
📖 Recipe
Togarashi Fries (Japanese Shichimi Spice Fries)
Ingredients
- 3 medium Maris Piper potatoes (about 600g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or another neutral oil)
- 1 teaspoon shichimi togarashi
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan) or 220°C (conventional).
- Peel the potatoes and wash off any dirt, then slice into even fries about 1.5-2 cm thick (around ½-¾ inch).
- Toss the fries with olive oil in a baking tray, spreading them out in a single layer.
- Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the fries for even cooking.
- Roast for another 5-7 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with salt and shichimi togarashi, then toss well to coat.
- Serve hot with your favourite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Serve with dips like vegan kewpie mayo, tonkatsu sauce, wasabi mayo, or tonkatsu mayo.
- Pair with mains such as our tofu katsu burger or enjoy alongside our favourite vegan sushi recipes. For drinks, see our guide to the best Japanese beers.
- For best results, slice the fries evenly and season while hot so the shichimi togarashi sticks well.
- If you need a sesame-free option, use ichimi togarashi (red chili powder).
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