These In-N-Out Animal Fries taste just like the secret menu version topped with cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and special sauce!
These fries are the ultimate indulgence, combining crispy golden fries with melty cheese and mouth-watering toppings. This recipe is surprisingly easy to make and guaranteed to satisfy your cravings.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Secret menu copycat: They taste just like the kind from In-N-Out!
- Yummy sauce: You're going to want to put the In-N-Out special sauce on everything. Trust me.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Frozen fries – you can use crinkle-cut, curly, waffle or even sweet potato fries.
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like avocado oil.
- Onions – white, yellow or red onion would all work.
- Cheddar cheese – use pepper jack or American cheese slices instead.
Special Sauce
- Mayo – use light mayo to cut down on calories.
- Ketchup – you can try BBQ sauce, but the taste will be different.
- Relish – chopped dill pickles would also be good.
- Dried minced onion – use onion powder in a pinch.
- Vinegar – white vinegar is best or you can leave this out altogether.
- Cayenne pepper – paprika will also give the sauce some kick.
How to make animal style fries
Step 1: Cook the fries.
Cook according to the package instructions.
Step 2: Caramelize the onions.
Fry the onions until they caramelize. Mix the sauce ingredients together.
Step 3: Melt the cheese.
Add the cheese during the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
Step 4: Assemble and serve.
Top the fries with the sauce and onions, and serve.
Recipe tips & tricks
Here are some of my top tricks for making these loaded fries:
- Swap the cheese: I like shredded cheddar or pepper jack, but In ‘N Out uses American cheese slices.
- Make homemade fries: Frozen fries are easier, but homemade fries would be good too.
- Go slow: Take your time caramelizing the onions so they don't burn. The slower, the better!
- Re-use the secret sauce: It's a great dipping sauce for tater tots, sweet potato fries or burgers.
Frequently asked questions
Are these fries a secret menu item?
Animal-style fries are now part of In-N-Out's Not So Secret menu. They used to be a completely secret menu item, though!
What other sauces can I use?
The special sauce is what really makes these fries shine, but if you want, you could also top them with Chik Fil A sauce, Big Mac sauce or Shake Shack sauce.
Can I add meat?
This recipe is vegetarian, but if you want to add some protein, they'd be great with crumbled bacon, leftover chicken or ground beef.
What to serve with this dish
When it comes to these fries, you can't go wrong with the classic burger and fries combo. Here are some options to try:
Storing and reheating
Storing: Store the cheese fries without the sauce in the fridge for 3 days. The sauce can be stored separately for up to a week.
Reheating: Pop the cheese fries in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350°F. Top with the sauce and dig in!
Freezing: Since this recipe uses frozen fries, it's not a good idea to re-freeze them.
More loaded fries recipes
Meal prep tools
- Store leftover fries in glass meal prep bowls.
- Save time and use this pre-made special sauce – it's very similar to the real thing!
In-N-Out Animal Style Fries {Copycat}
Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen fries
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, diced
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Special sauce
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp relish
- 1 tbsp dried minced onion
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1 dash cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F. Add frozen fries to a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake according to package instructions (usually 10-12 minutes per side).
- Meanwhile, dice onions and fry in a pan with olive oil for 20 minutes until onions slightly caramelize. Then, grate cheese and mix sauce ingredients together.
- Remove fries from the oven about 5 minutes before the end of cook time, and add cheese. Bake remaining 5 minutes until fully melted.
- Remove from oven and top with caramelized onions and special sauce. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Comments & Reviews
RedWouldForrest says
Hi Taylor! Love your recipes, and you are fantastic! Keep up the exceptional work.
Question: Which type of vinegar would most closely replicate In-N-Out’s special sauce?
(And as a side note: In-N-Out does exactly ONE thing wrong – they single-cook their fries. Due to this fact, I believe yours are even better than theirs, since your recipe calls for premade, frozen fries which inevitably turn out with a better texture & density than In-N-Out’s… And a tip for you: when using any oil to cook potatoes, try Peanut or a Peanut/Canola combo – the flavor is unbelievable!)
Taylor Stinson says
Hi there, thank you for the kind words 🙂 I just use regular white vinegar, any brand like Heinz would work. Hope that helps!