When it comes to Californians, there are a few things we can agree on…especially when it comes to food. And one of those things is In-N-Out animal-style fries. The In-N-Out burger with extra slices of cheese and a chocolate vanilla shake is amazing, but if you have not had the good fortune of eating this secret menu item, preferably at a time past midnight, you truly are missing out on life. 

I don’t quite know what they do to them, but they are like magic! For a fast food restaurant, they know how to make all menu items mouth-watering – The In-N-Out’s secret menu is something else.

Although they have a large variety of items, the In-n-out animal-style burger and fries are two of the most popular items on the limited menu. So In-n-out fans, next time you visit, all you have to do is ask for your burger animal-style.

You’ll receive a burger, but it’s not your typical burger: to begin with, the burger patties have mustard fried into each patty, plus a bunch of extra pickles, grilled onions, and extra In-n-out sauce (secret sauce), and course, the burger patty has a delicious bread bun on each side.

Another one of my favorite secret items is the Flying Dutchman: instead of using bread buns, it uses two meat patties around two slices of melted cheese. That’s it. Naturally, you can ask for lettuce, pickles, onions, or whatever you want to make it completely unique, but this item on its own is already so tasty.

When it comes to the In-n-out animal-style fries, you’ll get fries with slices of American cheese, extra spread, and grilled onions on top of the fries. It’s a great option for those days when regular fries simply aren’t enough to satisfy your hunger. You want to make sure to mix them before eating and have a lot of paper towels at hand!

Yes, I have eaten quite a few baskets of these animal-style fries in my day; extra napkins are required! They are like a deconstructed burger bowl with French fries at the base covered in cheese and so much sauce because you all know how I feel about burgers. And now I am just making myself hungry.

I came home last week from a trip to California with things like In-N-Out burgers and fish tacos on my mind, only to be surprised with a package full of goodies from Sir Kensington’s, a fabulous condiment company! (This post is not affiliated with them, I only speak of companies I quite adore!) Yes, people who send me packages of tasty treats and photography props are the best sorts of people!

Well, I had nothing in the house and was buried in searching through every single food photograph I have taken over the past 2 years for my new food photography ebook, Scrumptious & Styled! Go check it out, you will love it!!

I wanted to recreate these fast food favorites but transform them into the healthiest choice I could make… but then, of course, I decided to top mine with bacon because, yes, that had to happen! I used Hannah’s sweet potatoes, which are white, and a slightly more first sweet potato, so they crisp up very nicely.

Anyways, I was literally quite drooling at my screen this past week because endlessly looking at photographs of food can do that to a person, so I created these comfort food, finger licking’ good (oh, and they are healthy too, what what) In-N-Out style animal fries. 

They are like homemade French fries taken to the next level. Oh, and they are made with sweet potatoes (winning!), grass-fed ground beef, real cheese, and real condiments. No preservatives are needed here because, let’s be honest, these will be gone instantly. If you are strictly Paleo or dairy free, just omit the cheese, and they will be just as tasty!

So, if you are craving some amazing fries but don’t want to drive to your local In-n-out restaurant, you can follow this simple copycat recipe in your own kitchen instead. I promise they are as good as the real thing, just a little bit healthier!

Healthy In-N-Out Style Animal Fries

Ingredients

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes (I used the Hannah variety)
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp sea salt, divided
• 8 oz bacon
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 8 oz raw sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Sir Kensington’s Special Sauce

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Thinly slice the sweet potatoes into fry-like shapes.  Pile them onto one of the baking sheets, then drizzle with the olive oil and 1 tsp of sea salt.  Use your hands to toss them together, thoroughly coating all the fries.  Place half the fries on the other baking sheet and arrange them evenly so that none of the fries are touching or piled on top of each other.
• Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through or until the fries start to crisp up.
• Meanwhile, prepare your meat filling.  Warm a large skillet to medium heat and cook your bacon.  Set aside and drain all of the bacon grease, reserving only 1 tablespoon in the pan.  Crumble the bacon.  Cook the onions for 10 minutes or until they begin to soften.
• Add in the ground beef, remaining salt, and the rest of the spices.  Brown and crumble the meat and cook for about 10 minutes or until completely cooked.
• Arrange your sweet potato fries all on one baking sheet close together and pile on the meat filling and shredded cheese.  Place back in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Top with the special sauce and bacon crumbles.
• Dig in, eat, grab extra napkins and be happy.

That’s it! Your In-N-Out Animal-Style Fries are all ready to be devoured. I hope you liked this recipe as much as I did!