How to Use Your Mandoline Slicer to Make French Fries, Pickles, and More
Posted by OXO Australia on 23rd Oct 2025
Learning how to use a mandoline slicer is easier than you think.
If you’ve never used a mandoline before—or don’t even know what a mandoline slicer is—this might be a sign to give one a try. Why? Because these indispensable kitchen tools will change how you go about slicing, shredding, spiralizing and even chopping—depending on which attachments you have.
Why Use a Mandoline
Think of a mandoline slicer like a stationary knife. Most have a handle, an exposed blade and a “holder” that grips an ingredient so you can safely slide over the blade. Depending on the model you choose, mandolines can either be used on a cutting board or directly over a mixing bowl, which makes post-prep clean up even easier.
Mandolines effortlessly slice vegetables in a uniform manner, ensuring that every piece is generally the same size and thickness, which means they’ll all cook in roughly the same amount of time. Paper thin slices of garlic? Beautifully cut pieces of apple for the top of a tarte? A mandoline is the kitchen slicing tool that chefs use to achieve this kind of elevated presentation.
Mandolines also reduce the time it takes to prepare a large amount of vegetables, fruits or other ingredients including cheeses. Once you get into a groove of moving the holder over the blade, it’s much faster than individually chopping or shredding each food.
How to Use a Mandoline Safely
Before starting, it’s essential to get familiar with these mandoline safety tips. First adjust the position of the blade, which controls the thickness of pieces it will produce. The closer it is to the body of the mandoline, the thinner the slices will be. Position the blade further apart from the body of the mandoline if you’d like chunkier slices or pieces. If your mandoline slicer has “feet,” extend them and brace them against a cutting board. Make sure they’re on a stable surface. If you’re using a handheld mandoline , you might want to lay it flat over a mixing bowl with a non-slip base . Next, attach a piece of the food you’ll be slicing—onions, potatoes, parmesan cheese—to the holder. Finally, begin applying gentle pressure and gliding the holder that’s gripping your ingredient over the blade until it has been sliced or julienned. Repeat this process until you can measure your desired amount in a measuring cup or on a digital scale .
Remember: Just like a chopping or paring knife or kitchen scissors , mandolines need to be handled with care. Never use them without the “holder” otherwise you risk cutting your fingers as they get close to the blade.
Slicing Techniques for Perfect Results
No matter what you’re slicing or cutting, there’s a mandoline blade and setting that will make it quicker, easier and more consistent.
French fries
If you enjoy making French fries at home, then using a V-blade mandoline is a must. Otherwise, they end up in all sorts of shapes and sizes, forever paling in comparison to their restaurant counterparts. These settings will help you make restaurant-quality fries at home:
Classic fries
Mandoline setting: Straight blade, 1/4 inch square
Cut a potato in half lengthwise, place the cut side down and push firmly with the food holder. The results will be a pile of fries that are not too thick nor too thin.
Waffle fries
Mandoline setting: Wavy blade, 0.6 cm to 1.25 cm depending on preference
Cut your potato in half widthwise and place the cut side down. Between each slice, rotate the potato and food holder 90 degrees. If thicker waffle fries are your thing, set the thickness dial one click thicker than the waffle setting. If you prefer thinner ones, set the thickness dial one click less than the waffle setting.
Shoestring fries
Mandoline setting: Straight blade, ⅛ inch square, julienne
For thin, crispy fries, cut your potatoes in half lengthwise. Then switch to the julienne setting, which creates matchstick slices of potatoes.
Crinkle Cut Pickles
Mandoline setting: Wavy blade, 3/16-inch to ¼-inch depending on preference
To make crinkle cut pickles for serving with juicy grilled burgers at home, use your mandoline’s wavy blades to cut a cucumber then pickle the slices in an airtight, glass container.
Eggplant (Parmesan)
Mandoline setting: Straight blade, 3/8mm
Slicing up a long eggplant with a knife can be challenging—who wants uneven slices of eggplant in their eggplant parmesan? Instead, use an OXO mandoline for long, even slices that won’t fall apart when you bread them.
Thick or Thin Tomatoes
Mandoline setting: Straight blade, any thickness!
Whether you’re looking for thick tomato slices for a burger or thin slices to top a salad, the Chef’s mandoline 2.0 , with its 21 thickness settings, can do it.
Good tip: Tomatoes are more delicate and take less pressure, so it’s best to stay light on the food holder. If your tomatoes are extra soft, we like to use a shimmying technique, which requires sliding the tomato across the blade, but gently wiggling it back and forth with each slice – just like how you would use a sawing motion with a knife. It will keep the tomato flesh and its juices intact.
Zoodles
Mandoline setting: Straight blade, ⅛ or 3mm-julienne
Hand-held spiralizers are a great way to make zucchini noodles for a healthy alternative to spaghetti, but did you know you can also make them with the mandoline? Cut your zucchini in half lengthwise and use the julienne cut on the mandoline for long, thin strips of zucchini that pair well with sauce and cheese.
Carrot Medallions
Mandoline setting: Straight blade, 1mm
Upgrade an ordinary salad with colour and crunch by adding thin carrot medallions to standard leafy greens. Simply, insert a carrot into your mandoline’s holder and slice until you have enough to sprinkle throughout your meal.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using a Mandoline
Once you get the hang of using a mandoline, you’ll be impressed at how thoroughly it overhauls and condenses your food prep routine. However, there are certain pitfalls to avoid as you get up to speed, such as:
Cutting too much food at once
The food you’re intending to slice needs to attach comfortably to the holder. If it’s too large or unwieldy, you’ll have trouble controlling it and achieving even slices.
Not using a stable surface
Since a mandoline is like a stationary knife, it needs to be kept in place while you’re using it. Make sure that the “feet” are in full contact with the countertop or cutting board with non-slip edges . If your handheld mandoline is laying across a bowl, ensure that it won’t slip off to one side while you’re using it.
Using too much force
While you need to press the food against the madonline’s blade with the holder in order to slice it, forcing it can crush your ingredients or cause them to get jammed in the blade.
Not paying attention
As you slice, make sure that you’re paying attention to the direction of the blade and how much food you have left in your holder. As you get close to the end, remove it from the holder and slice the last small portion with a knife.
Now that you know how a mandoline works, what will you make first? Healthy homemade veggie chips are always a great option or maybe a pizza with shaved Brussels sprouts? The delicious possibilities are endless!
Learning how to use a mandoline slicer is easier than you think.
If you’ve never used a mandoline before—or don’t even know what a mandoline slicer is—this might be a sign to give one a try. Why? Because these indispensable kitchen tools will change how you go about slicing, shredding, spiralizing and even chopping—depending on which attachments you have.
Why Use a Mandoline
Think of a mandoline slicer like a stationary knife. Most have a handle, an exposed blade and a “holder” that grips an ingredient so you can safely slide over the blade. Depending on the model you choose, mandolines can either be used on a cutting board or directly over a mixing bowl, which makes post-prep clean up even easier.
Mandolines effortlessly slice vegetables in a uniform manner, ensuring that every piece is generally the same size and thickness, which means they’ll all cook in roughly the same amount of time. Paper thin slices of garlic? Beautifully cut pieces of apple for the top of a tarte? A mandoline is the kitchen slicing tool that chefs use to achieve this kind of elevated presentation.
Mandolines also reduce the time it takes to prepare a large amount of vegetables, fruits or other ingredients including cheeses. Once you get into a groove of moving the holder over the blade, it’s much faster than individually chopping or shredding each food.
How to Use a Mandoline Safely
Before starting, it’s essential to get familiar with these mandoline safety tips. First adjust the position of the blade, which controls the thickness of pieces it will produce. The closer it is to the body of the mandoline, the thinner the slices will be. Position the blade further apart from the body of the mandoline if you’d like chunkier slices or pieces. If your mandoline slicer has “feet,” extend them and brace them against a cutting board. Make sure they’re on a stable surface. If you’re using a handheld mandoline , you might want to lay it flat over a mixing bowl with a non-slip base . Next, attach a piece of the food you’ll be slicing—onions, potatoes, parmesan cheese—to the holder. Finally, begin applying gentle pressure and gliding the holder that’s gripping your ingredient over the blade until it has been sliced or julienned. Repeat this process until you can measure your desired amount in a measuring cup or on a digital scale .
Remember: Just like a chopping or paring knife or kitchen scissors , mandolines need to be handled with care. Never use them without the “holder” otherwise you risk cutting your fingers as they get close to the blade.
Slicing Techniques for Perfect Results
No matter what you’re slicing or cutting, there’s a mandoline blade and setting that will make it quicker, easier and more consistent.
French fries
If you enjoy making French fries at home, then using a V-blade mandoline is a must. Otherwise, they end up in all sorts of shapes and sizes, forever paling in comparison to their restaurant counterparts. These settings will help you make restaurant-quality fries at home:
Classic fries
Mandoline setting: Straight blade, 1/4 inch square
Cut a potato in half lengthwise, place the cut side down and push firmly with the food holder. The results will be a pile of fries that are not too thick nor too thin.
Waffle fries
Mandoline setting: Wavy blade, 0.6 cm to 1.25 cm depending on preference
Cut your potato in half widthwise and place the cut side down. Between each slice, rotate the potato and food holder 90 degrees. If thicker waffle fries are your thing, set the thickness dial one click thicker than the waffle setting. If you prefer thinner ones, set the thickness dial one click less than the waffle setting.
Shoestring fries
Mandoline setting: Straight blade, ⅛ inch square, julienne
For thin, crispy fries, cut your potatoes in half lengthwise. Then switch to the julienne setting, which creates matchstick slices of potatoes.
Crinkle Cut Pickles
Mandoline setting: Wavy blade, 3/16-inch to ¼-inch depending on preference
To make crinkle cut pickles for serving with juicy grilled burgers at home, use your mandoline’s wavy blades to cut a cucumber then pickle the slices in an airtight, glass container.
Eggplant (Parmesan)
Mandoline setting: Straight blade, 3/8mm
Slicing up a long eggplant with a knife can be challenging—who wants uneven slices of eggplant in their eggplant parmesan? Instead, use an OXO mandoline for long, even slices that won’t fall apart when you bread them.
Thick or Thin Tomatoes
Mandoline setting: Straight blade, any thickness!
Whether you’re looking for thick tomato slices for a burger or thin slices to top a salad, the Chef’s mandoline 2.0 , with its 21 thickness settings, can do it.
Good tip: Tomatoes are more delicate and take less pressure, so it’s best to stay light on the food holder. If your tomatoes are extra soft, we like to use a shimmying technique, which requires sliding the tomato across the blade, but gently wiggling it back and forth with each slice – just like how you would use a sawing motion with a knife. It will keep the tomato flesh and its juices intact.
Zoodles
Mandoline setting: Straight blade, ⅛ or 3mm-julienne
Hand-held spiralizers are a great way to make zucchini noodles for a healthy alternative to spaghetti, but did you know you can also make them with the mandoline? Cut your zucchini in half lengthwise and use the julienne cut on the mandoline for long, thin strips of zucchini that pair well with sauce and cheese.
Carrot Medallions
Mandoline setting: Straight blade, 1mm
Upgrade an ordinary salad with colour and crunch by adding thin carrot medallions to standard leafy greens. Simply, insert a carrot into your mandoline’s holder and slice until you have enough to sprinkle throughout your meal.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using a Mandoline
Once you get the hang of using a mandoline, you’ll be impressed at how thoroughly it overhauls and condenses your food prep routine. However, there are certain pitfalls to avoid as you get up to speed, such as:
Cutting too much food at once
The food you’re intending to slice needs to attach comfortably to the holder. If it’s too large or unwieldy, you’ll have trouble controlling it and achieving even slices.
Not using a stable surface
Since a mandoline is like a stationary knife, it needs to be kept in place while you’re using it. Make sure that the “feet” are in full contact with the countertop or cutting board with non-slip edges . If your handheld mandoline is laying across a bowl, ensure that it won’t slip off to one side while you’re using it.
Using too much force
While you need to press the food against the madonline’s blade with the holder in order to slice it, forcing it can crush your ingredients or cause them to get jammed in the blade.
Not paying attention
As you slice, make sure that you’re paying attention to the direction of the blade and how much food you have left in your holder. As you get close to the end, remove it from the holder and slice the last small portion with a knife.
Now that you know how a mandoline works, what will you make first? Healthy homemade veggie chips are always a great option or maybe a pizza with shaved Brussels sprouts? The delicious possibilities are endless!