Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

This Fried Potatoes Recipe will be an instant family favorite. It will remind you of your grandma’s pan fried potatoes. Easy and delicious side dish.

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (1)

Easy Fried Potato Recipe:

We love making Fried Potato as an easy side dish. You can make them with your eggs in the morning or with brown beans for dinner. These crispy potatoes are the perfect comfort food and always a family favorite.

Fried potatoes cook with a crispy texture and fluffy in the center. The first dish to get eaten anytime I make them. Add your favorite seasoning including fresh herbs to create the ultimate side dish.

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (2)

How Long does it take to Make Pan Fried Potatoes?

It only takes about 20 minutes to have the perfect pan-fried potatoes. Including the time it takes to peel and slice your potatoes, you’re looking at about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Trust me, they’re worth it. If you use a mandolin to slice your potatoes, you can save a little bit more time.

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (3)

Do you Need to Boil Potatoes before Frying?

The short answer is no, you don’t have to boil your potatoes before you pan fry them. If you want to you most definitely can. All you need to do is simply bring a large pot of salted water to boil. You need just enough water to cover the potatoes.

Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook for roughly 20-25 minutes. Once the potatoes are fork-tender, you can fry them in a skillet for 5-10 minutes.

You can also use up those leftover potatoes in the fridge. Maybe you made too many baked potatoes, potato wedges or diced potatoes.

Instead of tossing them in the trash, pan fry them for super quick fried potatoes. They make the best breakfast potatoes with only minutes of cooking.

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (4)

How Do you Tell if Fried Potatoes are Done?

Most of the time you can tell when the potatoes are done simply by looking at them. You want them to be crispy and golden brown on the outside.

Another good test to see if they’re done is by sticking your fork into them. You want them to be fork-tender, but not to where they are falling apart.

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (5)

Ingredients for the Best Fried Potatoes Recipe:

  • Russet Potatoes (you can also use Yukon Gold)
  • Vegetable oil or Olive oil
  • Onion; chopped or sliced (optional)
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Optional spices include garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, rosemary or even seasoned salt.

How to make Fried Potatoes:

  • Step 1 – Peel Potatoes – First peel your raw potatoes. Then thinly slice them. Typically, I cut them in half long way and then slice them.
  • Step 2 – Pour oil in Skillet – Next pour the vegetable into a large skillet. You want to use an oil with a high smoke point. This is the cast iron skillet that I used, though any skillet will do.
  • Step 3 – Place Potatoes in Skillet – Add potatoes to the skillet and heat to medium in a single layer. Cook the potatoes in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Step 4 – Place lid on Skillet – Place a lid on the skillet and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until browned and they’re about halfway cooked.
  • Step 5 – Season Potatoes – Season liberally with salt and pepper. If you do not want to use sliced onions, you can use onion powder in their place. For garlic lovers, you can also add some garlic powder.
  • Step 6 – Continue Cooking – Add the onions and cook for an additional 10 minutes without the lid. Stir occasionally until potatoes are cooked through. Cooking time will vary based on how thick your potatoes are sliced.
  • Step 7 – Serve and Enjoy – You know they’re fully cooked when they become more translucent and the potatoes are golden and crispy.
Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (6)

Best Potatoes to Use:

The best type of potato to fry is Russet Potato or Yellow Gold Potatoes. You can also use red potato. We do like to soak the russet potato before frying since they have starch content.

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (7)

Do I have to Peel Potatoes?

Before frying the potatoes, we usually peel them but it is completely optional. If you prefer to not peel the potatoes just make sure to wash them before slicing.

Since you will be eating the entire potato, you want to make sure that you have removed any dirt and debris.

Ways to Serve Fried Potatoes:

There are many ways to serve fried potatoes. We have diced potatoes finely to make some hash browns. Which makes it a perfect side for your breakfast.

Fried potatoes and onions recipe is also a delicious way to make fried potatoes. Adding onions to the potatoes as flavor and texture to this side dish.

We even love to serve these Fried Potatoes with Crockpot Pinto Beans Recipe.

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (9)

How to Store:

Store your leftover fried potatoes in an air tight container. Make sure the potatoes are at room temperature before storing. They will last about 4 days if stored properly.

How to Reheat Pan Fried Potatoes:

You can reheat the potatoes in the microwave or place them back in the skillet to reheat. Reheating in the skillet allows for the crispy texture.

Print Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe:

Review

Pin Print

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (10)

Pan Fried Potatoes

5 from 54 votes

This pan fried potatoes recipe will be an instant family favorite! It will remind you of your grandma's pan fried potatoes!

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 6

Cuisine American

Course Side Dish

Calories 205

Author Carrie Barnard

Ingredients

  • 5 Medium Size Russet Potatoes peeled and sliced into 1/8" thick slices
  • 3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • ½ onion chopped (Optional)
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper

Instructions

  • Clean and peel the potatoes. Slice them into ⅛ inch thick slices.

  • Chop the onion (if you are using).

  • Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

  • Add the sliced potatoes to the skillet.

  • Cover and cook for 10-15 until the potatoes are browned slightly around the edges and cooked halfway through.

  • Season liberally with salt and pepper.

  • Gently stir in the onions.

  • Cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes stirring frequently until the potatoes are tender and browned.

  • Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

You can use ½ tsp of Onion Powder instead of the sliced onions for this recipe.

Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 205kcal, Carbohydrates 33g, Protein 4g, Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 6g, Sodium 203mg, Potassium 754mg, Fiber 3g, Sugar 1g, Vitamin C 11mg, Calcium 25mg, Iron 2mg

Pin This Now to Remember It Later

Pin Recipe

More Easy Potato Recipes:

  • Twice Baked Potatoes
  • Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes
  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
  • Microwave Baked Potatoes
  • Mashed potato cakes recipe

Try these other recipes

Quick and Easy Air Fryer

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes Air Fryer

Easy Salad

Strawberry Fluff Salad

Easy Salad

Easy Caesar Salad Recipe

Easy Salad

Salad Supreme Pasta Salad

About the Author

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (15)

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

About Carrie Page
Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it necessary to boil potatoes before frying? ›

It takes about 20 minutes for the potatoes to be tender (which is about the same amount of time it would take for the water to come up to a boil and for the potatoes to cook in it, therefore there's no need to incorporate boiling into the process).

Should you soak potatoes before pan frying? ›

First, get the starch off! Rinsing or soaking the potatoes for an hour (or, even better, overnight) will remove some of the starch from the surface and prevent the sugars from browning before the potatoes are cooked.

Is oil or butter better for frying potatoes? ›

The secret to crispy pan-fried potatoes:

It's simple: Pan-fry with cooking oil(s), not butter. As much as we love butter, it burns too quickly over high heat, which is necessary for optimal crispiness. While olive oil does taste great with potatoes, it also has a lower smoking point.

Why do you soak potatoes in water before frying? ›

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

What happens if you don t soak potatoes before making fries? ›

This step is commonly missed in making homemade fries, but it might be one of the most important! Soaking your fries in cold water helps remove excess starch, which allows for crispy, golden fries! The cold water bath also helps the french fries retain their shape and contributes to a fluffy inside.

Why won't my fried potatoes get crispy? ›

This sure sounds a lot like potatoes that have been stored too long, in too cold of an environment before cooking. When potatoes are held below 41°F for too long a period, the starches convert to sugar and it changes the cooking chemistry.

How long do potatoes need to sit in water before frying? ›

As to the question, how long immersion is necessary? Only as long as you need to hold the potatoes until needed for the fry stage(s). This could be as little as a few minutes – to overnight storage in your walk-in cooler.

Should you season potatoes before or after frying? ›

I recommend not salting the fries till they come out of the fryer and even then, waiting for an order before salting as the fries can turn limp prematurely if salted too soon. McDonald's, for years has had special salt shakers and illustrated diagrams on how to salt the fries after frying.

Which type of potato is best for frying? ›

And the clear winners are Idaho or russet potatoes.

These potatoes are dense and have less moisture, which is key to avoiding soggy fries. You can also use Yukon gold potatoes, which are an all-purpose potato that can be used for frying. You should avoid waxy potatoes like red-skinned, new, or fingerling potatoes.

Can you put cornstarch on potatoes before frying? ›

Corn Starch: Adding a thin coating of corn starch to the potato fries before frying can help create a crispier exterior. When the corn starch comes into contact with the hot oil, it forms a barrier that traps moisture within the potato while also developing a crunchy crust.

Should you boil potatoes before frying them? ›

Really no need to boil the potatoes first....that's just another pan to wash. I use an electric skillet. Melt a little butter and add a little oil. Throw in the diced potatoes, with the skin on, and as much sweet onion as you like.

Should you put salt in water when soaking potatoes? ›

Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color. Adding salt to the water to form a brine mixture may seem helpful and can impart a flavor to the potato strips, however, salt is a major contributor to the fry oil breaking down prematurely, so I don't recommend it.

How long should I soak potatoes for fries? ›

Place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow them to soak, 2 to 3 hours. (You can also stick them in the fridge and let them soak overnight.) When you're ready to make the fries, drain off the water and lay the potatoes on 2 baking sheets lined with paper towels.

How long should you parboil potatoes for? ›

A general rule of thumb is to parboil potatoes until they are fork-tender but not falling apart, this can range anywhere from 15 minutes for small potatoes to 25-30 minutes for large whole potatoes.

Why is it necessary to blanch fresh potatoes when deep frying? ›

When French‐fry strips are blanched in water or oil or a combination of the two, and allowed to set for a minimum of 30 minutes before finish frying, the advantages for blanching include: More uniform color. Reduction of fat absorption when the surface layer of starch has a chance to gelatinize. Improved texture.

Why boil before frying? ›

Most recipes call for a flavorful marinade to be applied to the chicken before frying; boiling it first rinses this marinade off. Boiling the chicken makes it extra slippery, too, so your breading mixture may have a hard time clinging to the skin on your chicken pieces.

How do you soften potatoes before frying? ›

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dong Thiel

Last Updated:

Views: 6598

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (59 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dong Thiel

Birthday: 2001-07-14

Address: 2865 Kasha Unions, West Corrinne, AK 05708-1071

Phone: +3512198379449

Job: Design Planner

Hobby: Graffiti, Foreign language learning, Gambling, Metalworking, Rowing, Sculling, Sewing

Introduction: My name is Dong Thiel, I am a brainy, happy, tasty, lively, splendid, talented, cooperative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.