Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (2024)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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:

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (10)

Review

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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

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More Easy Potato Recipes:

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

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About the Author

Easy Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe (19)

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? ›

Do I need to boil my potatoes first? Trust us: You seriously don't need to boil these spuds (or pre-cook them at all) before pan-frying. Slicing them thin allows them to cook through in the same amount of time that they need to get brown and crispy on the outside.

Can you saute potatoes without boiling them first? ›

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 potatoes be soaked before pan frying? ›

You can leave the skin on for a rustic look, but in this recipe, we peel them to get a more golden-brown color! Soak the Potatoes! Secret number one in perfecting homemade french fries: soaking the potatoes removes the starch and allows the fries to become crispy and evenly brown. You don't want to skip this step!

How do you pan fry potatoes so they don't stick? ›

  1. Clean and season the pan. It helps if you have a pan with thick bottom for even heat distribution and heat buffer.
  2. Heat the pan to fairly high temperature before adding new oil.
  3. Use decent amount of oil. ...
  4. Don't disturb the potatoes right after dumping them in the pan.
Jun 28, 2016

What happens if you don't soak potatoes before frying? ›

The main reasons to cut the potatoes and pre-soak in water are: To allow the excess starches and sugars to be removed from the outer surface of the fry strips AND to keep the potatoes from browning prematurely from exposure to air. Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color.

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.

What oil to fry potatoes? ›

Long accepted as a standard deep frying oil because of its neutrality, high smoke point, and ready availability (on the bottom oil shelf of most grocery stores), peanut oil is the choice of home fryers as well as chains such as Five Guys Burgers and Fries.

What are the two methods of sauteing or pan frying potatoes? ›

You can either use the tossing method and still-frying method. Tossing method is used to cook relatively small pieces of potatoes in a small amount of fat, and cooked by tossing the potato to brown the sides evenly. Still-frying method is used to make a disc-shaped potato product.

Why do you rinse potatoes before frying? ›

By rinsing off the excess starch, you can achieve a better balance and control over the browning process, resulting in evenly cooked and beautifully golden fries. Another advantage of rinsing the potatoes is that the cold water makes the potato cells firmer, leading to crispier fries when fried.

Why are my pan fried potatoes soggy? ›

Pouring cool or room temp oil over the potatoes is a sure fire way to end up with soggy spuds.

Why do my potatoes stick to the pan when frying? ›

Cooking with fat not only provides a ton of flavor, but it also acts as a lubricant and helps your food release from the pan instead of simply burning onto it. If your food sticks, there is a chance that you simply didn't use enough oil.

Why do my potatoes fall apart when frying? ›

"If potatoes are produced during a very dry growing season, they will tend to have a higher than normal solid content and less moisture. When these are cooked, they absorb more water than usual and, as a result, fall apart at the end of cooking."

How long should you cook potatoes for? ›

In general small or cubed potatoes will take about 10 to 15 minutes to boil, while larger, whole potatoes will take between 20 to 25 minutes. To check potatoes for doneness, insert a knife into one. If it slides in without much effort, you're good to go!

Can you fry raw potatoes without boiling? ›

Learn more about all the different types of potatoes. We'll say it again because we know it's hard to believe but you seriously don't need to boil these spuds. Slicing them thin will allow them to cook through in the same amount of time that they need to get brown and crispy on the outside.

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 do restaurants soak potatoes before frying? ›

The reason is to prevent the potatoes exposure to air, which causes dehydration, oxidation, and discoloration.

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