Easy Fried Potatoes and Onions (20 minutes)
Fried potatoes and onions – also known as home fries – is a quick and easy recipe with a couple of time-saving tricks. Crispy golden outsides, creamy insides, and a mild onion flavor in just 20 minutes.
They’re hard to beat as an easy side dish for breakfast or dinner. Simple ingredients, fuss-free and delicious.
What you can expect
We use a simpler, shorter cooking process by first microwaving the potatoes. Otherwise, you would have to either slice the potatoes thinly or use a two-step pan-frying process – first with the cover on, then with the cover off.
No deep frying: I actually hate frying so I keep the oil and frying to a minimum. In fact, the recipe uses no more oil than you would for roasting potatoes.
Less frying: Pre-cooking the potatoes in the microwave not only makes the pan fry part much quicker, but it also dries them out to ensure crispy potatoes.
Quicker than most other recipes: Most recipes for pan-fried potatoes and onions take 30-40 minutes. This one takes about 20 minutes. By using green onions, you still get the onion flavor without the need for extra frying time.
Nutrition values are not too shabby! You might be thinking that anything fried is a no-go. But pan frying is very different from deep frying. This dish has good fiber, vitamin C, and potassium. And it’s low in calories and saturated fat.
Bottom line: These fried potatoes and onions are an ideal side dish when you’re craving fried comfort food fast without a ton of oil. Delicious.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
Best potatoes to use: Yukon gold (great all-purpose potatoes), red-skinned potatoes, new potatoes, white. These waxy potatoes hold their shape best. Russet potatoes can also be used, but may fall apart more and they are not as creamy.
Oil: You will need to use an oil with a high smoke point and neutral flavor such as canola oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, or avocado oil. Here’s an article on cooking oils that explains which oils are best to use for which purposes if you’re interested.
Variations
Seasoning: Try adding garlic powder, chili powder, or smoked paprika. Or amp up the flavor with fresh herbs before serving such as chives, parsley, dill weed, coriander, thyme, rosemary, or basil. If you like heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Make a hash: Turn this potato dish into a hash by adding bacon and bell peppers. Cook the bacon and/or peppers first, scoop them onto a plate, then pan-fry the potatoes (in the bacon grease for added great flavor if you want instead of the oil). Combine everything at the end.
Step-by-step instructions
Tips
For extra flavor and great browning, use half butter and half oil. Butter burns quickly so use medium heat if using butter. The potatoes will take a little longer to fry this way.
There’s no need to peel the potatoes if you use thin-skinned potatoes as recommended.
What to serve with pan-fried potatoes and onions
It’s a versatile side dish so almost anything including breakfast dishes.
I love them with marinated grilled pork chops, sous vide burgers, crispy chicken burgers, a sous vide corned beef sandwich , and a nice steak, to name a few.
And of course, they also pair well with some of these cozy main dish comfort foods.
You can also drizzle on a topping like sour cream, sriracha aioli, basil pesto, or herb sauce. Or how about a 5-minute Better Than Bouillon gravy?
Recipes FAQs
There is no difference between home-fried potatoes and pan-fried potatoes. They are both fried in a shallow pan. Hash browns, on the other hand, are deep-fried shredded potatoes.
Two tips: make sure your raw potatoes are dry (so they don’t steam in the pan) and don’t crowd the pan. Place the potatoes in a single layer in the hot skillet. If you need to make a larger quantity either make two batches or use two skillets.
Figure a medium potato per person. About 6 ounces/173g. Just over 1 pound (450G) will serve about 3 people.
Make Ahead
- Pre-cook the potatoes in the microwave and cube them several hours or even a day ahead (store them in the fridge)
- Or, make the full potatoes recipe (without onions). Turn off the heat and let the potatoes sit on the stove until you need them. Just before serving, rewarm the potatoes in the skillet and add green onions at the last minute.
Unique potato recipes
Potatoes are delicious side dishes for most of us. Change it up with one of these slightly off-the-beaten-path potato recipes. Grilled, stove top, oven, boiled – take your pick.
- vegetarian sweet potato hash – also made in a skillet (and very popular)
- herb potato salad – no mayo; baby potatoes bathed in a vinaigrette with fresh herbs
- grilled veggies and potatoes – this one is made in a grill basket on the BBQ
- mashed potato pancakes (latkes) – an amazing way to use leftover mashed potatoes
- crispy smashed fingerling potatoes with gremolata – crave-worthy
- easy potato knishes – a classic Jewish side made with flaky store-bought puff pastry
- hasselback sweet potatoes (15 min) – with 4 drizzle toppings to choose from
- BBQ sweet potatoes and apples – great combo
- Indian potatoes – flavor bomb
- root vegetable mash – this recipe adds other root veggies to potatoes before mashing
- crispy oven-roasted potatoes – ok, this one isn’t unique but it’s really good!
- homemade poutine (a Canadian classic) – fries, gravy, and melty cheese curds
- instant pot potatoes and carrots – herby, oniony, garlicky soft, and tender
- parsley potatoes with zest – bright, herby, zesty, buttery flavors.
If you like this recipe, please leave a 5 star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟in the recipe card below. And if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments. Thanks very much!
If you like this recipe, please leave a 5 star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟in the recipe card below. And if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments. Thanks very much!
Easy Fried Potatoes and Onions (20 Minutes)
Equipment
- cast iron skillet (or large non stick skillet); microwave
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) potatoes, Note 1 3-4 potatoes
- 3 tablespoon oil, Note 2 neutral olive oil or vegetable oil with a higher smoke point (you can also use half butter, half oil)
- 1/2 cup (52g) chopped green onions 4-5 green onions
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or kosher salt (or more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
Instructions
- PREPARE AND PRE-COOK POTATOES: Pierce each potato once or twice with a sharp knife. Cook in microwave on High for 6-8 minutes until tender and a knife can easily slide into potato. If potatoes are large, this might take an extra few minutes. Transfer to cutting board and cut potatoes into 1 inch (2.5cm) cubes.
- PAN FRY POTATOES: Heat oil in large skillet to medium-high heat. Add diced potatoes in a single layer to bottom of the pan and fry undisturbed for 4 minutes. Sprinkle with half of salt and pepper. Flip potatoes and fry on second side for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until golden brown with a crispy crust. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Timing is approximate and will depend on how well your pan conducts heat and how brown you like your potatoes.
- ADD ONIONS TO FINISH: Add chopped green onions. Stir for 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- What kind of potatoes to use: Yukon gold, white, red potatoes, new potatoes. Russets are also ok, but may fall apart more. If using new potatoes, place in microwave safe dish to microwave them for about 4 minutes.
- Cooking oils – here’s an article on cooking oils that explains which oils are best to use for which purposes. Use half oil, half butter for added flavor, but cook a little longer on medium heat.
- Variations:
- Seasoning: Try adding garlic powder, chili powder, or smoked paprika. Or amp up the flavor with fresh herbs before serving such as chives, parsley, dill weed, coriander, thyme, rosemary, or basil. If you like heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Make a hash by adding bacon and bell peppers. Cook the bacon and/or peppers first, scoop them onto a plate, then pan-fry the potatoes (in the bacon grease for added great flavor if you want instead of the oil). Combine everything at the end.
- Make Ahead:
- Pre-cook the potatoes in the microwave and cube them several hours or even a day ahead (store them in the fridge)
- Or, make the full recipe (without onions). Turn off the heat and let the potatoes sit on the stove until you need them. Just before serving, rewarm the potatoes in the skillet and add green onions in the last minute.
- The dish can also be rewarmed in a 400F/204C oven.
What about using sliced onion instead of green onions
Yes, no problem to use regular onions. They just don’t cook as quickly so I would dice them small.