Pan Fried Potatoes (crispy & golden)

April 13, 2025

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These are the greatest Pan Fried Potatoes. These are golden brown, crispy on the skin, comfortable on the within, and begging to be served with eggs or Southern Fried Pork Chops. Made with easy components you in all probability have already got readily available, these pan fried potatoes are a go-to straightforward aspect dish that pairs with absolutely anything. No fluff, no fussy steps—simply crispy potatoes with the correct amount of seasoning and buttery taste.

A skillet with crispy, golden-brown diced potatoes on a white surface, surrounded by whole potatoes and a green cloth.

Elements Wanted for Pan Fried Potatoes

Simply potatoes and some pantry staples are wanted to get that good crispy texture:

Russet potatoes – These are the greatest potatoes for pan frying due to their excessive starch content material and fluffy insides. Yukon gold or purple potatoes additionally work if that’s what you’ve gotten.
Salted butter – Provides a wealthy taste that performs completely with the crisped edges.
Olive oil – Combines with butter to assist the potatoes fry evenly. You desire a excessive smoke level oil, so canola oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil work properly too.
Salt and black pepper – Begin mild; you possibly can at all times add extra later.
Onion powder or garlic powder – Both one boosts the taste of the potatoes with out overpowering.

Fried Potato Variations

Moreover the butter for taste I hold issues easy and simply use salt, pepper and onion powder for this recipe. Nevertheless, that doesn’t imply you possibly can’t use different components to taste these pan fried potatoes. Make sure you add spices close to the tip of cooking so that they don’t burn. Or in case you are utilizing heartier herbs or spices, add them close to the start. Listed below are a few concepts to get you began:

Use Yukon gold, purple potatoes, and even candy potatoes for various textures and flavors.
Toss in caramelized onions, scallions, bell peppers, or leftover bacon grease for an additional punch.
Sprinkle in cajun seasoning, taco seasoning, Italian seasoning, chili powder, and even parmesan cheese simply earlier than serving.
Add chopped contemporary herbs like parsley, rosemary or thyme after cooking for a pop of coloration and freshness.
Throw in leftover meat (like diced ham or sausage) to show it right into a hearty skillet meal.

Olive Oil vs Butter

My pals, it’s not olive oil VERSUS butter, it’s olive oil AND butter. The mixture of those two ensures crispy flavorful potatoes. The oil has a better smoke level than the butter, so that can aid you hold your pan at a better temperature with out burning the butter. And, I do know quite a lot of recipes name for unsalted butter (particularly in baking) however I’m going fully in opposition to the grain and at all times use salted.

Tips on how to Fry Potatoes in Oil

For full recipe particulars, together with ingredient measurements, see the printable recipe card on the backside of this put up. Listed below are my straightforward step-by-step instructions:

1. Prep the Potatoes

Peel potatoes, then rinse and evenly dry in a clear kitchen towel or paper towel.

A bowl containing several whole potatoes is placed on a wooden surface, with a light-colored cloth in the background.

Professional Tip: Peeling your potatoes is certainly an elective step. For the prettiest wanting pan fried potatoes, I’d take the additional time to peel them, nevertheless, if the pores and skin doesn’t hassle you, be at liberty to clean the potatoes properly, then use as is.

Subsequent, slice every potato into small 1/2 inch cubes. I’d stray away from wedges, nevertheless in the event you’re trying to prepare dinner larger items of potatoes I’d suggest utilizing my Roasted Potatoes recipe for extra success.

Person slicing a peeled potato on a wooden cutting board with a knife.

As for slices, you possibly can completely slice these into 1/3-inch rounds, however remember they may take longer to prepare dinner by! I extremely suggest slicing them right into a 1/2 inch small cube as a result of it means extra floor space to get golden and crispy, plus a faster general prepare dinner time.

2. Prepare dinner Potatoes in Olive Oil and Butter

Warmth a big nonstick skillet over medium-high warmth. Add in butter and olive oil and stir collectively to soften and sizzle. Add in potatoes and stir to coat every potato within the butter-oil combination. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper and onion powder and stir once more.

Two pieces of butter melting in a black skillet, surrounded by whole potatoes.

Diced potatoes in a skillet with seasonings on top, next to a pepper grinder and whole potatoes on a wooden board.

Professional Tip: It’s actually actually exhausting to burn issues in a nonstick skillet, so you’ll want to both use a nonstick skillet OR watch your potatoes intensely! I like utilizing a big cast-iron skillet to get these potatoes good and brown.

3. Hold Cooking Till Golden and Crisp

Cut back warmth to medium and let potatoes prepare dinner for five minutes earlier than stirring and flipping. Prepare dinner one other 5 minutes, then flip once more.

Diced potatoes being fried in a black skillet with a wooden spatula.

Proceed the cook-5-minutes-then-flip sample for half-hour or till potatoes are brown and crispy on the skin and tender on the within. Style and alter the salt as crucial. Serve sizzling.

Predominant Dishes to Serve with Pan Fried Potatoes

These may very well be hash brown hybrid breakfast potato, brunch merchandise, or a stunning aspect dish to serve with dinner. I’d eat these for lunch too. I’m not choosy. Listed below are some fundamental dishes to check out with these fried potatoes:

Storage + Make Forward Instructions

Retailer cooled potatoes in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Reheat on the range or within the oven for that crispy texture.

Are you able to freeze pan fried potatoes?
You can, however they lose a few of that crispy magic. Freeze in an hermetic container, and reheat in a sizzling pan or oven for greatest outcomes.

Are you able to make them forward of time?
Sure. Prepare dinner totally, then cool and refrigerate in an hermetic container. Reheat in a sizzling skillet to crisp them up once more.

Love Potatoes? Strive These Reader Favorites

These pan fried potatoes are the sort of unimaginable aspect dish that by no means disappoints. Whether or not you’re serving them as breakfast potatoes, cottage fries, or subsequent to a juicy steak, they’re at all times the smartest thing on the plate. The printable recipe card is down beneath. Have a fantastic day, pals!!

If you happen to make this recipe, I’d actually recognize it in the event you would give it a star score and go away your evaluate within the feedback! When you’ve got an image of your completed dish, put up it on Instagram utilizing the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.