By: Becky Hardin
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This simple home fries recipe makes the crispiest potatoes with just a few ingredients. I love to make this for my family on weekends or anytime they’re craving a hearty breakfast. They’re perfectly seasoned and pan-fried with onions for a savory side dish.
Table of Contents
What’s in this Home Fries Recipe?
I love that this recipe only calls for a handful of ingredients, most of which are already in our pantry. These breakfast potatoes are super simple for me to cook up anytime one of the kids gets a craving.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes work best for home fries since they have a high starch content. Russet potatoes will work too.
- Vinegar: Adding vinegar (I used distilled white vinegar) to the pot of water will help the potatoes stay intact while boiling so they don’t fall apart or get mushy.
- Fats: Use both butter and vegetable oil for pan-frying. This adds in more richness and helps everything get super crispy.
- Onion: Diced onions add flavor and texture into the mix.
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper, plus fresh thyme and cilantro are all you need to season these potatoes.
Pro Tip: I only need to boil the potatoes about 5 minutes, just until they start to get tender. I don’t like when they get too soft!
What else can I add to these home-fried potatoes?
I recommend adding in garlic (as much as you like) while cooking the onions for a more savory flavor. I also love to mix in bacon crumbles, different herbs and spices, or even make them cheesy!
- For spicier potatoes, I add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
- For cheesy home fries, I melt shredded cheese on top at the end (I recommend a sharp cheddar).
- For a final touch, I top potatoes with hot sauce, ketchup, or sour cream.
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Can I make home fries with sweet potatoes?
Yes! Sweet potatoes are quite starchy, so they work fine as a substitute. Just follow the directions as is.
Do you have to boil potatoes before frying them?
Yes, the potatoes need to be boiled briefly in order to soften them, otherwise they won’t cook through fully while frying.
How do get super crispy potatoes?
Using both butter and oil creates a really crispy texture when pan-frying these potatoes. Let the skillet, butter, and oil fully heat up before adding the potatoes. Lastly, let the potatoes cool and dry after par-boiling (don’t transfer them directly to the skillet).
How to Make Ahead and Store
These potatoes are going to be their best if served fresh. When I do want to make them ahead of time I just boil, cool, chop, and refrigerate the potatoes until it’s time to eat. Then I quickly pan-fry them and serve.
Once cooked, I let the home fries cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container. We keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How to Freeze and Reheat
Freeze these home fries in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a warm skillet with more butter to help them crisp.
Serving Suggestions
These classic diner-style home fries go well with all our favorite breakfast foods! I love to serve them with a stack of buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs, buttery toast, crispy brown sugar bacon, and plenty of iced coffee.
They also make a great side for steak and eggs, a breakfast burger, or these croissant breakfast sandwiches.
Recipe
Home Fries Recipe
4.41 from 102 votes
Author: Becky Hardin
Prep: 15 minutes minutes
Cook: 30 minutes minutes
Total: 45 minutes minutes
Serves4
Print Rate
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These home-fried potatoes are pan-fried until crispy for the most delicious side dish to pair with eggs, bacon, and pancakes.
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Ingredients
- 1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 sweet yellow onion diced
- 1-2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro parsley or chives
Instructions
Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Stir well. Set the heat to high and boil the potatoes until just tender (approximately 5 minutes after water has reached a boil). Drain. Cool, to touch, and cut potatoes into fourths. Place the potatoes in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon oil.
1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
While potatoes boil, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet set over medium heat just until the oil shimmers. Add the onion, sprinkle with salt & pepper and cook until onion is translucent and tender, 3-4 minutes. Transfer onion to a paper-towel lined plate and remove skillet from heat.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 sweet yellow onion, Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
When potatoes are ready, set the skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Heat the oil & butter until the oil shimmers, and add the quartered potatoes. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, and cook in a single layer until potatoes are crispy and lightly browned on the bottom (about 6 minutes).
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
Add the cooked onions and thyme to the potatoes; toss and season to taste. If desired, add cilantro, parsley or chives. Serve immediately.
1-2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
Enjoy!
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Nutrition Information
Calories: 284kcal (14%) Carbohydrates: 32g (11%) Protein: 4g (8%) Fat: 16g (25%) Saturated Fat: 5g (31%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g Monounsaturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 0.3g Cholesterol: 15mg (5%) Sodium: 1764mg (77%) Potassium: 762mg (22%) Fiber: 4g (17%) Sugar: 3g (3%) Vitamin A: 209IU (4%) Vitamin C: 36mg (44%) Calcium: 32mg (3%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
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More Potato Side Dishes We Love
- Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes
- Au Gratin Potatoes
- Crockpot Potato Casserole
- Air Fryer Potato Wedges
- Garlic Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries
- Roasted Red Potatoes with Bacon
- Twice Baked Potato Casserole
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