Fried potatoes are an easy side for any meal. Getting the potatoes soft on the inside but perfectly crispy on the outside is simple with this easy fried potatoes recipe.
I have fond memories of waking up on a Saturday as a kid to the smell of fried potatoes. It was one of my favorite breakfast items growing up and is now a favorite side in our house. This easy fried potatoes recipe makes getting the potatoes soft but crispy on the outside simple and delicious.
We pair this side with any meal. I almost always have potatoes in the house as a staple and fried potatoes cook up quick enough for the busiest of days. We eat them with eggs and bacon for breakfast. I love pairing them with a roasted chicken or even adding them to a pot pie (or this creamy pot pie soup!).
This really is an easy side and there is not much to it. But cooked too fast and you end up with crunchy potatoes that are not cooked on the inside. Cooked too slow and they can be soggy and just a little unappetizing.
We have been cooking these my whole life but I have tried a few changes to really spruce them up and make them something really special that could even be paired with a nice steak or roast. Butter, fresh herbs and a nice cast iron skillet really make these potatoes.
I’m not going to lie, it is hard to mess up a potato for me. I love potatoes just about anyway they come, especially when smothered in butter like these fried potatoes. But getting them soft with a crispy crust just really makes these perfect for a simple but healthy dinner.
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How To Soften Potatoes Before Frying Them?
You can fry raw potatoes and they are still great. This is what I do like 90% of the time. But what gives these potatoes a perfect texture is baking them before frying. It also is hands off time that speeds up the frying process later.
You could also boil them first but I prefer baked. Usually if I am baking something else, I will just prep a few potatoes and throw them in the oven. Poke holes all over the potato, cover in oil and salt if you like and pop them in until soft. I just throw them in at whatever temperature I need for my chicken or whatever else I have in the oven and let them go for a bit, checking ever so often. Let them cool once baked, peel the skin off and cube for frying. Easy! I like to keep baked potatoes in the fridge for easy sides that are already somewhat prepped. I will make them up at the beginning of the week and they are ready to go for baked potatoes, fried potatoes, really anything. I bet they would even work for gnocchi.
Now of course this is an extra step so I do not always do this. But it does make the potatoes taste better and they cook faster without my constant watch. It is easier this way IF you remember to bake them in time. If you don’t remember, I will give a few pointers for crispy fried potatoes either way so no stress!
Why Are My Fried Potatoes Not Crispy?
There could be a few factors at play here. The first is that you may have overcrowded your pan and have too many potatoes in one skillet. You want just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Any more and they will not cook evenly and can end up not crispy!
Second, adding salt while cooking could cause this. Add salt at the end, just before serving, to get your potatoes as crispy as possible. Salt draws moisture out of the potato to the surface of the potato. By doing this during the cooking process, it causes the potatoes to become soggy and not crispy.
This is less of an issue but if you still have issues after addressing the above, you could be using too much butter or oil. Now let me say that I have never had an issue with the amount of butter I use in my potatoes. It adds flavor and helps the potatoes fry up better, but if you still have issues, try cutting back some on the fat while cooking and see if that helps.
Should You Salt Potatoes Before Frying?
No- well, I do not. Sometimes salt can cause them to be soggier or not crisp up as well. While probably minimal, salt can draw the moisture out of the potato to the surface of the potato which does not allow for that crispy crust to form. I add salt at the end, just before serving.
Tips For This Easy Fried Potatoes Recipe
- Wait to add salt at the end- just before serving- to get them as crispy as possible.
- Butter makes these better. You can use oil and they are still delicious but butter just throws them over the edge. In my opinion, this is the case with pretty much anything fried in butter. Grass fed that is.
- Cook up a few potatoes at the beginning of the week or just when you have something else in the oven. Store in the fridge and pull out when making fried potatoes. Baked potatoes make the BEST fried potatoes.
- Add fresh herbs to change the flavor up and level the potatoes up a bit.
- You can use any potato you like. I prefer red or yukon gold but russets are also great.
- Cooking in cast iron makes these crispier but any skillet will do! My mom has always used nonstick and they are delicious regardless. If you use cast iron, be sure to get the skillet and butter really hot before throwing in the potatoes.
Ingredients For This Easy Fried Potatoes Recipe
5 medium/large potatoes of choice
4 tablespoons organic, raw and/or grass-fed butter
2 tablespoons parsley (or other herb of choice)
Salt and pepper to taste
How To Make This Easy Fried Potatoes Recipe
For Baked Potatoes:
Bake your potatoes in the oven until soft.
Allow to cool and peel away the skin.
Cube into 1/2-1 inch cubes.
Preheat skillet with butter on medium heat until hot and sizzling.
Add potatoes and 1 tablespoon parsley to skillet. Allow to cook until golden brown and flip.
Once browned on all sides, add salt, pepper and remaining parsley. Serve immediately.
For Raw Potatoes:
Place skillet on low heat. Add butter and allow to preheat.
Cube potatoes in 1/2-1 inch cubes.
Once the skillet is hot, add potatoes to skillet and allow to cook on low heat until soft throughout, occasionally flipping. If cooked too fast or at too high of heat, the potatoes will get crispy on the outside but not cooked on the inside. Be sure to start low and let them soften first.
When the potatoes are cooked through and soft, add 1 tablespoon of parsley and increase to medium heat.
Allow to cook on one side until golden brown. Flip until all sides are crispy and golden.
Once crispy, add salt, pepper and remaining parsley.
Serve immediately.
Easy Fried Potatoes Recipe
Fried potatoes are an easy side for any meal. Getting the potatoes soft on the inside but perfectly crispy on the outside is simple with this easy fried potatoes recipe.
Ingredients
- 5 medium/large potatoes of choice
- 4 tablespoons organic, raw and/or grass-fed butter
- 2 tablespoons parsley (or other herb of choice)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For Baked Potatoes:
Bake your potatoes in the oven until soft.
Allow to cool and peel away the skin.
Cube into 1/2-1 inch cubes.
Preheat skillet with butter on medium heat until hot and sizzling.
Add potatoes and 1 tablespoon parsley to skillet. Allow to cook until golden brown and flip.
Once browned on all sides, add salt, pepper and remaining parsley. Serve immediately.
For Raw Potatoes:
Place skillet on low heat. Add butter and allow to preheat.
Cube potatoes in 1/2-1 inch cubes.
Once the skillet is hot, add potatoes to skillet and allow to cook on low heat until soft throughout, occasionally flipping. If cooked too fast or at too high of heat, the potatoes will get crispy on the outside but not cooked on the inside. Be sure to start low and let them soften first.
When the potatoes are cooked through and soft, add 1 tablespoon of parsley and increase to medium heat.
Allow to cook on one side until golden brown. Flip until all sides are crispy and golden.
Once crispy, add salt, pepper and remaining parsley.
Notes
More Breakfast Recipe Ideas:
More Lunch and Dinner Recipe Ideas:
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast Tacos
- Meatloaf with Brown Sugar and Butternut Squash
- How To Roast A Whole Chicken
- Maple Apple Pork Chops
- Creamy Pot Pie Soup
Pin For Later: Easy Fried Potatoes Recipe
