Pan Fried Potatoes

Here’s how to make the best fried potatoes: perfectly seasoned and browned to perfection! They’re great as breakfast potatoes or an easy dinner side dish.

Ever crave a skillet of perfectly browned fried potatoes? It’s easy to wing this recipe and make it on the fly: which we do often. But why not codify the method so it works every time? Introducing Perfect Fried Potatoes! These thin potato rounds are browned in a skillet until they’re crispy and golden. And the seasoning is perfect: just the right amount of smoky, salty, and savory. With the hint of sweetness from the potatoes, there’s a lot going on with only a few ingredients. They work as breakfast potatoes, or an easy side dish for dinner. Here’s how to make them!

Also try: Homemade Hash Browns

Ingredients for fried potatoes

What we love about fried potatoes: they’re simple, humble, and quick! No need to wait for an oven to preheat like with roasted potatoes. We love using them for dinners where you’ve got something roasting in the oven already, or as breakfast potatoes for a fancy brunch. Here’s what you’ll ned:

• Yellow or red potatoes
• Butter
• Olive oil
• Secret spices: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, and thyme
• Kosher salt

Butter and olive oil bring big flavor (and a variation)

Why use both butter and olive oil to make fried potatoes? It adds complexity and nuance to the flavor: you can taste the difference! The butter is savory and rich, and the olive oil adds a subtle nuttiness. Alex and I started using butter and olive oil as a combo a few years ago, and we love pulling out the “olive oil and butter” trick to make things taste over the top incredible.

If you eat vegan, you can just substitute the butter with additional olive oil. If you like the idea of flavor nuance, you could also use coconut oil in place of the butter. It adds a light fruity essence, but it’s not too coconut-y.

Smoked paprika is essential!

Smoked paprika is a must in these fried potatoes, if you can find it! You can certainly substitute standard paprika, sometimes called sweet paprika or Hungarian paprika. What’s smoked paprika? It’s a Spanish version of paprika that adds a smoky flavor, but no heat or spice! It’s made up of dried pimiento peppers that that are smoked over a fire, then ground. (Want to make more recipes with your smoked paprika? Try our Best Smoked Paprika Recipes.)

You can find smoked paprika in the spice aisle in most grocery stores. Refer to the terminology above when you’re looking for it. You can also buy it online here!

• Smoked paprika may be labeled as any of the following: pimentón, Spanish smoked paprika or sweet smoked paprika.
• Avoid hot smoked paprika! It’s too spicy and not interchangeable.

Use any skillet: non-stick or cast iron

You can use any type of skillet to make these fried potatoes! It’s easier to use a non-stick skillet, though of course a cast-iron skillet feels more sturdy and rustic. If you’re using cast iron, make sure that potatoes are fully browned before you flip them. When they brown, they release better from the pan.

Ways to serve fried potatoes

These fried potatoes are so versatile, and work just as well with breakfast and brunch as they do dinner! Here are some of our favorite ways to serve them up:

• With scrambled eggs. Try our Fluffy Scrambled Eggs with Goat Cheese.
• With a tofu scramble. For a vegan breakfast idea, try it with our Easy Tofu Scramble.
• With a frittata. Try Pecan & Veggie Mini Frittatas, Spinach Feta Frittata, or Asparagus Frittata.
• With fish. A dd these potatoes as an accessory to Easy Oven Baked Salmon, Broiled Shrimp, or Perfect Grilled Shrimp.

This fried potatoes recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

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More tasty potato side dishes

This fried potatoes recipe is a tasty and easy side dish recipe! Here are a few more potato recipes that work as side dishes:

• Quick Baked Potatoes These quick baked potatoes roast in half the time! This easy trick will become your go-to for a perfect potato in just 30 minutes (it tastes better, too).
• Roasted Fingerling Potatoes The buttery, roasty flavor is unreal.
• Home Fries This tasty breakfast or brunch side tastes diner-style.
• Perfect Boiled Potatoes These potatoes are tender and buttery: the ideal easy side dish!
• Spanish Tortilla A potato and egg omelette that is a tasty Spanish dinner or tapas recipe!
• Parmesan Potato Wedges The best side dish ever? This Parmesan potato wedges recipe will have your friends and family singing your praises.
• Loaded Potato Soup Eat potatoes in the form of soup…loaded with all the toppings.

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Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

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Quick Baked Potatoes

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Baked Potato Wedges