Make the best Crispy Home Fries that are tender on the inside and golden on the outside. All you need is a few ingredients, a skillet, and a bit of (mostly hands-off) time at the stove.
I never was one to frequently make home fries or hash browns until this method came into my life. There’s no pre-boiling the potatoes or oven needed, which means these potatoes really are something you could actually make in the morning.
Just cube the potatoes, chop some onions, and cook it all up in a skillet. While the potatoes cook, you can fry an egg or two to put on top. It’s a diner-style breakfast in the coziness of your own kitchen.
The secret to getting a crispy surface on home fries is to make sure the potatoes aren’t warm when you pan-fry them. In this recipe, we precook the potatoes and let them cool to room temperature before they hit the buttered pan, ensuring perfectly crusty and crispy edges.
To Peel or Not To Peel?
Either way works well. With this method, the potatoes will come out crisp and golden whether they have peels or not, so choose your preference.
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- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – This gives the potatoes a savory flavor and helps them to crisp up in the pan. If you don’t have olive oil, any other oil you use for cooking will work.
- Unsalted Butter – Butter is essential for flavor and crispness. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt to about ¼ tsp and then taste the potatoes at the end and add more salt, if needed.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes – I have a slight preference for Yukon Gold potatoes here, but Russet potatoes will work (see below for the difference). You can also use baby or new potatoes that have been cubed or sliced into small wedges.
- White Onion – A small amount of onion will cook down with the potatoes and gives them that authentic diner home fry feel. You can skip this or use diced yellow onion. Just be sure not to dice them too small or they will burn. You need some good-sized onion pieces like those shown below.
- Kosher Salt and Garlic Powder – For seasoning. Be sure you use garlic powder not garlic salt.
Yukon Gold vs. Russet Potatoes for Home Fries
When making home fries in a skillet, Yukon gold potatoes will hold their shape better while Russet potatoes will break down a bit more. Both varieties will work well for making home fries.
See below for the difference in Yukon gold vs. Russet potatoes when cooked in the same size skillet for the same amount of time using this home fries recipe. (Yukon on top; Russet on bottom.)
Why Aren’t Your Potatoes Crispy Enough?
FAQ
Why are my homemade fries never crispy?
Why won t my home fries get crispy?
Why are my homemade fries always soggy?
Why won’t my fried potatoes get crispy?