Fried Potatoes and Onions

Name: Fried Potatoes and Onions
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds potatoes (cooked); 4 tablespoons avocado oil or vegetable oil (divided); 2 small-medium onions (sliced); salt and pepper (to taste); 4 tablespoons butter (divided); additional spices (optional) (e.g. garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika powder); ¼ cup parsley (chopped, lightly packed)

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Fried potatoes and onions combine perfectly browned potatoes with deliciously caramelized onions and fresh parsley. They are super simple to make, taste great, and can be served for dinner or breakfast!

Fried potatoes and onions are the perfect comfort food! I usually enjoy them with baked chicken nuggets and a side salad on cozy days at home. Another tasty idea is to serve them with eggs in the morning for a savory breakfast.

Plus, you can easily adjust this recipe to add any seasonings you love to these pan-fried potatoes and onions. No matter how you serve and season them, they always taste super delicious!

Ingredients

To make these fried potatoes and onions you’ll need the following ingredients:

Potatoes: Both Yukon Gold potatoes and Russet potatoes work for this recipe. Just choose the type of potato you prefer and use it.
Onions: You can also choose whether you want to use yellow onions or red onions. I used yellow onions when I took the pictures, but red onions taste amazing, too! It really comes down to your own preferences.
Oil and butter: Make sure you use avocado oil/vegetable oil and butter. Avocado oil and vegetable oil are perfect for pan-frying as they are made for high-heat cooking. I usually use avocado oil, but feel free to use vegetable oil if you don’t have avocado oil on hand. The butter is added in the end to give the potatoes a delicious buttery flavor that is an absolute must for making tasty fried potatoes and onions!
Parsley: As always, parsley is my herb of choice for adding flavor and making everything look extra pretty.

How to make fried potatoes and onions

Making these fried potatoes and onions is super simple! It just takes a little more time as the potatoes first need to be cooked in boiling water. But the extra step is absolutely worth it! Just follow these steps:

Cook the potatoes: First, cook the potatoes in boiling water with some salt for 15-20 minutes until they are barely tender. You definitely don’t want them overcooked, so make sure you check on them as cooking time always depends on their size. Then drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside until they are cooled off.
Chop the onions and parsley: While the potatoes cook, cut the onions into slices and chop the parsley.
Cut the potatoes: Now peel and cut the potatoes into slices.
Pan-fry and season: Preheat some oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes in one layer. Then immediately add the onions. When the potatoes have browned, flip and toss them until they are evenly browned. Add the butter, season with salt and pepper and toss everything for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
Repeat: Depending on how many servings you make and the size of the pan you use, you might have to repeat step 4 multiple times. Always add some oil to the pan in the beginning and finish off with some butter.

Recipe Tips

Before you make these fried potatoes and onions, make sure you read through the following notes and tips so everything turns out perfectly the first time.

Use leftover potatoes. If you have any leftover potatoes in your refrigerator, use them for making these fried potatoes and onions! If you don’t have any, just boil them as described in the recipe.
Don’t overcook the potatoes. Overcooked potatoes tend to break apart so make sure you cook them until they are barely tender or even slightly undercooked. But don’t worry if the potatoes are slightly overcooked and they fall apart a little when slicing or tossing them. I actually like those smaller pieces. You just don’t want all of them to break apart and turn into mush.
Don’t cut the potatoes into very thin slices. This makes them harder to handle while cooking. So be sure that they are a little thicker so they are easy to pan-fry.
Always let the potato slices brown before flipping them. If you flip them too early, they might break apart. Plus, you want them to be crispy on the outside. So let them sit on one side until they are browned, then flip and toss them as needed.
Adjust the heat while pan-frying the potatoes. When the pan is too hot, the butter and onions burn very easily. So lower the heat when necessary.

Additional seasonings

Depending on how I want to serve these fried potatoes and onions, I like to add some extra seasonings. Just add them in at the very end and toss everything before serving the potatoes.

Garlic powder: If you love garlic, feel free to add a little garlic powder. It tastes really great with these crispy pan-fried potatoes!
Cayenne pepper: Another favorite of mine is cayenne pepper. It adds a little heat and is perfect for anyone who loves spicy foods!
Paprika powder: Paprika powder adds flavor without being too spicy. It is perfect for anyone who likes mild yet flavorful foods.
Dried herbs: Dried thyme and rosemary are perfect for fried potatoes and onions! Just use the one you like most.

If you don’t have any extra seasonings at home, don’t worry about it! These are just recommendations to switch things up. The fried potatoes and onions make for a delicious side dish even if you don’t add any extra seasonings!

Serving pan-fried potatoes and onions

These skillet potatoes and onions can be served with all kinds of main dishes! Here is how I usually enjoy them. But feel free to combine them the way you want to.

Eggs: Eggs and fried potatoes and onions are the perfect combination for a savory breakfast or dinner! Both fried eggs and scrambled eggs work really great.
Breaded chicken: Crispy breaded chicken goes super well with these potatoes! I usually use panko bread crumbs and an olive oil spray to make crispy baked breaded chicken.
Side salad: As these potatoes are a little heavier, I love to serve them with a light and colorful side salad! Just use your favorite vegetables, prepare a homemade vinaigrette, and serve the salad alongside these fried potato slices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really have to cook the potatoes first?

You can use raw potatoes, but the potatoes will need a lot more time in the pan if you don’t cook them first. And since cooking potatoes in a pot is very hands-off, I just like to cook them before pan-frying. If you work from home, you can also cook them during the day so they are cooked and cooled off in the evening!

Can I dice the potatoes?

Sure! Both slices and dices work great for this recipe! Just cut them the way you want.

Can I use only butter for pan-frying the potatoes and onions?

No, always use avocado oil or vegetable oil. Butter has a low smoke point, so you can’t pan-fry using medium-high heat. That’s why you start with avocado oil/vegetable oil and add the butter in the end. This ensures that the butter doesn’t burn.

Why do my potatoes fall apart?

There can be many reasons as to why the potatoes fall apart. They might be overcooked, not cooled off, or you might toss them in the pan too often or too early.
But don’t worry about a few slices breaking apart. I actually like the combination of smaller and larger pieces. That’s very normal. You just don’t want all of them to fall apart and turn into mush.

More simple and delicious sides

If you are looking for more tasty side dishes, check out the following recipes. They are all super simple and flavorful!

fried potatoes and onion garnished with parsley on a white plate

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5 from 2 votes