Crispy Skillet Breakfast Potatoes
Crispy breakfast potatoes done in a skillet or pan, are a beloved breakfast classic, with crispy edges and tender centres. It is a fail-proof recipe to make for a delicious breakfast or brunch.
Breakfast potatoes
What are breakfast potatoes? Breakfast potatoes are also known as home fries or house fries. They are often referred to as fried potatoes or even American fries.
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When we cook the potatoes, they get a little sweeter because they turn a nice golden color. We sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on them to make them tastier. Also, we add some fresh thyme, which smells really nice and makes the potatoes even better. And don’t forget paprika; it gives the potatoes a bit of smoky flavor and a tiny bit of spiciness, making the dish taste super yummy!
Are they the same as hash browns? Breakfast potatoes are different from hash browns. Hash browns are sliced thin and then fried until they get a brown color, hence the name. Hash brown is crispy, and you get a nice crunch from each bite.
Breakfast potatoes are in the shape of cubes and are not crispy like a hash brown. The browned bits on the sides of the cubes are a bit crispy, but the rest of the cubes have a good soft texture and are tender inside.
The spices used to make both of them differ, with hash browns treated with salt, pepper, and a little seasoning. Home fries are treated like a good side dish with herbs like thyme and can have some heat from paprika.
You may look at this delicious creamy Roasted Garlic Mashed Potato recipe as a substitute. Potato wedges serve as another excellent alternative, like my Baked Greek Potato Wedges. A great variation with the ranch seasoning and cheese is Cheesy Ranch Potatoes.
The best breakfast potato recipe
If you are confused from reading about the myriad ways of browning and frying potatoes, this post shall save you from all the confusion. I shall tell you the best methods to fry potatoes and get them browned and crispy.
There are many variations of this recipe all over the internet, but this recipe works every time and is easy and bang on flavor.
Ingredients
Potatoes – Take large potatoes, which you can cut, and get a good number of cubes from each. Which potatoes are best for breakfast potatoes? Russet potatoes, which are widely used and available, are the best to make fried potatoes. You may go for red potatoes, if you prefer a healthier option, but they do have a slightly sweeter taste.
Sliced onion – onions are fried and slightly caramelized, which give a sweet taste and compliment the crispy fried potatoes.
Chopped garlic – chop the garlic into small pieces. Garlic is a flavor bomb and is added for flavor in most pan-fried savory recipes. Garlic powder is a convenient alternate though I prefer the fresh garlic.
Butter – is the source of fat to fry the onions, garlic, and potatoes. Frying in butter tastes better than oil.
Oil – though the primary flavor comes from butter, add a little olive oil to increase the smoking point of butter, which tends to burn quickly.
Smoked Paprika & Paprika powder – Smoked paprika gives a smoky essence to the fries.
Dried thyme – is used to give a herby flavor to the dish.
Salt & pepper – are added to balance the rest of the flavors and provide heat. Use as much black pepper as per your tolerance.
(Optional) – You may garnish it with freshly chopped parsley and crispy bacon bits.
Extra Veggies – You can make this fried potato dish healthier by adding mushrooms, bell peppers, etc. Red, yellow or green bell pepper adds zing and color to the dish. Use fresh chopped herbs like thyme or parsley.
How to make crispy potatoes
Prepare potatoes
If you like to keep the skin on the potatoes, please let the skin be. Skin is the source of nutrients in the potato. Wash the potatoes to clean the dirt and all, and then cut them.
If you prefer to peel them, take some large potatoes and peel them using a vegetable peeler. Cut them into 1-inch cubes. Cutting them to even sizes ensures even cooking.
Put those cubes into a bowl of cold water to keep them from getting darker. Wash them gently, which washes away the starch. Drain the water using a colander and pat the potatoes using a kitchen towel.
Fry potatoes
In a hot skillet on medium-high heat, heat oil and butter. Fry potatoes on them until they look golden brown with browned bits on them. Next, add sliced onions, toss them and cook them covered.
Add dry spices
Add minced garlic and other dry spices – smoked paprika, thyme, pepper, and salt. Salt makes the potatoes release moisture in them and helps them become crispy.
Take care to toss them frequently on open heat so they don’t stick to the bottom and get burnt. If the potatoes stick to the bottom, you may sprinkle a few drops of water. That adds some moisture and will solve the sticking problem.
Insert a fork to check the doneness of the potatoes. The potatoes are thoroughly cooked if the fork comes out without sticking.
To make the potatoes crispy, cook them uncovered on low heat for five more minutes. This will make the outer crispy and the insides perfectly cooked.
Garnish the potatoes with crispy bacon bits and chopped parsley.
Serve & Enjoy !!!
Tips
Keep note of the following tips and notes to get perfectly crispy fried potatoes.
- Initially, after adding potatoes, cook them covered on low heat to cook potatoes. It gets cooked in the steam.
- Use a large enough skillet or cast iron pan, so the potatoes are not stacked on each other. Potatoes too close will steam and not become crispy.
- Add spices after potatoes are 3/4 cooked. While the garlic loses its raw smell and the spices stick to them, the potatoes would be almost done.
- Adding salt releases moisture that helps potatoes get cooked and become crispy.
- How to keep potatoes from getting mushy? Washing and putting cubed potatoes in cold water helps in two ways – it prevents them from turning red from oxidation by coming in contact with air. Second, it washes the starch away, which helps the potatoes get crispy. Unwashed starch can make the potatoes mushy.
- The butter adds flavor to fry potatoes, onions, and garlic as a fat source. But butter has a low smoking point and burns quickly. Adding oil to butter increases its smoking point and prevents it from burning.
- Sprinkling a little water after adding the spices helps potatoes from sticking to the pan.
Storage
You can easily store breakfast potatoes in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Please place them in an airtight container and reheat them in the microwave or for 2 minutes in the skillet.
You may freeze this in the freezer. For weeks, place it in trays, zip-lock bags, or other freezer-safe air-tight containers. You can remove and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat them on a skillet for 5 minutes. Avoid microwaving them as they tend to lose their crispness.
Serve with
Here is an versatile sidedish that you serve for breakfast or brunch. Pair them with classics like bacon, sausage and with scrambled or fried eggs, omelet as an ideal combination for a breakfast spread. You can also serve it with sausages and greens for a complete breakfast.
You can make this even richer and interesting by adding a dollop of sour cream on top. Serving them with sandwiches is a great idea too.
Pan-fried potatoes are easy to make and delicious. You can pair it with eggs, cereals, or other breakfast options. You may have it all day as a source of carbs and fiber.
Crispy Breakfast Potato Skillet
Ingredients
- 3-4 large Potatoes
- 1 medium Onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Garlic chopped
- 3 tablespoon Butter
- 1 teaspoon Oil
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare Potatoes
- Clean and peel potatoes. Cut into 1-inch cubes. (Peeling is optional, you can keep the skin on).
- Put potato cubes in a big bowl of cold water and keep for 10 minutes. This helps in preventing the potatoes from going black and also removes excess starch.
- Rub potato cubes gently with your hand, put in a colander, and drain all the water completely. Place drained potatoes on a clean kitchen towel and pat it dry.
Cooking Potatoes
- Heat a large cast iron skillet. Add oil and 2 tablespoons of butter.
- When the butter starts to foam, add dry potato cubes. Toss well to coat potatoes with butter.
- Cook on medium to high heat for 4-5 minutes (stir 1-2 times to prevent the potatoes from sticking at the bottom). The potatoes will have small brown blisters here and there.
- Reduce heat and add sliced onion. Stir to mix, cover and cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes.
- Remove the lid. Add minced garlic, smoked paprika, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Toss everything well. Cover and cook for another 6-7 minutes.
- Once the dry spices are added, the spices tend to stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. So keep an eye, if the potatoes are sticking at the bottom, sprinkle a few drops of water and stir a couple of times.
- Insert a fork to see the doneness of the potatoes. If potatoes are cooked through, add the remaining butter(1 tablespoon) to the pan. Cook uncovered on low heat for another 5 minutes, until potatoes are crispy on all sides.
- While serving garnish with crispy bacon bits and fresh chopped parsely.
Notes
- Cut potatoes to the same size for even cooking. 1-1.5 inches is ideal.
- Wash and pat dry the potato cubes really well.
- Use a large skillet so that the potatoes are in a single layer. This will ensure potatoes will crisp up not steam.
- Add spices when the potatoes are cooked halfway through, so that the spices don’t burn.
- Cover and cook on low heat for perfectly tender potatoes with crispy edges.
- You can also add a sprig of fresh rosemary.
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