Pan Fried Potatoes

Irresistible fried potatoes are a versatile one-skillet side dish you’ll want to serve with everything! Baby potatoes are sliced thin then quickly fried in a little oil to ensure soft centers encased in crispy outer layers. Light and buttery thanks to a simple, classic seasoning, they pair well with any entrée – morning, noon, or night.

🥔 What Makes This Recipe So Good

• Fried potatoes are deliciously crispy on the outside and buttery tender on the inside. Since they’re only pan-fried rather than deep-fried, you’ll get that texture without needing to submerge the potatoes in lots of oil.
• The seasoning is pretty basic, but seriously effective. A light-tasting neutral oil, a little salt, a little pepper, and a sprinkle of fresh herbs play up the natural flavors of the baby potatoes. It’s a blend that keeps the fried potatoes super versatile so you can serve them alongside literally any entrée at breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
• There’s no need to boil the potatoes before frying them, so this recipe is super quick and moderately hands-off. You can make the prep work even easier by using a mandoline slicer instead of a chef’s knife. Just be careful and watch your fingertips!

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👩🏼‍🍳 Chef’s Tips

• Any skillet will work for fried potatoes, but cast-iron skillets do an especially great job. They circulate the heat evenly throughout the pan, so you’re much more likely to end up with evenly-cooked potatoes without a lot of stress or adjustment.
• Don’t bother peeling the potatoes unless you just really, really hate potato skins. Since these potatoes are sliced so thin and then fried so beautifully, you’ll barely notice a sliver of potato peel around the edge. Do make sure you give them a good wash, though, and remove all the surface impurities. Potatoes grow in dirt and while they may get a post-harvest rinse, they still pass through a good bit of dirt and handling before they make it to your kitchen. All of that concentrates on the potato skins, but if you’re not peeling them…
• How to tell when the potatoes are cooked through? The fork test is the easiest way. Just poke the center of a potato round with the tines of a fork! You want the potatoes to be fork-tender, meaning soft enough that the fork pierces them easily without being so soft they fall apart.

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5 from 2 votes

Pan Fried Potatoes

Prep:15 minutes minutes

Cook:15 minutes minutes

Total:30 minutes minutes

Easy to make and perfectly seasoned, these pan fried potatoes are absolutely irresistible, a delicious side dish for any entrée.

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4 servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pound baby potatoes approximately 6-8 baby potatoes
• ▢ 2 tablespoons neutral-tasting oil avocado oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, etc.
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt divided, more or less to taste
• ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper divided, more or less to taste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves approximately 3 sprigs

Equipment

• running water
• vegetable scrub brush or dish towel
• Cutting board
• Sharp chef's knife or mandoline slicer
• Paper towels or dry dish towel
• Large skillet with lid
• Tongs or spatula

Instructions 

• Rinse 1 pound baby potatoes under running water, scrubbing with vegetable brush or dish towel to remove all surface dirt.
• Place potatoes on cutting board and use sharp chef's knife to slice each potato into quarter-inch-thick rounds. Pat sliced potatoes dry with paper towels, then set cutting board aside.
• Add 2 tablespoons neutral-tasting oil to large skillet and heat skillet over medium heat. Swirl and tilt pan occasionally to distribute oil across bottom of skillet and continue heating until oil is hot and shimmery.
• When oil is ready, place sliced potatoes in skillet in single even layer, making sure not to stack or overlap potatoes. Work in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding skillet.
  
• Sprinkle half of salt and half of pepper over potatoes, then cover skillet with lid and let potatoes cook undisturbed 5 to 8 minutes.
• After 5 to 8 minutes, once potatoes begin to brown around edges, remove lid and flip potatoes over. Sprinkle remaining salt and pepper over potatoes.
  
• Cover skillet with lid and cook potatoes 8 to 10 minutes more, until potatoes are browned and crispy outside and cooked through completely.
  
• Remove lid and sprinkle 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves over potatoes. Cook potatoes 1 minute, then transfer to serving plates and serve immediately.
  

Notes

• Paper Towels: Drying the potatoes helps them develop a really nice, crispy exterior. You can totally skip this if you want – they’ll still be delicious, just a little a less crispy.
• Add-Ins: Feel free to add ½ cup diced onions and/or ½ cup diced bell peppers to the skillet with the potatoes. You can also use chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, or any other spices you like.
• Cook Times: Times will vary depending on the size and material of your skillet, the temperature of the stovetop burner, the thickness of the potato slices, and the number of potato slices in the skillet at a time. Check the potatoes often to make sure they don’t overcook.
• Leftovers: Let potatoes cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days.
• Reheat: To maintain the crispy texture, reheat them in a skillet or the air fryer. If you just want them warm again, you can reheat them in the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1serving, Calories: 150kcal, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 588mg, Potassium: 484mg, Total Carbs: 20g, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Net Carbs: 17g, Vitamin A: 27IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 17mg, Iron: 1mg

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

 

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

 

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

© Author: Sam Guarnieri