Waiting in long lines for brunch at a restaurant or diner < making delicious, easy, crispy Home Fries right at home to enjoy with family.
These breakfast potatoes make the absolute best breakfast side dish.
These potatoes are ultra crisp on the outside and fluffy inside, just like the ones from the diner.
They also taste AMAZING, thanks to the seasonings we sprinkle over the potatoes.
Fry up with some bacon and eggs for the most delicious breakfast.
How to Make Home Fries
What are Home Fries?
Home fries are a breakfast dish or side dish of potatoes that have been parboiled, and then seasoned and pan-fried to crispy potato perfection. They’re often cooked with other veggies and served alongside eggs, bacon, or sausage.
What is the difference between Home Fries and fried potatoes?
Home fries are diced potatoes that are boiled then pan-fried. They’re not deep fried like ‘fries’, and they’re not shredded like hash browns.
Ingredients for Home Fries
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Red and green bell pepper
- Baking soda (see below)
- Yukon Gold potatoes
- Unsalted butter
- Seasonings: salt, black pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes
- Green onions
Instructions for how to make Home Fries
- Prep your ingredients. Chop the potatoes into half-inch cubes for best results. No need to peel the potatoes. Dice onion and bell peppers. Measure out the seasonings. Set aside.
- Cook the onion and pepper. Sauté the onion and pepper in 2 tablespoons of oil, stirring frequently, until translucent and lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
- Boil the potatoes in water with baking soda. Place the diced potatoes in the boiling water and cook the potatoes until just fork tender, about 6-7 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and cook in a dry pan. Cook the potatoes for 2 minutes in the pot, carefully stirring them, to cook off all their remaining moisture.
- Cook the potatoes in remaining oil and butter. Add the potatoes in a single layer, making sure each potato is touching the surface of the skillet. Cook, without stirring, until one side of the potatoes is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Carefully turn the potatoes. Spread the potatoes in a single layer and repeat the process again until the potatoes are tender and browned on most sides, turning 3 to 4 more times, in 4 to 5 minute intervals.
- Mix everything together! Add the onion & pepper mixture and seasonings. Toss to evenly combine and coat the potatoes. Top with sliced scallions and serve.
Why use baking soda in breakfast potatoes?
Adding baking soda to the boiling water to cook these potatoes makes the water more alkaline. This helps to break down and rough up the surface area of the cubed potatoes with a kind of starchy paste. Once that starchy paste hits the heat of the frying oil, it helps the potatoes to develop an ultra crisp exterior while maintaining a fluffy interior.
If you’re curious about how baking soda works, check out my Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder article for more of the science of these two leaveners.
What is the best potato for Home Fries?
I suggest using Yukon Gold potatoes for home fries. These starchy potatoes fry up nice and crispy in the cast iron skillet.
Russet potatoes are another good option. I haven’t tried using red potatoes.
Should you boil potatoes before frying them?
Yes, don’t skip the boiling. This is essential for the potatoes to develop an ultra deeply golden crispy crust with a fluffy interior.
How to make CRISPY Home Fries:
Cook in boiling water with a little bit of baking soda before frying in a hot oil. Use a heavy bottomed pan, like a cast iron skillet, to help develop that golden crispy crust. Avoid using a nonstick pan for this recipe. The most important part is to have PATIENCE! Don’t stir the potatoes around too much, otherwise they won’t get crispy. You know the potatoes are ready to stir when you can easily pick one up with your spatula or tongs and it doesn’t stick to the pan. If it’s still sticking, it likely hasn’t developed enough of a crust to release naturally.
How to store breakfast potatoes:
Breakfast potatoes are definitely best served hot off the pan. You can cube, boil, cool, cover, and refrigerate a batch of them in advance as well as chop up all the other ingredients and refrigerate them. This is helpful if you’re hosting company for breakfast or brunch.
If you have leftovers, cover and refrigerate them for up to 2 days. Reheat either in a pan or large skillet over medium-high heat on the stove top until warmed and crispy again, or on a sheet pan in a 400°F oven until warmed and crispy again.
Delicious recipe. Quick and easy to make as well.
I made this and they were excellent but I put them in the microwave to soften them, like I do for baked potatoes, and it worked WONDERFULLY! Saved lots of time
These are great as a side for dinner also.
I love home fries! They’re so simple and easy to make, and they always taste great. I always make a big batch and keep them in the fridge so I can easily cook them up whenever I need them.
We like the way you think, Aman!!
I love your science behind all you baking and cooking. Why the baking soda in the water for boiling potatoes?
Thanks!
Hi Giselle! Baking soda helps create an ultra crispy exterior, while keeping the middle of the potatoes super fluffy! Tessa explains the science behind this in the pink tip box above the recipe! Let us know if you try these out – I’m sure you’ll love them!! 🙂
These home fries are so good ! They take a bit of time, but totally worth it. The spices that are used give these the best flavor. Will definitely make again and again.
Hi Mary! So happy you enjoyed these home fries!! Thank you for taking the time to let us know 🙂
They are a bit of work but so good! Boiling makes the potatoes creamy while frying them gives them that crunch on the outside. Love the flavorful spices too If you wanna impress your morning breakfast crew, this is the recipe!
Hi Janet! We are SO excited you loved these home fries!! Thank you so much for letting us know! 🙂
Your directions for cooking aren’t posted.
The directions for the home fries wont show
Can i use green onions instead of normal onions?
You could but I’d definitely recommend sticking with the regular onions.
You can also microwave the potatoes for 2-3 minutes instead of having to boil them. Looks yummy!
This sounds so good! My fiance and I love to go out to breakfast whenever we have a free weekend morning together, and it’s so hard to find tasty home fries. I’ll be trying this soon!
Don’t you know, we can ship to you from The Container Store?
Those could not look more amazing!! I’ve never made home fries, but we have eggs every weekend, and man would these be a fantastic addition!
Home fres are the best!!! These look awesome.