Home Fries

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.