There’s rarely a wrong time for potatoes. I’m always digging into creamy mashed potatoes, Lebanese batata harra, or a sweet potato breakfast hash, among others. Now it’s time to make these breakfast potatoes, aka home fries. I will share with you three cooking methods, ways to prep them in advance, several optional add-ins and recipe variations, and tons of ways to enjoy them. These homemade home fries make a great, versatile potato side dish for practically any meal!
What Are Home Fries?
Home fries are known by many names, including “fried potatoes,” “house fries,” “American fries,” “peasant fries,” and “breakfast potatoes”. All of these refer to a simple cooked potatoes dish. Traditionally, it’s made by pan-frying potatoes that are sliced or diced and often paired with sauteed diced onions and/or bell peppers. The potatoes can be peeled or unpeeled and are sometimes parboiled (or steamed). The result is soft and creamy potatoes inside with a crispy, crunchy outer shell.
Home Fries Vs Hash Browns
While both dishes are popular types of breakfast potatoes, there are definite differences. Hash browns are traditionally thinly shredded potatoes, pan-fried until a golden-brown crispy potato mass that will crunch as you eat it. Home fries are larger cubed/diced potatoes traditionally pan-fried, either alone or combined with other veggies. These potatoes are crisp outside but tender in the middle. With three cooking methods, you can choose whichever suits the occasion and your needs.
Deep-frying: will yield evenly cooked, super crispy potatoes in the least time. But requires the most oil. Pan-frying: pan-fried breakfast potatoes are the traditional method. They will be fluffy inside and lightly crisp outside. But they require overseeing. Baking: will still yield crispy results. It requires almost no “tending to” other than a flip halfway. You can also broil the baked home fries for more crispiness.
I’ve also shared a version for air fryer breakfast potatoes too, with a fraction of the oil, in under 30 minutes!
The Ingredients
Potatoes: I recommend using russet potatoes for crispy home fries with a fluffy middle.
Olive oil: Or another neutral oil. For deep frying, use a high smoke point oil like canola oil or vegetable oil. Seasoning: I love to use paprika and/or chili powder (or red pepper flakes) with salt and pepper. Garlic powder and onion powder are also popular spices.
How to Make Home Fries?
How to Cut Home Fries
First, wash and (optionally) peel the potatoes. I highly recommend using starchy potatoes, like russet potatoes. These will have the fluffy center while still crisping up outside. They don’t hold their shape as well as waxy potatoes, but that isn’t an issue for this home fries recipe. Yukon gold potatoes could also work but are waxier. I usually avoid super waxy potatoes, like new potatoes and red potatoes. While they technically work, the texture is denser and creamy. So, feel free to experiment. Then, cut them into ¾-1 inch cubes. First square off the sides by making thin slices on the left and right (long sides, not the ends) of your potato. Cut enough to be able to lay the potato flat on the table. Then, with one of the flat sides against your chopping block, slice the potato every ¾-1 inch apart. Next, cut those slices every ¾-1-inch apart to make batons/sticks. Finally, cut those sticks down into cubes. As you’re chopping, transfer the cubed potato to a big bowl of water. This will keep them from browning and remove excess starch for crispier results.
The Cooking Methods
There are three ways to cook the home fries: oven-baked, pan-fried, and deep-fried.
Home Fries in the Oven
First, preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC before cutting the diced potatoes, and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread the soaked potatoes across a clean kitchen towel and pat them dry thoroughly. Then toss them in a large bowl with the olive oil and your seasonings of choice. Then transfer the seasoned potato to the pan, spreading them in a single layer with some space in between. Use two pans if necessary. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the potatoes once halfway. The potatoes should be tender in the middle and crispy outside. Broil the baked breakfast potatoes right at the end for even crispier results, flipping them so all sides cook evenly.
Home Fries in the Pan
First, parboil the cubed potatoes. To do so, add the potatoes to a large saucepan covered with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and cook for 1-2 minutes once boiling. Then drain the water and optionally keep them in the pan for a few more minutes to steam away any excess surface moisture from the potatoes. Then, transfer the potatoes to a clean kitchen towel and dry them thoroughly. You can optionally season with salt and spices now or wait until the end of the cooking process. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a swirl of oil to coat the bottom of the pan. A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet would work wonderfully for this, too. Once hot, add the potatoes, spreading them in a single layer and cooking for between 15-20 minutes, until crispy. Make sure to flip but not stir the home fries too much, as you want to give them time to brown and become crispy on every side. Adjust the heat as necessary while cooking.
Deep-Fried Home Fries
First, heat your deep-fat fryer or a large, deep skillet with an inch of oil. It needs to be between 350-375ºF/176-190ºC. Once the oil is hot enough, add the potatoes in a single layer. Do so in batches if there are too many; otherwise, it will affect the oil temperature and cooking. Allow the homemade fries to fry for 5-6 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Once ready, transfer them from the oil with a slotted spoon to layers of paper towel to remove any excess oil, season the fried diced potatoes, and enjoy!
Serving Recommendations
These delicious home fries are the perfect brunch and breakfast potatoes with eggs. However, they also work well as an all-purpose potato side dish that goes with pretty much everything, including:
Breakfast
Full English breakfast optionally with eggs and bacon/sausage or with baked beans Scrambled egg (or scrambled tofu). Poached eggs or soft-boiled eggs or fried eggs. Avocado toast. English muffins. Pancakes.
Other Dishes
Burgers: Like this Pumpkin Bean Burger With Spicy Mayo Sauce. Protein: These fried breakfast potatoes pair with most cooked chicken, steak, and fish mains or meat-free alternatives like tofu. Enjoy a breakfast burrito with potatoes. Breakfast tacos or tacos. Omelet or frittata. Roast dinner with roast chicken and gravy.
More Potato Side Dishes
Homemade potato chips Crispy parmesan potato stacks Mashed purple potato Rosemary garlic roasted potatoes Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes Best Oven-Roasted New Red Potatoes
If you try this easy home fries recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
