The Best Pan-Fried Breakfast Potatoes

The Best Pan-Fried Breakfast Potatoes

A Google search for ‘breakfast potato recipe’ yields over seven million results. There’s a reason for that – we love our starches. My favorite potatoes in the whole wide world are these breakfast potatoes right here.

What you’ll need:

  1. Potatoes. Durr.
  2. Canola oil
  3. Salt and pepper
  4. Cast iron skillet
  5. Parsley and cheese (optional)
  6. A little TLC: Tender Loving Care

A part of me wonders if this can even be called a recipe. But this is my blog and so it’s counting and it’s going to be amazing.

breakfast potatoes

My history with these potatoes start back in the days when I could legit walk (standing straight up) under my grandmother’s kitchen table. I remember walking under the table and sitting on the floor while I watched her make me and my brother breakfast. It was the coolest thing ever to spend the night at Nana’s. We had a spread of scrambled eggs, toast, grits, bacon…and potatoes. Always potatoes, and lots of them. They were perfection, especially with ketchup.

When I was old enough to handle a hot skillet on my own, I helped. And then when my brother and I got a little too old for weekend sleepovers, I made potatoes for breakfast. And they were always off, until one day Nana told me that I should use canola oil instead of olive oil. At the time I didn’t know any better that the distinctive taste of olive oil was what was warping my version of these potatoes. That tidbit changed everything. It’s not like there’s a lot of ingredients. You just have to make sure all of them are spot on.

Later on, when I married and got a cast iron skillet, I started making the potatoes in there and they have since come out crispier than usual, a big bonus.

So there you have it. The potatoes I’ve grown up on and continue to love to this day.

breakfast potatoes

Do you have a favorite family dish that’s remained unchanged all these years? Sound off in the comments!

The Best Pan-Fried Breakfast Potatoes

Potatoes for breakfast is typical for a reason: everyone loves them! These pan-fried breakfast potatoes are the best you'll ever have.

Ingredients:

  • 2 baking potatoes, peeled, rinsed, and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • Large pinch of salt
  • Large pinch of parsley (optional)
  • 1/2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a medium skillet (cast iron preferred), heat canola oil over medium.
  2. Add chopped potatoes to the skillet in an even layer. Allow to pan fry in the oil for a handful of minutes, or until the potatoes start to brown. Basically you are going to flip the potatoes around to all sides for as even of a browning as you can get. Allow each side to brown before moving them around. I practice my patience when I do this. Recognize that each potato may cook at different times.
  3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a plate lined with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt, parsley (optional) and cheese (optional).

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Crystal Hamilton
Guest

Those look delicious. I have some potatoes I need to use up. Maybe I will do this. Does it matter if it is Canola oil vs. other oils? I normally have vegetable oil and of course a few varieties of EVOO. 🙂

Jennifer at Making Our Life Matter
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Jennifer at Making Our Life Matter

I LOVE breakfast potatoes! Definitely going to try making these on my next day off!

Mica
Guest
Mica

I made these, but with rendered bacon fat instead of oil. They turned out amazing! Pretty happy with this super simple recipe. 

William Hepfer
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William Hepfer

What is durr?

Nichole Mahnke
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Nichole Mahnke

Lol !! Like “Duh!” It’s a potato recipe…..

Paula Latimer
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Paula Latimer

Gotta add chopped onion to fry up with the potatoes !

Jane
Guest
Jane

great question because when I cubed the potatoes raw dresh and put them in to cook it turned out uncooked, some bits were hard

Robert Waltrip
Guest
Robert Waltrip

I cheat and lightly boil or microwave “CHOPPED” potatoes before throwing them into the pan then drain all excess moisture, or pat dry (experiment using medium microwave settings). If Boiling, don’t over cook where they become soft (about 3-4 mins med boil) Either that, or slice thinly enough so the tator’s cook thoroughly in the oil through and through.

Tracy
Guest
Tracy

Do the potatoes have to be cooked before you fry them?

Douglas Spegal
Guest
Douglas Spegal

Looking for a good breakfast potato recipe, thanks. Always trying to impress people with my culinary skills :). Thanks I’ll let you know how they turn out

Frank
Guest
Frank

I’m trying to print the Breakfast Potato’s, how do I do that?

Frank
Guest
Frank

I try to highlight the recipe and it wont highlight at all. How do I copy it so I can save it and print it?

Thank you

Nadeen Atyieh
Guest
Nadeen Atyieh

I mean, it was good I guess but it was basically cut up fries

Shamrat
Guest

I like that, all are picture is great.

Jared K Johnson
Guest
Jared K Johnson

YESS!!! Wonderful recipe. Just as Miss Latimer suggested, adding onions and, of course, the bell peppers, will give you the perfect batch of fried potatoes. My old tug boat Captain required me to make these every morning when I used to work on the river pushing barges. Fan favorite!

Tammy Adams
Guest
Tammy Adams

Can you use any kind of vegetable oil?

yolanda r soule
Guest
yolanda r soule

looking for a vegan snack or vegan breakfast for my diebatic husband need recipies with low sugar for dinner recipies

Linda Carroll
Guest
Linda Carroll

I usually like to leave the skins on. Shd this change anything?

M.S.Schofield
Guest
M.S.Schofield

I too grew up with my great grandma. She called your breakfast potatoes, cottage fries. She always used Crisco, & would melt it in a seasoned black iron skillet.  She would cook har Cottage fries until done. She kept her oven at 200. degrees.  Potatoes went on a paper towel &paper plate then into the oven while she fried bacon or ham in the same skillet. When bacon was they too went on top of potatoes.  Then she’d make her country gravy. The trick to her gravy was to add a tbls. Of flour stirring the flour in potatoes/bacon drippings… Read more »

Shawn Langkamp
Guest
Shawn Langkamp

I think using sliced, preboiled potatoes speeds up the cooking process.

Miss J
Guest
Miss J

Great recipe! Thanks!
Only issue is… anything but Canola 🙂
Canola is in the same class as margarine :s

arline kay
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arline kay

Your ad/banners take up quite a bit on the page – I use Chrome. It’s a shame.

Shelley Frow
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Shelley Frow

I make these often at home for dinner. We call them Saute Potatoes. They were my dad’s favorite when he came over. I add onion either use mixed herbs or parsley. I often find that they stick to the pan though. Do you know how to prevent that?

Marion Cook
Guest
Marion Cook

I love my cast iron skillets and will be making this for breakfast this morning ! 
Thank you ! 

Violet
Guest
Violet

I’m definitely going to make this for my parents and I tomorrow! I have just started cooking for myself and parents and I was thinking this was a great breakfast! 😀 (I’m in middle school)

Taylor R.
Guest
Taylor R.

I love this. It’s so cool looking at receipts and especially when you get to see that others eat the same thing as you. This also reminds me of my days as a kid when my grandmother would cook these potatoes also for breakfast brings back so many memories as I was her little kitchen helper. I miss her so much but she past away in January 2017. This is definitely one thing outside of others I can cook now that will always remind me of that amazing beautiful granny of mines. So glad you posted this receipt love. Thanks… Read more »

pam
Guest
pam

what is the portion size tho?

lazyme
Guest
lazyme

These potatoes were simple and good. They made a great side to an omelet. Thanks for sharing.