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    Fried Potatoes and Onions (Easy Skillet Recipe)

    Savannah HeraldBy 6 Mins Read
    fried potatoes and onion in cast iron skillet

    Fresh from the Kitchen: Recipes & Food Inspiration

    Key takeaways
    • Fry potatoes in batches in a single layer so they brown properly, producing golden edges and creamy centers.
    • After frying, add butter and onions, return potatoes, fold gently, and let sit 3 to 5 minutes to caramelize.
    • Slice potatoes about 1/4 inch, cook directly in the skillet over medium heat, no parboiling, and watch to avoid burning.

    Fried Potatoes and Onions are an easy skillet side dish made with Yukon Gold potatoes, yellow onion, butter, and a little oil. The potatoes are fried first until golden, then folded together with the onions until everything is tender, browned, and full of savory flavor.

    Cooking the potatoes in batches gives them time to brown before the onions are added. You end up with creamy potato centers, golden edges, soft caramelized onions, and little crispy bits from the bottom of the pan.

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    Simple skillet side dish. Just potatoes, onion, oil, butter, salt, and pepper.

    Golden potatoes with creamy centers. Frying the Yukon Gold potatoes in batches gives them browned edges while keeping the centers soft and creamy.

    Caramelized onion flavor. The onions cook after the potatoes and pick up the browned bits and flavor left in the pan.

    No boiling needed. The potatoes cook directly in the skillet, so there’s no extra pot or parboiling step.

    Great texture throughout. You get tender potatoes, soft browned onions, and little crispy bits from the bottom of the pan.

    Ingredient Tips

    • Yukon Gold potatoes: Use 2 pounds and slice them about ¼ inch thick. Their lower starch and creamy texture work especially well here because you get tender centers with browned edges.
    • Yellow onion: Use 1 large yellow onion, sliced to about the same thickness as the potatoes so everything cooks evenly once combined.
    • Vegetable oil: Use ¼ cup for frying the potatoes in batches. It may look like a lot at first, but you need enough oil to brown the potatoes properly before they go back into the pan.
    • Butter: Add 3 tablespoons after the potatoes are fried. It gives the onions extra flavor and helps build those browned bits at the bottom of the skillet.
    • Salt and pepper: Season after the potatoes and onions are combined so you can adjust everything at once.

    How To Make Fried Potatoes and Onions

    1. Wash the 2 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes and slice them about ¼ inch thick. Slice the yellow onion to roughly the same thickness.
    2. Heat ¼ cup vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
    3. Once the oil is hot, arrange a single layer of potatoes in the pan. Fry until the first side is golden, then flip and cook until the other side is golden. Remove the potatoes and repeat in batches until all of them have been fried.
    4. After removing the final batch of potatoes, add 3 tablespoons butter to the pan, followed by the sliced onion.
    5. Once the onions have softened slightly, return all of the fried potatoes to the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
    6. Gently fold the potatoes and onions together. Let them sit for about 3–5 minutes between folds so the onions and potatoes have time to brown against the bottom of the pan. Some of the potatoes may break apart, which is fine.
    7. Continue cooking and folding until the onions begin to caramelize and turn golden-brown, about 10 minutes once the potatoes and onions are combined. Remove from the heat and serve.
    fried potatoes and onions finished in pan

    Chef’s Tips

    Cook the potatoes first. The onions cook much faster, so frying the potatoes before adding the onions gives both ingredients time to reach the right texture.

    Work in batches. Keep the potatoes in a single layer while frying so they can brown instead of steaming.

    Stay close once everything is combined. Let the potatoes and onions sit for 3–5 minutes between folds so they can brown against the pan, but watch the heat so the bottom doesn’t burn.

    Don’t expect French-fry crispiness. The potatoes stay creamy inside, with golden edges and small crispy bits that develop as the mixture cooks together.

    Keep the slices around ¼ inch thick. Thinner slices cook faster, but going too thin takes away some of the creamy Yukon Gold texture that gives this dish its contrast.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Should you fry onions or potatoes first?

    Fry the potatoes first. Potatoes take longer to cook, while onions soften and brown much faster. Once the potatoes are golden, cook the onions briefly, then add the potatoes back to the pan.

    What is the secret to good fried potatoes?

    Slice the potatoes evenly, fry them in batches, and give them time to brown before flipping. Once they’re combined with the onions, let them sit against the pan for a few minutes between folds so more browned flavor can develop.

    Do you boil potatoes before frying them?

    No. For this recipe, the potatoes are sliced about ¼ inch thick and fried directly in the skillet. That thickness lets them cook through while still keeping the creamy texture of the Yukon Gold potatoes.

    How do you fry potatoes and onions without burning them?

    Keep the pan around medium heat and stay close once the potatoes and onions are combined. Let them sit long enough to brown, then gently fold them every 3–5 minutes so the bottom develops color without burning.

    What To Serve With Fried Potatoes and Onions

    Fried potatoes and onions work as an easy breakfast side or a simple potato side for dinner. The buttery potatoes and browned onions pair especially well with savory meats and eggs.

    More Potato Recipes

    • Skillet Potatoes – Crispy, golden potatoes cooked in a skillet for another easy stovetop potato side.
    • Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes – Golden breakfast potatoes made in the air fryer for an easy alternative to skillet potatoes.
    • Green Beans and Potatoes – A comforting Southern-style side made with tender potatoes and green beans.
    • Stewed Potatoes – Soft, comforting stovetop potatoes for another simple Southern-style potato side.
    fried potatoes and onion in cast iron skillet
    • 2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes sliced
    • 1 medium yellow onion sliced
    • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
    • 3 tablespoon butter
    • salt and pepper to taste

    • Wash the potatoes and slice them about ¼ inch thick. Slice the onion to roughly the same thickness.

    • Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

    • Once hot, add the potatoes in a single layer. Fry until golden on one side, flip, and brown the other side. Remove and repeat in batches.

    • After the final batch, add the butter and sliced onion to the pan.

    • Once the onions soften slightly, return all the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.

    • Gently fold everything together, then let the mixture sit for 3–5 minutes between folds so it can brown against the pan.

    • Continue until the onions begin to caramelize and brown, about 10 minutes after combining everything. Remove from the heat and serve.

    Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 665mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 178IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

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