This southern fried potatoes and onions recipe is a family favorite! You can make these pan fried potatoes and onions for breakfast, brunch, or a dinner side dish. Plus, they’re so easy, they’re vegan, and they’re gluten free! If you like these potatoes, try my Air Fryer Hash Browns, my Keto French Toast, or my Leek and Asparagus Quiche with Bacon and Gruyère!
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Southern Fried Potatoes and Onions Recipe
Who doesn't love an easy breakfast or brunch recipe? Well, I've got a great one for you today! My favorite side dish at brunch is definitely potatoes, but so often they're dry, bland, and boring. Too many times I've ordered home fries, hash browns, or some other type of potato at brunch and been disappointed. Nothing compares to my mom's southern fried potatoes and onions!
These pan fried potatoes and onions, or as we call them, West Virginia fried potatoes, are a simple, quick recipe that can serve as a side dish for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. You can even make them by themselves and have a delicious snack. This is a 5-ingredient recipe that is so easy to throw together, you won't believe how good it tastes! Every time I order breakfast potatoes as restaurants, THIS is what I hope they'll bring out!
Fried Potatoes and Onions - Breakfast or Dinner!
I got this southern fried potatoes and onions recipe from my mom, who got it from her mom. My mom was born in West Virginia before her family moved to Philadelphia, so that would explain the name! I grew up eating these southern fried potatoes and onions so often, and I've made them a lot myself! They're perfect with eggs and bacon, or my mom would make them sometimes with corned beef hash.
But you can also enjoy these potatoes as a side dish for dinner -- they go so well with steak, chicken, or pork chops!
Fried Potatoes and Onions Ingredients
Did I mention that this is a 5-ingredient recipe? The ingredients list is short and sweet!
- vegetable oil - you'll need enough canola oil, or other oil with a high smoke point, to coat the bottom of your cast iron skillet.
- potatoes - I use either Yukon gold or russet potatoes. The russets are a bit starchier, but I don't mind the slightly softer texture.
- onions -- I use yellow onions for a slightly mellow flavor, but you can use white onions as well.
- salt and pepper - to taste.
If you want, you can add a few of the following variations:
- garlic powder - making these fried potatoes with onions and garlic powder adds a fantastic flavor element!
- red pepper flakes
- chopped chives or green onions
Equipment Needed
Again, this is such a simple recipe. All you'll need is a knife and cutting board to slice your potatoes and onions, a skillet or sauté pan to cook them, and a spoon or spatula to move them around in the pan! I usually make these fried potatoes and onions in a cast-iron skillet to help give them that nice brown caramelization!
Fried Potatoes and Onions Video and Step-by-Step
- Slice onions and potatoes, and heat oil in a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or nonstick sauté pan over medium high heat.
- Add potatoes and onions to hot oil and add seasonings of your choice.
- Cook, stirring often, for about 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender and browned.
- Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain the oil, and you're ready to serve your southern fried potatoes! It's that easy!
What to Eat with Fried Potatoes and Onions
What food goes good with fried potatoes? Well, I like these potatoes with breakfast classics like bacon and eggs, and I've also had them as a side dish for Eggs Benedict or my leek and asparagus quiche. But for dinner, what meat goes with fried potatoes and onions? I love these potatoes with pork chops or steak, as a classic meat-and-potatoes combination. They're also great with chicken or pot roast!
Tips and F.A.Q.
No need! Because we're slicing these potatoes pretty thin, they cook completely in the skillet as they're frying.
Sure! Drying the potato slices before frying them helps to minimize oil splatter when you add them to your skillet. Since we're not soaking our potatoes in advance, you won't have too much moisture to dry off, but it can help to make sure the oil doesn't bubble up too much.
The key is to make sure you preheat your skillet completely. Cast iron heats slowly, so give it plenty of time to get fully hot before adding your oil. Then, once you've added your potatoes to the skillet, let them sit in the hot oil, without stirring, until the bottoms of the slices are browned. This will allow the potatoes to release from the pan in order to flip them.
I like to use russet potatoes for this recipe. You can also use Yukon Gold or another starchy potato recipe -- the starch helps to create a slightly creamy texture in the potatoes and helps them brown.
I personally don't mind if the potatoes get a little soft, but if you prefer them to be crispier, make sure that you keep the potatoes in one layer in the skillet without overlapping too much.
I love these with my Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls or my Keto French Toast. Or you can have them as part of delicious breakfast spread with Earl Grey Scones with Vanilla Bean Glaze or 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins. And if you're still looking for more ideas, check out How to Make Quiche Lorraine or Pumpkin Banana Muffins!
If you try this recipe, I would love it if you could leave a star review rating and comment below! It’s so wonderful hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to share your creations with me by tagging @chenee_today on Instagram!
More Breakfast Recipes You'll Love
- Earl Grey Scones with Vanilla Bean Glaze
- 24 Thanksgiving Breakfast Ideas to Start Your Day Right
- 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
📖 Recipe
Equipment you may need
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (55 g) vegetable oil - I used canola
- 3 medium Russet potatoes - peeled
- 1 large yellow onion - sliced thinly
- salt and pepper - to taste
Optional Add-ins:
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon (3 g) chives - chopped (add to finished potatoes)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a sauté pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.¼ cup vegetable oil
- Slice onions and potatoes to ¼-inch thick.3 medium Russet potatoes, 1 large yellow onion
- Carefully add potatoes and onions to hot oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic powder and red pepper flakes.salt and pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Cook, stirring often, until potatoes and onions are well browned and tender, about 10-15 minutes. If desired, cover skillet to help with cooking and produce a creamier texture.
- Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil for a few minutes, top with chives, and serve!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Last Updated on May 9, 2023 by Chenée Lewis
Deanna
So funny my mom made these and so do I. My mom was from West Virginia but never called them West Virginia fried potatoes. However she did one thing differently. She fried her potatoes in bacon grease
Chenée Lewis
Ooh that sounds good!
Leigh Robinson
I found this recipe to be very easy to follow and make. I used Yukon Gold potatoes and did not peel them. Definitely make these again.
Chenée Lewis
So glad you liked them! 🙂 Thanks!