Last Updated on October 13, 2021 by Chenée Lewis
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.
If you try this recipe, I would love it if you could leave a 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
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
- Keto French Toast
- 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
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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Amie McClellan
These potatoes were the bomb, so quick & easy, seriously tasty, thank you so much! 💕🌟
Chenée Lewis
Thanks! I'm glad you liked them!!
Jill
I Love This EasyPeasy Recipe. I Add Sliced Hot dogs & make it a Meal... I serve a dipping sauce of of ketchup, mustard & mayo. ( sounds weird, but Yummy) My kids Ask me to make it All The Time.
Chenée Lewis
So glad you and the kids like it! It's one of my favorites 😊
Sue
Delicious!! I love potatoes, and the onions really take this over the top!!!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! They add so much flavor!
Claudia Lamascolo
these looks and sound fabulous making them with our steak dinner today!
Chenée Lewis
What a great idea!
Beth
Yummy! These are so delicious and our new favorite way to eat potatoes! I can’t wait to make these again!
Chenée Lewis
It's my favorite way too! Glad you liked them!
Meenakshi Thakur
The onions look so well done. The overall recipe looks very approachable yet delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Chenée Lewis
It's definitely easy but so good!
Biana
These potatoes and onions look delicious. Perfect for brunch!
Chenée Lewis
Definitely! I make them for brunch all the time!
Beth
Yum! This looks so delicious and tasty! I can't wait to give this a try! My husband is going to love this!
Chenée Lewis
I hope it's a hit! Thanks for trying it out!
Kylie
This was the absolutely most delicious side dish ever!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! I love making this as a dinner side dish!
Denay DeGuzman
I love making and eating southern recipes. These fried potatoes and onions were delicious!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! Im so glad you enjoyed!
Whitney
This is the perfect side for pretty much any meal. Would love to make it for my next dinner then have the leftovers with eggs the next day!
Chenée Lewis
That's a great idea!! I hope you love it!
Tara
Oh yum! Love the color on these potatoes. Such a perfect side for brunch and the flavors sound incredible.
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! It's so simple but so full of flavor!
Andrea Alverson
This looks so good and so easy to make! My mouth is drooling... ?
Chenée Lewis
It's SUPER easy! And yes definitely drool-worthy!
hari
wow! such a ripper of a recipe!
I always love potatoes and I'll try this for sure!
Chenée Lewis
Great! Let me know what you think of them! 🙂