Crispy Breakfast Home Fries

Home fries are diner-style breakfast potatoes with a crunchy golden crust and fluffy middles. They are seasoned with paprika and browned with onion in butter.

40 minTotal time
4Servings
260kcal / serving
4 gProtein

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A quick parboil with baking soda is the secret to the crunch, so do not skip it.

The science: why this works

Parboiling cooks the potatoes through, so the skillet only has to build the crust.
Baking soda raises the pH of the water and breaks the potato surface down into a starchy paste that fries up extra crisp.
Steaming the drained potatoes dry removes surface water, so they brown instead of steaming in the pan.
A single layer and no stirring lets one side form a deep golden crust.
Adding the butter and onion late prevents them from burning during the long browning.

Baking soda and crispness

Baking soda makes the cooking water more alkaline. That breaks down pectin on the potato surface, so the outer layer softens and roughens. In hot oil that rough, starchy coating dries and browns into a thick, craggy crust.

Learn: Waxy and floury potatoes →

Dry surfaces brown

Browning needs temperatures well above the boiling point of water. Any water on the surface must evaporate first, which cools the pan. Steaming the potatoes dry and not crowding them lets the pan stay hot enough to brown quickly.

Learn: Brown food in batches →

Crispy Breakfast Home Fries

40 min · 4 servings · American · Breakfast

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

900 gYukon gold or red potatoes, cut in 3/4 inch cubes
1 tbspsalt, for the boiling water
½ tspbaking soda
3 tbspneutral oil
2 tbspbutter
1small onion, diced
1 tspsmoked paprika
½ tspgarlic powder
½ tspsalt, plus more to taste
¼ tspblack pepper
1 tbspchopped parsley or chives

Method

Put the potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch and add the 1 tbsp salt and the baking soda.
Bring to a boil, then simmer 6 to 8 minutes, until a knife slides in with a little resistance and the edges look rough.
Drain well and let the potatoes steam dry in the colander for 5 minutes, shaking once, so the outsides roughen.
Heat the oil in a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, until it shimmers.
Add the potatoes in a single layer, leaving space between them. Cook without stirring 5 minutes, until the bottoms are deep golden.
Flip with a spatula and cook 10 to 12 minutes more, stirring every 2 minutes, until crisp on most sides.
Add the butter and onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion softens and browns.
Stir in the paprika, garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper for 30 seconds. Top with parsley and serve hot.

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260 kcal4 g proteinper serving, estimated

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Tips for the best result

Cut the potatoes evenly so every cube cooks at the same rate.
Do not stir for the first 5 minutes so the crust has time to form.
Use a large pan; two pans work better than one crowded pan.

Mistakes to avoid

Crowding the pan steams the potatoes instead of browning them, so cook in batches if needed.
Stirring too soon tears the crust off, so let the first side brown.
Over-boiling makes the potatoes fall apart in the pan, so stop when a knife meets slight resistance.

Variations and swaps

Add diced bell pepper with the onion for a diner-style hash.
Top with cheddar and a fried egg.
Season with Cajun spice and finish with scallions.
Swap Yukon golds for russets for a fluffier, more crumbly inside.
Swap butter for bacon fat for a smoky flavor.
Swap smoked paprika for regular paprika and a pinch of cayenne.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate leftover home fries for up to 4 days. Reheat in a hot skillet or a 425°F (220°C) oven for 10 minutes until crisp and 165°F (74°C) throughout.