Southern Fried Potatoes

Southern Fried Potatoes are an intoxicating blend of crispy fried potatoes studded with onion and smoky bacon bits. A hearty stick-to-your-ribs type of breakfast, it also makes a terrific side dish that will have everyone asking for more. It’s easy to prepare, filling and bursting with flavor.

Depending on what part of the country you grew up in, you might also know this old-fashioned fried potato dish as country fried potatoes, fried potatoes and onions, or simply as pan-fried or skillet potatoes.

Just the aroma wafting through your house while it’s cooking is enough to wake all the sleepy heads in your house and bring them smiling to the table.

Why you will love this recipe:

1. I’ve tested several different methods of preparing this dish to give you options, including one make-ahead option for preparing this delicious classic. 
2. It’s versatile, and whether you make it for breakfast or lunch, or as a dinner side-dish, I have serving suggestions that will take it over the top. 
3. It has potatoes and bacon in it…enough said!

Here’s what you will need:

• Potatoes – are the star of this show and form the base of this recipe.
• Bacon – smoky bacon highlights the crispy potatoes and adds its own special flavor.
• Onion – gives this dish another flavor dimension. Sweet yellow onions or Vidalia onions work best; red onions are too strong.
• Oil – I always use peanut oil, but any vegetable oil works.
• Kosher salt, black pepper, and ground thyme – enhance all of the other flavors and bring them together into one delicious dish.  

Here’s how to make it – Option One:

1. Place the cubed potatoes in a bowl full of cold water. Let them sit for about five minutes. Drain and rinse twice. Let them dry and remove any excess moisture with a paper towel. 
2. Add bacon to a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or non-stick skillet, over medium heat. Cook approximately 10 minutes or until the bacon is browned and crispy. Remove from the pan, drain on a paper towel, and crumble. Set aside.

3. Leave the bacon grease in the pan and add the oil. When it is hot, add potatoes, onion, salt, pepper, and thyme.

4. Stir to combine and make sure everything is coated with oil. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the potatoes undisturbed for 10-12 minutes or until they are just shy of fork-tender. 

5. Remove the lid and turn the heat back up to medium. Use a pancake-turner to turn everything over. Let them cook uncovered and undisturbed for five minutes. Turn them over again and cook for another five minutes. Repeat one more time for a total cooking time of approximately 15 minutes for this step.

7. The potatoes are done when they are golden brown and crispy with a soft fluffy interior. 
8. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately topped with the crumbled bacon. Optional, garnish with chopped parsley.

Here’s how to partially make it ahead – Option Two:

1. To make this dish ahead, instead of starting the potatoes in a skillet, add them to a medium-size saucepan, with water over medium-high heat. (You do not need to soak or rinse them first.) Add a teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are just shy of fork-tender. Drain and store the parboiled potatoes in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
2. When ready to finish the dish, add bacon to a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook approximately 10 minutes or until the bacon is browned and crispy. Remove from the pan, drain on a paper towel, and crumble. Set aside.
3. Leave the bacon grease in the pan and add the onion. Cook for about five or six minutes or until it is translucent and tender. 
4. Add the oil. When it is hot, add the parboiled potatoes, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir to combine and let the mixture cook uncovered and undisturbed for five minutes. Flip everything over and cook for another five minutes. Repeat one more time for a total cooking time of approximately 15 minutes for this step.
5. The potatoes are done when they are golden brown and crispy with a soft fluffy interior. 
6. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately topped with the crumbled bacon. Optional, garnish with chopped parsley.

Frequently asked questions:

Sharon’s tips:

• For the crispiest potatoes, unless you are boiling them, always soak them in water for a few minutes and rinse twice to remove any excess starch. This also keeps them from sticking to the pan. 
• If you aren’t a fan of onions, especially for breakfast, leave them out.
• I think the bacon grease adds a ton of flavor, but you can leave it out and use the oil and maybe a tablespoon of butter for taste if you prefer. 
• If you can get your hands on mild sweet Vidalia onions, use them. If not, any sweet yellow onion will do. 
• Whether you steam them or parboil them, precooking the potatoes is what produces a soft and fluffy interior. Don’t skip this step. 
• This recipe calls for cubed potatoes, but if you like sliced, go for it.  Whichever you choose, try to make the cubes or slices as close to the same size as possible to cook in the same amount of time.
• Smaller cubes or thinner slices will cook in less time, and larger cubes or thicker slices will take more time than what’s listed. 
• Water and oil don’t mix. Be sure your potatoes are dry before adding them to the skillet. 

Related recipes:

If you like this recipe, I think you may also like these easy and popular recipes on my blog:

• Easy Southern Potato Salad
• Easy Parmesan Potatoes Au Gratin
• Easy Southern Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
• Twice Baked Potatoes-Three Ways
• Blue Cheese Potatoes Au Gratin
• Traditional Irish Potato Soup
• Old-Fashioned Creamed Potatoes

If you need more recipes or menu ideas, click here for more southern-style recipes. 

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5 from 1 vote

Southern Fried Potatoes Recipe

There aren't too many things more welcoming for breakfast than crispy southern fried potatoes piled high on a plate, studded with bits of sweet onion and smoky bacon.

Course Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Southern

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 410kcal

Author Sharon Rigsby

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 slices bacon
• ▢ 4 russet potatoes peeled and cut into approximately 1/2-inch cubes
• ▢ 1/2 sweet onion chopped, Vidalia if you can find them
• ▢ 1/3 cup peanut oil you can use any type of vegetable oil
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
• ▢ Optional chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Directions (Option one):

• Place the cubed potatoes in a bowl full of cold water. Let them sit for about five minutes. Drain and rinse twice. Let them dry and remove any excess moisture with a paper towel.
• Add bacon to a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or non-stick skillet, over medium heat. Cook approximately 10 minutes or until the bacon is browned and crispy. Remove from the pan, drain on a paper towel, and crumble. Set aside.
• Leave the bacon grease in the pan and add the oil. When it is hot, add potatoes, onion, salt, pepper, and thyme.
• Stir to combine and make sure everything is coated with oil. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the potatoes undisturbed for 10-12 minutes or until they are just shy of fork-tender.
• Remove the lid and turn the heat back up to medium. Use a pancake turner to turn the potatoes over. Let them cook uncovered and undisturbed for five minutes. Turn them over again and cook for another five minutes. Repeat one more time for a total cooking time of approximately 15 minutes for this step.
• The potatoes are done when they are golden brown and crispy with a soft fluffy interior.
• Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately topped with the crumbled bacon. Optional, garnish with chopped parsley.

Partial Make-Ahead Directions (Option two)

• To make this dish ahead, instead of starting the potatoes in a skillet, add them to a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat with water. (You do not need to soak or rinse them first.) Add a teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are just shy of fork-tender. Drain and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
• When ready to finish the dish, add bacon to a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or non-stick skillet, over medium heat. Cook approximately 10 minutes or until the bacon is browned and crispy. Remove from the pan, drain on a paper towel, and crumble. Set aside.
• Leave the bacon grease in the pan and add the onion. Cook for about five or six minutes or until it is translucent and tender.
• Add the oil. When it is hot, add the boiled potatoes, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir to combine and let the mixture cook uncovered and undisturbed for five minutes. Turn the potatoes over and cook for another five minutes. Repeat one more time for a total cooking time of approximately 15 minutes for this step.
• The potatoes are done when they are golden brown and crispy with a soft fluffy interior.
• Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately topped with the crumbled bacon. Optional, garnish with chopped parsley.

Video

Notes

For the crispiest potatoes, unless you are boiling them, always soak them in water for a few minutes and rinse twice to remove any excess starch. This also produces potatoes that are less likely to stick to the pan.

I prefer a cast-iron pan because I think it produces the best results for this recipe, but a heavy-duty, non-stick skillet works too.

If you aren’t a fan of onions, especially for breakfast, leave them out.

I think the bacon grease adds a ton of flavor but, if you prefer, you can leave it out and use the oil and maybe a tablespoon of butter for taste.

If you can get your hands on mild sweet Vidalia onions, use them. If not, any sweet yellow onion will do.

Precooking the potatoes, whether you steam them or boil them, is what produces a soft and fluffy interior. Don’t skip this step.

This recipe calls for cubed potatoes, but if you like sliced potatoes, go for it. Whichever you choose, try to make the cubes or slices as close to the same size as possible so that they will cook in the same amount of time. Smaller cubes or thinner slices will cook in less time, and larger cubes of thicker slices will take more time than what’s listed.

I think russet potatoes work best in this recipe and produce the best results. You can use whatever kind you like; the finished product will still be delicious. However, it may taste a little different and have a slightly different consistency.

Water and oil don’t mix. Be sure your potatoes are dry before adding them to the skillet.

Variations:

1. Add some creole or cajun seasoning to ramp up the flavor.
2. Consider adding some chopped up green or red bell pepper, or even sliced mushrooms.
3. Top the dish with chopped chives, shredded cheese, and sour cream.
4. Instead of bacon, use ground sausage.

Nutrition

Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 414mg | Potassium: 970mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg

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**This recipe was originally published on March 5, 2020. It was republished on June 14, 2021, with a new ingredient photo, the addition of a FAQ section, and an expanded description of the ingredients.