• Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • My Story
    • Hire
    • Custom Cakes
    • Handmade Treats
  • The Blog
  • The Scoop
  • Gluten Free
  • Paleo
  • Keto
  • GAPS

Edible Times

  • All Recipes
  • How To
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Desserts
    • Chocolate
  • Drinks
  • Kids

Brunch so hard: How to whip up irresistible home fries

Breakfast· Gluten Free· How To· Recipes· Vegan

Facebook0Tweet0Pin0Yummly0
28 Sep
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Bring the diner delight of home fries, well, home! These popular breakfast and brunch potatoes are actually quite easy to get right, as long as you know the method. Here’s one of the best home fries recipes I’ve come across in my culinary career. It’ll show you how to make perfect batch in your own kitchen, and why I don’t recommend boiling the potatoes.

Home fries recipe from Edible Times

If I find myself at a good diner, I tend to order whatever breakfast potatoes dish they offer (unless French Toast is on the menu). Bonus if they serve it as a corned beef skillet hash. Holy yum on a Sunday morning. Crispy, creamy potatoes, perhaps a little salty and spicy meat, and mushrooms for a bit of umami. 

What are home fries?

Home fries with bacon, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes

Most often, home fries are small, cubed, twice-cooked potatoes. First the potatoes are boiled or steamed (my preferred method) to cook them throughout. Then they’re pan-fried to brown and crisp the outside. Often these addictive potatoes are served with sautéed onions, bell peppers and loaded with breakfast meats.

Choosing potatoes for home fries

Russet potatoes

Let’s not over-complicate matters here. Any potatoes can become tasty home fries. The classic go-to potato, however, is of course Russets. They’re easy to find, and are naturally a drier potato which takes well to frying. I also love using Yukon Golds when I can find them. The skin of a Yukon is thin, so I really don’t feel the need to peel it. Score! Saved a step! I also love the beautiful color and creamy flesh of Yukons.

The secret to restaurant-style home fries

Potatoes that are crispy AND creamy may seem like a tall order, but it doesn’t have to be out of reach at home. The trick is in, well, in the trick. And I have faith you can do it. But first, let’s chop.

  • Chopped potato.
  • Cubed Russet potatoes for home fries.

For the quickest cooking, cut the potatoes into small cubes similar in size. No need to be exact, if it looks the same, it cooks the same. I tend the leave the skin on (no peeling necessary!). The skins add fiber to a dish that, let’s be honest, isn’t the healthiest one on the block. But your potatoes, your way.

The two-step method

The only way to enjoy home fries that are creamy on the inside and golden, brown and delicious (that’s an actual cooking term) on the outside is to boil or steam them first. You will find a plethora of recipes that call for boiling the potatoes first, but I disagree. My friendly, professional recommendation is to steam them in the oven, instead.

Steamed potatoes on sheet pan for home fries.

To allow for even cooking, give the potatoes breathing room on the baking pan. A little sprinkling of water will encourage steaming and quicken the cooking. Cover the pan with foil so you don’t roast the potatoes. You want the browning to happen in the skillet on the stove, not in the oven.

Child hand sneaking home fries out of skillet.

If you’re after super crispy home fries, go for cooked potatoes that are BONE DRY. It’s also for safety, as hot oil and excess water don’t mix.

Once the potatoes are tender, I turn off the oven, take off the foil and let them dry out a few minutes. You can steam the potatoes the same day, but also a few days before.

Why I don’t boil the potatoes for home fries

When I cooked breakfast potatoes in restaurants, we always steamed them in the oven. Boiling can easily get out of control if the potatoes are left in the water even a minute too long. The spuds will absorb too much water, become mushy, and then you can kiss your crispy little cubes of delight goodbye.

Now for the fun part: Frying up some hash

Home fries with bacon and herbs in cast iron skillet.

Grab your biggest pan, skillet, or better yet griddle. The more cooking space you procure, the sooner you’ll be eating. Also:

FIGHT THE URGE TO STIR.

Stirring too often will prevent the potatoes from developing that lovely crisp exterior. Cook the potatoes one layer at a time in a bit of oil. Brown one side, then flip and brown the other side. I find myself adding more oil to pan as I fry, as the starch in potatoes soaks it up as you cook.

Sufficient oil = Crisp + golden potatoes.

Frying skillet hash

Once a round is deep golden, I push it off to the side and begin again. Shifting the pan slightly off center of the burner keeps the finished potatoes warm, but prevents them from burning.

Frying potatoes

Just want home fries? Stop here and serve it up.  Really.  That’s all there is to it. 

The ultimate skillet hash

Skillet home fries on plate.

The mild flavor of potatoes gives you a blank canvas for adding a plethora of herbs, spices, vegetables and meats for a skillet hash. It’s also a great way to use up any leftovers that might be going bad in the fridge. A dear friend of mine chops up meatloaf, and adds it to his home fries. YES.

100% DO THIS.

An easy method for adding more flavor to home fries

To spice up your perfectly browned potatoes, push them to the side of the pan, and sauté any vegetables in a little more oil or butter. If you’d like meaty home fries, cook bacon or bulk sausage in the skillet first, set it aside, then fry the potatoes in the drippings. Add the meat back in once the potatoes are cooked.

Hey, I never said this dish was good for you.

Potatoes and mushrooms for home fries in cast iron skillet.

Italian-inspired skillet hash

I love this combination because the onions, sausage and mushrooms give it wonderful savor and spice, and the sun-dried tomatoes finish it off sweet and nice. Parmesan is a no-brainer if you’re not vegan or dairy-free.

  • Yellow onion
  • Spicy Italian sausage
  • Cremini mushrooms
  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • Parmesan

Keep it vegetarian or vegan

For a vegan version, toss in Kalamata olives, pickled pepperoncinis, and wilt a bit of arugula right at the end of cooking. Even as a carnivore, this version is delicious.

Skillet hash with fried egg

My personal favorite is to top skillet hash with a sunny-side up or over-easy egg. The warm, oozing yolk is nature’s perfect sauce. Truly.

Hash is not the type of food I joke about.

Yours in golden, brown and delicious,

Christina Bailey digital signature on Edible Times

P.S. If you have favorite ingredients for homemade home fries, please share!

Print
clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon
Home fries recipe from Edible Times

Restaurant-style Home Fries

  • Author: Christina
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1.5 hours
  • Total Time: 29 minute
  • Yield: Serves 4 1x
  • Category: Breakfast, Brunch
  • Method: Baking, Frying
  • Cuisine: American
Print
Pin

Description

The only way to enjoy creamy, crispy home fries at, well, home!  Boiling potatoes can allow them to absorb too much moisture, but steaming them in the oven gets them perfectly tender, and ready for browning. 

Frying the steamed potatoes in sausage fat is my favorite way to go, but any oil you like works here. 


Scale

Ingredients

Home Fries Ingredients

  • 4 large potatoes, diced small, Russet or Yukon Gold recommended (one per person)
  • ½ medium onion, chopped small
  • ½ pound hot Italian sausage
  • 1 cup cremini mushrooms, chopped
  • ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • Salt and pepper 
  • Avocado or peanut oil for frying

More Add-in Ideas

  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • bell peppers
  • pepperoncinis
  • baby greens like spinach or arugula
  • a few pinches red pepper flakes or pinch of Cayenne pepper
  • few drops of Worcestershire sauce
  • fresh or dried herbs, try thyme, oregano, parsley or sage

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
  2. Spread out chopped potatoes on large sheet pans. Drizzle a little water into each group, and cover with foil.
  3. Bake potatoes until tender, but not mushy.
  4. Optional: Once the potatoes are cooked, turn off the oven and remove the foil. Let sit for ten minutes. 
  5. Remove potatoes from oven and cool completely. This can be done up to two days ahead, store chilled.
  6. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, brown the sausage, stirring occasionally and breaking into smaller pieces. Remove from pan and set aside.
  7. In sausage drippings over medium-high heat cook potatoes in batches until brown on all sides, flipping potatoes once with a spatula. Fight the urge to stir! Add oil as necessary.
  8. Scrape potatoes to the side, and add onions and mushrooms. 
  9. Once the mushrooms brown and shrink in size, add tomatoes and sausage.
  10. Combine gently until all ingredients are hot, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Notes

Reheat leftover home fries (yeah, right!) in a 350° F oven until warmed through. Microwaving leftovers will turn them to mush, and undo all your hard work. 

Keywords: home fries, home fries recipe, how to make home fries, how to make crispy home fries

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @edibletimes on Instagram and hashtag it #edibletimes

Related Posts

  • The low down on so-called superfoods + an easy sweet potato gratin recipe
  • How to make a vegan burger with just portobellos and quinoa + all about portobellos
  • Chinese Stir Fry: Crispy orange chicken
  • A traditional red beans and rice recipe
  • Fat Tuesday: Beignets & Cafe au lait

8 Comments

Ready to ditch recipes once and for all?

My goal is to empower you in the kitchen by sharing the basic ratios and formulas BEHIND the recipes. Subscribe to my newsletter for exclusive content, chef hacks, and three complimentary answers to your most burning food questions from yours truly.

Questions? Comments? Join in Below! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. Mushrooms Canada says

    October 1, 2012 at

    What a wonderful breakfast dish! I’m ready to eat tomorrow’s breakfast already 😀 Thanks for sharing!!

    -Shannon

    Reply
    • edibletimes says

      October 2, 2012 at

      It’s not too bad for dinner either (wink, wink). Thanks for reading!

      Reply
  2. Ashley says

    September 29, 2012 at

    Sounds great!! This would make for a wonderful brunch dish! 🙂

    Reply
    • edibletimes says

      October 2, 2012 at

      Thanks and thanks for coming by!

      Reply
  3. Ryan says

    September 28, 2012 at

    I use leftover meatloaf cubes in my hash.

    Reply
    • edibletimes says

      October 2, 2012 at

      Meatball hash. It probably doesn’t get any better than that.

      Reply

Let’s talk food!I am truly inspired when you comment. Your email will not be shared, sold, or added to the newsletter list. To subscribe to the Edible Times newsletter for exclusive content, sign up above.

Christina Bailey

Thanks for coming to Edible Times!

I'm Christina, a classically trained private chef + Chef Mom to two little boys. I'm here to empower you in the kitchen and in health by sharing delicious, chef-tested recipes for all diets. Anyone can become a great cook! To read about me and my food philosophy, follow this. To get straight to recipes + tips head to the blog.

Find recipes + techniques

my foodgawker gallery

browse recipes

  • Breakfast
  • Chocolate
  • Desserts
  • Dinner
  • Drinks
  • GAPS
  • Gluten Free
  • How To
  • Keto
  • Kids
  • Macarons
  • Op Ed
  • Paleo
  • Recipes
  • Vegan
Margarita Monday, anyone? If you want a no-fuss, a Margarita Monday, anyone? If you want a no-fuss, authentic margarita, this one just hit the blog. And I’ll be entirely honest, my margarita models are chillin’ in the fridge for sooner than later. 😉

Link in bio, or type in:
edibletimes.com/how-to-make-a-margarita/

Tequila tip: @teremana is our new favorite blanco. Super smooth, great price. What can I say, except… you’re welcome! 😂 @therock

#cocktailsofinstagram #cocktailhour #margaritas #tequilatime #mixology #drinkstagram #glutenfree #myedibletimes #foodblogger #drinksblogger #cointreau #blanco #margaritamonday #thefeedfeedcocktails #itsfiveoclocksomewhere #margarita #yum  #cheers #shakennotstirred
Get ready to #brunchsohard my wonderful Instagram Get ready to #brunchsohard my wonderful Instagram peeps. 😋

How to make French toast. With any bread. Nutritious and quick, or sinful and indulgent.

Inspired by my Mom’s classic New Orlean’s-style cinnamon French toast. 😍 

Sandwich bread. 🍞 Brioche. Challah. Baguette. 🥖 Gluten free. 
Keto. YES. I said KETO French toast. 
And the one custard ratio that rules them all. 

All methods in one friendly place. Use the link in bio, or this:

https://edibletimes.com/french-toast-recipe/

#glutenfree #edibletimes #keto #ketorecipes #paleo #paleorecipes #thefeedfeed #thefeedfeedglutenfree #yum #yummy #cinnamon #frenchtoast #frenchtoastrecipe #brunchtime #norecipe #recipe #boiseblogger
You know you eat the raw cookie dough. Who doesn’t?! 
😋
Enter homemade (safely raw) Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites. 
🍪 
Tomorrow my blog subscribers will get the recipe and method for adapting these addictive, chocolate-laced morsels for gluten free, paleo or dairy free diets. 
👩🏻‍🍳
For this and more exclusive videos, recipes + chef tips, use the link in bio to subscribe.  Totally free, I will never sell or share my list. 

I’d love to connect wit you through food + empower you to ditch recipes and learn to REALLY cook. 

#foodiesofinstagram #chefmom #privatechef #ciagrad #privatechef #love #yum #yummy #foodblogger #boiseblogger #nomnom #instafood #instalove #cookies #cookiedough #fromscratch #instafood #foodporn #homemade #edibletimes
I ❤️ milk foam. And in an entirely apolitical I ❤️ milk foam. And in an entirely apolitical sentiment, broken glass.

#inauguration #kamalaharris #brokenglass #madamevicepresident #foodblogger #inauguration2021 #womeninspiringwomen #motivation #girlboss #momboss #strongwomen #coffeeaddict #foam #glassceiling #momblogger #womenblogger #successfulwomen #positivevibes #vicepresident
Ever wonder the best way to prep asparagus? Trimme Ever wonder the best way to prep asparagus? Trimmed? Peeled? Both?  Asparagus season is coming, use link in bio for all the tasty answers.

PLUS asparagus + bacon two ways. 
You know, because I feel you. 🥓 😋

NEW FRIENDS: Follow along here at #edibletimes to ditch recipe drama and learn the methods and formulas of successful, delicious cooking. 👩🏻‍🍳

OLD FRIENDS: Thanks for sticking with me through all the drool-inducing, diet-killing photos.🤷🏻‍♀️
Monday feels: When you check your blog analytics, Monday feels: When you check your blog analytics, and a silly write-up you did on absinthe is your top post. By nearly double the page views. 
😅🤷🏻‍♀️
If the strong stuff is up your alley, use the link in bio. 😄 🍸
Too blustery for outdoor pursuits? 🌬 ❄️ M Too blustery for outdoor pursuits? 
🌬 ❄️ 
Make a Treacle Tart straight outta the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!
🧙‍♂️ 

And it can be gluten free! For all you need to know to get baking, use link in bio. 

JOIN IN! Tap my Stories and pick which Hogwart’s treat I should create and share next. 

I’m here for you like that.👩🏻‍🍳
Here’s a little late night reading for a perfect Here’s a little late night reading for a perfect breakfast in the morning. 

The ONE ingredient and ONLY technique you need for perfect, fluffy and tender scrambled eggs. No, not adding milk. 😱 
Chef’s promise. 👩🏻‍🍳 

Use link in bio, or:
https://edibletimes.com/how-to-make-fluffy-scrambled-eggs/

#edibletimes #keto #paleo #glutenfree #glutenfreecooking #glutenfreelife #feedfeed #feedfeedglutenfree #learntocook #norecipe #instayum #nomnom #nofilter #love #breakfast #breakfastideas #breakfastofchampions #foodblogger #eggs #eggsofinstagram #eggstravaganza #instagood #food 

@thefeedfeed @thefeedfeed.glutenfree

Copyright © 2021 · Refined theme by Restored 316