Quick and Easy Home Fries Recipe (2024)

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This Home Fries recipe is quick and easy to make and rivals any home fries you would get at a restaurant! Skip the brunch lines and make these instead! They’re great for a breakfast side dish or you can add them to breakfast burritos and tacos.

Quick and Easy Home Fries Recipe (1)

Brunch has become increasingly popular these days, which is great because I love brunch food, but it also means there’s usually long lines. This Sunday, skip the brunch lines and make your own at home, and make sure to include these Quick and Easy Home Fries!

Why You’ll Love This Home Fries Recipe!

  • They are quick and easy to make. This recipe calls for the potatoes being microwaved, rather than boiled, so that cuts down a lot on the preparation time!
  • They’re versatile and meal prep friendly. You can enjoy them as a breakfast/brunch side dish or you can add them to breakfast tacos and burritos. I like to make a big batch on the weekend and then I can just heat them in the microwave, or on the stovetop, each morning.
  • Minimal ingredients are required. All you need to make these this Home Fries recipe is potatoes, oil and a few spices.

Quick and Easy Home Fries Recipe (2)

Quick and Easy Home Fries Recipe Ingredients

  • Potatoes – I like to use russet potatoes for home fries because their flavor is kind of like a blank canvas and they crisp up nicely. You can use whatever kind of potatoes you like, Yukon gold would also be a great option, although they tend to be sweeter in flavor.
  • Oil – I recommend a neutral flavored oil for these home fries, but they will work with olive oil if that is all you have. Examples of neutral flavored oils are: avocado, canola, grapeseed, safflower or sunflower.
  • Spices – I like to season my home fries with paprika, granulated garlic and a little bit of cumin. The paprika is key for giving them the nice golden orange color.
  • Salt and Black Pepper – Season your home fries with salt and black pepper, to taste. I usually find that potatoes need a bit more salt than I would think.

Quick and Easy Home Fries Recipe (3)

How To Make Restaurant Style Home Fries

  1. Thoroughly wash and dry your potatoes. I like to make these home fries with the skin still on because the skin gets nice and crispy, and it’s much quicker not to peel them! If you prefer to have your potatoes peeled, I would recommend either peeling the potatoes, dicing them and boiling them until just fork tender OR you can microwave them like normal and then use a potato peeler to peel the skin off.
  2. Use a metal fork to carefully prick holes in all sides of the potatoes. Place potatoes on a microwave safe plate and microwave potatoes until fork tender, but not falling apart. You want the potato to be fully cooked but also have a little give in the middle. I usually just use the baked potato button and cook the potatoes for about 2-3 minutes, flip and cook for another 2 minutes or so. You will start to hear them sizzling a little and you should be able to smell them.
  3. The potatoes will be really hot, so you can either carefully dice them right away or allow them to cool before dicing. You want to cut the potatoes into bite size pieces, you can make them whatever size you like.
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Let oil heat up and then add the potatoes, paprika, granulated garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix everything together and make sure the potatoes are completely coated with the oil and seasonings. Use a spatular to press down the potatoes in a single layer and let them cook for about 3-4 minutes without touching them.
  5. Flip potatoes and let cook on the other side until potatoes are golden brown. The longer you cook them, the crispier they will get, so it’s up to you! Sometimes I like to sprinkle a little extra salt on them after they’ve finished cooking, totally optional though.

Quick and Easy Home Fries Recipe (4)

Recipe Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are these home fries gluten free? Yes!
  • Is this recipe vegan? It is!
  • What kind of potatoes are best to use? I recommend using russet potatoes. They’re usually cheaper than other kinds and work really well for this recipe.
  • Can these potatoes be made ahead of time? Yes, you can easily make these on the weekend and enjoy them for breakfast each morning. I usually heat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
  • How should these home fries be served? You can serve them as a side dish at breakfast, or even dinner. You can also add them to breakfast tacos or burritos.

Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I’ll get back to you ASAP!

Quick and Easy Home Fries Recipe (5)

Looking For More Easy Vegetarian Breakfast Recipes?

Potato Egg and Cheese Breakfast Burritos

Easy Apple Crisp Breakfast Bowls

Loaded Breakfast Stuffed Peppers

Caramelized Apple and Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cups

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Bars

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Quick and Easy Home Fries Recipe (6)

Quick and Easy Home Fries

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5 from 1 review

  • Author: She Likes Food
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This Home Fries recipe is quick and easy to make and rivals any home fries you would get at a restaurant! Skip the brunch lines and make these instead! They’re great for a breakfast side dish or you can add them to breakfast burritos and tacos.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 4 medium sized russet potatoes, about the size of your palm
  • 2 tablespoons oil, you can use either olive oil or a neutral flavored oil such as avocado, canola, or grapeseed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin, or more if desired
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste, I used about 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/5 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Thoroughly wash and dry your potatoes. I like to make these home fries with the skin still on because the skin gets nice and crispy, and it’s much quicker not to peel them!
  2. Use a metal fork to carefully prick holes in all sides of the potatoes. Place potatoes on a microwave safe plate and microwave potatoes until fork tender, but not falling apart. You want the potato to be fully cooked but also have a little give in the middle. I usually just use the baked potato button and cook the potatoes for about 2-3 minutes, flip and cook for another 2 minutes or so. You will start to hear them sizzling a little and you should be able to smell them.
  3. The potatoes will be really hot, so you can either carefully dice them right away or allow them to cool before dicing. You want to cut the potatoes into bite size pieces, you can make them whatever size you like.
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Let oil heat up and then add the potatoes, paprika, granulated garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix everything together and make sure the potatoes are completely coated with the oil and seasonings. Use a spatular to press down the potatoes in a single layer and let them cook for about 3-4 minutes without touching them.
  5. Flip potatoes and let cook on the other side until potatoes are golden brown. The longer you cook them, the crispier they will get, so it’s up to you! Sometimes I like to sprinkle a little extra salt on them after they’ve finished cooking, totally optional though.

Notes

If you prefer to have your potatoes peeled, I would recommend either peeling the potatoes, dicing them and boiling them until just fork tender OR you can microwave them like normal and then use a potato peeler to peel the skin off.

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 min
  • Category: Breakfast, Vegan
  • Method: Stovetop, Microwave
  • Cuisine: American

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Quick and Easy Home Fries Recipe (7)Rachel Kay says

    Best potatoes ever and so easy!!

    Reply

    • Quick and Easy Home Fries Recipe (8)She Likes Food says

      Yah! I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Rachel!

      Reply

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Quick and Easy Home Fries Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making the best fries? ›

The Double-Fry Method

When it comes to the actual cooking, you want to fry the french fries twice. The first round is at a lower temperature to cook the inside of the potato and the second time you'll use a higher temperature to make the fries golden brown and crispy.

Do you boil potato before frying? ›

Really no need to boil the potatoes first....that's just another pan to wash. I use an electric skillet. Melt a little butter and add a little oil.

How do you keep home fries from getting soggy? ›

You should dry the fries after rinsing, and then let them sit after tossing with starch to let the starch-crust form. This will also remove excess surface water, which will prevent boil ups. Lastly, if you are worried about it, use less oil and fry in smaller batches.

How to make fries better? ›

To get the perfect crisp, toss your sliced potatoes with olive oil and seasonings before baking in a preheated oven at 425 degrees F. Monitor closely to ensure that they don't burn! Add Some Heat – Whether you like spicy or mild, adding a bit of heat to your French fries can take them up to another level.

How long should I soak potatoes for fries? ›

If you're pressed for time, the slightly sticky, cut potatoes should be soaked for a minimum of 15 minutes. However, a longer soak time may allow more starch to be removed. So, if you can prep the fries ahead of time, a few hours of soaking can help make them even crispier.

What do you soak fries in before frying? ›

Use russet potatoes and soak them in lukewarm water with a couple tablespoons of sugar for 1 hour. It will remove even more starch and make then taste better and crispier. Then pat them dry and just fry them once at 350 in peanut oil for roughly 12 minutes.

What happens if you don't soak potatoes before frying? ›

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

How long should I boil fries before frying? ›

Add potatoes to a small but deep saucepan filled with cold water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, let potatoes cook for about 5 minutes and then remove. Air dry on paper towels; about 10 minutes. (Make sure the potatoes are dry before frying; you can dab them off with the paper towel if necessary.)

What happens if you don't dry potatoes before frying? ›

Once fries are scooped out of the water, it's essential to thoroughly pat them dry, or they'll wind up limp instead of crisp, thus defeating the whole purpose.

Why won t my home fries get crispy? ›

**Note: As potatoes fry you can cover them temporarily to increase heat –the secret to crispiness is leave them long enough on each side to form a little crust before turning them. The other secret will be frying the potatoes twice over, letting them cool in between.

Why don't my homemade fries get crispy? ›

If they are still not crispy you might have skipped a step or you might not have let them cool down sufficiently. Make sure to cool them in a single even layer and also make sure that the oil has the right temperature. Or maybe you've used the wrong potatoes to make them.

Why do my homemade fries fall apart? ›

Avoid stirring too much when frying. Try frying raw potatoes in enough oil (I usually pour ~0.3 cm of oil for a full pan of potatoes) on medium-high or high heat WITHOUT the lid and WITHOUT salt/pepper. Stir them not often (but don't let them burn, indeed) till they are crispy enough on all sides.

Why do restaurant fries taste better? ›

Blanching: The Reason Why French Fries Taste Better

Your potatoes need to take two separate dips in hot oil to reach restaurant quality. Oil-blanching is a two-part process that reduces the moisture and starch content in your fries, helping them crisp up.

What is the secret to restaurant french fries? ›

Blanching: The Reason Why French Fries Taste Better

Your potatoes need to take two separate dips in hot oil to reach restaurant quality. Oil-blanching is a two-part process that reduces the moisture and starch content in your fries, helping them crisp up.

Why do you have to soak french fries before frying? ›

A: The main reasons to cut the potatoes and pre-soak in water are: To allow the excess starches and sugars to be removed from the outer surface of the fry strips AND to keep the potatoes from browning prematurely from exposure to air. Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color.

What makes a good french fry? ›

That being said, it's critical to use quality potatoes and good, clean fry oil. The oil contributes greatly to the overall experience of eating fried foods. Though tastes and preferences differ, the perfect French fry generally has a crunchy exterior and a light, fluffy interior.

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