• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Maritime Glutton
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Resources
    • Zero Waste Guides
    • Kitchen Guides
    • Authentic Food Guides
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Resources
    • Zero Waste Guides
    • Kitchen Guides
    • Authentic Food Guides
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Resources
      • Zero Waste Guides
      • Kitchen Guides
      • Authentic Food Guides
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Breakfast Recipes / Diner Style Home Fries

    Diner Style Home Fries

    Published Jul 21, 2021 by Lauren · This post may contain affiliate links.

     82   
    82
    Shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    When it comes to home fries, there's always the long held debate of deep-fried versus pan-fried - I'm 100% on team pan-fried. These breakfast potatoes are the best way to start your morning. Forget hashbrowns, diner style home fries are the only breakfast potato you need.

    With a bit of crunch and a bit of tender potatoy insides, these are perfectly balanced in texture, flavour and richness. As much as it's nice to order out home fries on a lazy hungover Sunday brunch, it's even better to make them at home whenever a craving strikes.

    A cast iron pan filled with lots of crispy browned home fries
    Jump to:
    • How to Choose Potatoes
    • Tips for Perfect Results
    • Ways to Enjoy Breakfast Potatoes
    • Need a Breakfast Pick Me Up?
    • WANT MORE BREAKFAST RECIPES?
    • 📖 Recipe

    How to Choose Potatoes

    I prefer diner style home fries. These are the kind of breakfast potato that have some crispy edges (but not always all of them) and may even have some burnt bits. Despite the crispiness, they're incredibly creamy and soft on the inside.

    This is accomplished by using starchy potatoes like Russets, Idaho or Yukon Gold (opposed to waxy potatoes like New Potatoes, Red Potatoes or Fingerling Potatoes). Here's a great article on Waxy vs Starchy Potatoes as well as the uses for both from CBC. Ultimately, use whatever you have on hand if you just have a hankering, but for the best diner style home fries, the high-starch potato varieties will serve you best.

    My personal preference is Russets as they're accessible and usually cheap.

    Potatoes an onion and a shallot on a cutting board with a Wusthof knife

    Tips for Perfect Results

    As mentioned above, for the perfect combination of crispy and creamy, you need to choose the right potatoes. High starch potatoes like Russets are my go to.

    Using a combination of fats (butter and lard/oil) will create a better rounded flavour. There is debate about using oil and butter combined to raise the smoke point of butter, but there's only some anecdotal evidence of this. Some tests have been done to disprove this, but I still combine butter and oil over medium to medium/high heat for flavour purposes.

    Cook your diner style home fries in three steps. This requires par-boiling the potatoes, cooking the onions and shallots separately, and then cooking the par-boiled potatoes alone before adding back the onion/shallot and spices. Although this will dirty an extra pot and a bowl to store the onion/shallot, it's worth it for not burning the onions.

    If you need to cook in two batches, you'll need to add more butter/bacon fat to the pan. If you have a big enough pan that you don't need two batches, the amounts called for in the recipe should be enough.

    The diner style home fries, partially cooked, in a cast iron pan with seasonings on top

    Ways to Enjoy Breakfast Potatoes

    If you're too good to eat home fries right out of the pan with no sides (I certainly am not above this), here are a few meal ideas that benefit from this delicious starchy side dish.

    • Eggs Benedict
    • Breakfast Enchiladas
    • Breakfast Poutine
    • Diner-Style Breakfast (Eggs, Protein, Home Fries & Buttered Toast)
    • Bacon Potato Breakfast Tacos
    • Breakfast Bowls (Home Fries with a Poached Egg, Avocado, Cheese and Veggies)
    • Breakfast Sandwiches
    • Scrambled Eggs
    • Great substitute for fries in Fish and Chips or Burgers
    What potatoes can I use?

    The best choice is a starchy potato, I like Russets. You can use any potato, but know that less starchy potatoes will hold their form more.

    Can I make home fries in advance?

    Yes! They can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. They're best reheated in the air fryer. Technically, they can be frozen, but they will become soggy. If texture isn't an issue for you and you want to make huge batches, go to town!

    How can I make vegan home fries?

    Skip the bacon fat for coconut oil or olive oil. Replace the butter with a vegan butter alternative or a vegan margarine. It won't taste exactly the same, but they will still be crispy and delicious.

    Can I make the potatoes in a single batch and just rotate them?

    If your pan isn't big enough and you don't want to do two batches, you'll need to evaluate the trade off between time saved and max crispiness. You can make them in one go by placing a cover over the pan as they brown and cooking for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway. I still recommend a single layer in the pan.

    Need a Breakfast Pick Me Up?

    Make sure you get your caffeine fix. All greasy diner breakfasts come with some plain black coffee, but I recommend trying some fun caffeinated drinks!

    • Dalgona Matcha Latte
    • Cold Brew Coffee
    • Mimosas (Not caffeine, but we won't judge you) 😉

    WANT MORE BREAKFAST RECIPES?

    • Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
    • Matcha Banana Bread
    • The Best Ever Egg White Oats
    • Dehydrated Hash Browns for Camping or Emergency Prep

    📖 Recipe

    Diner Style Home Fries

    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Perfectly crisp and tender home fries with a flavourful coating. Tastes just like the home fries from your favourite diner.
    4.93 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 267kcal
    Author: Lauren

    Equipment

    • Cutting Board
    • Chef's Knife
    • Pot
    • Cast Iron Pan
    • Spatula

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ lbs Russet Potatoes about 2 large potatoes or 3 medium
    • 2 tablespoons Bacon Fat or Olive Oil
    • 2 tablespoons Butter unsalted
    • 1 Onion, medium diced
    • 1 Shallot diced
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
    • ½ teaspoom Onion Powder
    • Salt to taste
    • Pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Wash and scrub your potatoes. Dry them and cut them into ½ inch pieces.
    • Place the diced potatoes in a large pot filled with cold water 1-2 inches over the potatoes. Heavily salt the water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, allow the potatoes to boil for 2-3 minutes, until they can be pierced with a fork but are still firm. Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool down for 5 minutes.
    • While the water boils, cook the diced onion and shallot in 1 tablespoon of bacon fat (or olive oil) in a pan, ideally cast iron, and season with salt and pepper. Cook them until they are translucent and fragrant. About 5 minutes. Set aside.
    • In the same pan you used for the onions, add the remaining tablespoon of bacon fat and 1 tablespoon of butter. Heat until the fat is slightly bubbly. Add in the dried and cooled potatoes and spread them out in a single layer cooking for 8-10 minutes without stirring. If they don't all fit, work in batches.
    • Once the potatoes are browned, add in the spices (paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper) as well as the cooked onions and shallots. Stir to combine and allow to cook for another 2-3 minutes, until all the flavours have combined.
    • If desired, add an additional tablespoon of butter to mix in the spices and seasonings. Serve immediately with your main of choice. See blog for serving suggestions.

    Notes

    If your potatoes aren't crispy enough, make sure that all potatoes are touching the bottom of the pan. If it persists, add in a bit more cooking fat and turn up the heat to medium-high.
     
    For best results, use a high starch potato like Russets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 795mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 499IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @MaritimeGlutton or tag #maritimeglutton!
    « Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
    Elderflower Gin and Tonic »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Toni

      July 22, 2021 at 1:18 pm

      5 stars
      Such an amazing day starter!! A new favorite at my house!

      Reply
      • Maritime Glutton

        July 22, 2021 at 1:26 pm

        So glad to hear that, Toni!

        Reply
    2. Shadi Hasanzadenemati

      July 22, 2021 at 2:04 pm

      5 stars
      I have everything I need for this dish, can’t wait to make it this weekend!

      Reply
    3. Maria

      July 22, 2021 at 2:37 pm

      5 stars
      This is really smart way of making fries! Thank you for sharing such a detailed and easy way to make home made fries.

      Reply
      • Maritime Glutton

        July 22, 2021 at 4:09 pm

        Thank you for the feedback, Maria!

        Reply
    4. Elizabeth

      July 22, 2021 at 2:52 pm

      5 stars
      These home fries are absolutely perfect! My whole family was obsessed. We’ll definitely be making this recipe again soon!

      Reply
      • Maritime Glutton

        July 22, 2021 at 4:08 pm

        Thank you so much, Elizabeth! So glad they were a hit

        Reply
    5. veenaazmanov

      July 22, 2021 at 2:56 pm

      5 stars
      This is definitely a delicious side dish. Potatoes are always yum and this recipe is bursting with flavors.

      Reply
      • Maritime Glutton

        July 22, 2021 at 4:08 pm

        So glad to hear, Veena!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Maritime Glutton, I'm Lauren and I'm the face creating recipes around here. I'm passionate about supporting local, eating great food and finding new ways to cut back on food waste and save money. Learn more about me here.

    healthy recipes

    • The Best Ever Egg White Oats
    • Tuscan Harvest Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
    • Taylor Farms Dill Pickle Salad Recipe
    • Vitamix Butternut Squash Soup with Apple and Cauliflower

    popular recipes

    • Authentic Arroz Caldo - The Best Filipino Comfort Food
    • Roy Choi's French Onion Soup Recipe
    • Sweet Cream Cold Foam
    • Subway's Sweet Onion Sauce
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Copyright © 2023 Maritime Glutton on the Foodie Pro Theme