Looking for an easy, filling side dish option for any main meal? These Pan-Fried Potatoes and Onions are sauteed to perfection, coming together in just 30 minutes or less.
I love a dynamic veggie duo, especially if they can be prepared together (see also: Roasted Asparagus and Carrots!). Each veg brings a different taste and textural element, culminating in a vibrant burst of flavor in every bite!
Plus, they are so incredibly easy to make and ready to customize. Something I definitely appreciate as a time-pressed mom who never settles for boring meals.
In this simple vegetable side-dish recipe, you will learn a simple technique for perfectly pan-frying the potatoes and onions, so that they are both tender and golden-brown.
Pan-fried Potatoes and Onions Ingredient Highlights
Honey Gold, Yukon gold, red potatoes, new potatoes, and fingerling potatoes all work in this recipe. Using these potatoes means you do not need to boil them before frying them. You can get a nice and tender potato with just a frying pan.
Honey gold are definitely my favorite for this dish (and honestly probably my favorite variety of spud overall- this Roasted Honey Gold Potatoes recipe is one of my most popular recipes of all time!).
Yellow onion is my favorite here, but sweet works, too. While red and white onion work in a pinch, their flavor mellows a lot when cooked so I’d stick to one of the first two varieties.
Optional flavor-boosters:
- Minced garlic or garlic powder
- Old Bay, Cajun seasoning, steak seasoning, or any other of your favorite spice blends to turn up the flavor!
- Fresh (or dried) herbs (like rosemary, thyme, basil, dill, parsley, or oregano).
- Crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper if you’re seeking a little bit of spice.
- Grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, or Nutritional Yeast
Tips for Crispy Pan-Fried Potatoes and Onions
How to Prep Potatoes and Onions for Pan-Frying
Potatoes have a long shelf life and can stay fresh for several months when they are stored unpeeled and whole in a cool, dry place.
You can store them in the refrigerator to get the longest shelf-life (we’re talking months!), but they’ll also keep well for roughly 2 weeks at room temperature.
Similarly, onions thrive when they are stored in a cool, dry place. When uncut and still in their natural peel, they can last for months. They can also be stored in the refrigerator, though they tend to taste better when stored at room temperature.
When you’re ready to cook them, rinse and dry the potatoes and chop them into bite-sized wedges. There’s no need to peel these potatoes here!
It’s important to chop the potatoes pretty small so that they get nice and tender rather quickly on the stovetop. I find it easier to chop them in half longways first, then cut those two pieces into 2-3 pieces, depending on their size.
While they certainly do not have to be perfectly uniform, the more equal in size you can get them, the more evenly they will cook.
For this pan-fried veggie side dish, we want thinly sliced onion. To do so, you first have to peel and core it.
Start by chopping the onion into 3 or 4 parts right around the core. We won’t be using the core in this recipe, but it can be saved in a freezer bag with other veggie scraps to make your own vegetable broth, or it can be easily composted along with the peel.
Once you’ve cut out your core, you will be able to easily remove the outer layer of the onion. Then, you can place each piece flat on your cutting board so you can easily slice them into thin strips.
Finally, use your hands to separate the layers.
How to Get Crispy Potatoes without Deep Frying
The key to crispy potatoes in a frying pan is getting the oil hot first. Add the olive oil to a large frying pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat and allow it to get hot for about 2-3 minutes before adding your potatoes.
It’s important to get the oil hot in the pan first before adding your potatoes or onions. Getting the oil hot first will avoid the oil being soaked up by the potatoes and onions and giving them a way-too-oily and soggy texture.
If the oil is hot when you add the potatoes, it will immediately start to cook and crisp up the outside of the potatoes, creating a barrier so the potatoes don’t absorb too much oil.
Once the oil is hot, add the potatoes, salt, and pepper to the pan. Don’t add the onions yet! The potatoes will take a little longer to cook than the onions.
We will be cooking everything over high heat, and we don’t want the onions to burn while we are trying to get the potatoes tender and golden brown.
If you’re adding any other optional seasonings or garlic add those now, too.
Once the potatoes, salt, pepper, and hot oil is all in the pan, use a wooden spoon or spatula to toss everything together, coating the potatoes in a layer of hot oil and evenly distributing the seasoning.
Fry over high heat, stirring frequently as the potatoes cook and brown. Continue to cook and toss for about 10 minutes, until you achieve a golden-brown tone on some of the potato wedges.
After 10 minutes and you’ve achieved some browning, add the sliced onions. Toss to coat the onions in the oil and seasoning.
Continue to pan-fry over high heat until the potatoes are fork-tender, and you can see and smell caramelized onions in your pan.
If you’re adding Parmesan cheese or optional herbs, add them after you take the potatoes and onions off the heat.
How I Store and Reheat Pan-Fried Onions and Potatoes
Leftovers of these Potatoes and Onions in a Frying Pan will last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Alternatively, they can be frozen for up to a year.
To thaw them from the freezer, transfer the frozen onions and potatoes from the freezer to the refrigerator and let them rest there overnight. You can also reheat them right out of the freezer.
To reheat, bring your oven up to 350°F and roast them as is (no need to add any extra oil or seasonings) for about 8-10 minutes until they are heated thoroughly.
Otherwise, you can just place them right back in a frying pan over medium heat, tossing while you cook until they are heated all the way through.
30-Minute Pan-Fried Potatoes and Onions
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEEquipment
Ingredients
Pan-Fried Potatoes and Onions
- 24 ounces honey gold potatoes (or Yukon gold or red potatoes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large sweet onion (or yellow onion)
Optional Flavor-Boosting Add-ins
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (or Cajun seasoning or Steak Seasoning)
- ½ teaspoon garlic or onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or cayenne pepper)
- ½ ounce chopped fresh herbs (like basil, rosemary, thyme, or oregano)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast)
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to chop your potatoes into bite-sized wedges that are roughly equal in size.24 ounces honey gold potatoes
- To a large frying pan over high heat, add the olive oil, allowing it to get hot for about 2 minutes before adding the potatoes.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Carefully add the potato wedges, salt, and pepper to the hot oil. If you are adding any additional optional seasonings or garlic, add those now, too.½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic or onion powder, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Fry the potatoes in the olive oil over high heat, tossing frequently so they don't burn. Fry for about ten minutes, until the potatoes start to brown.
- Meanwhile, slice the onions into thin strips.1 large sweet onion
- After about ten minutes of the potatoes frying on their own, add the sliced onion and toss to coat it in olive oil.
- Pan-fry the potatoes and onions together over high heat, tossing frequently, until the potato wedges are fork-tender, and the onions start to brown. If you are adding Parmesan cheese or fresh herbs, add them after removing the potatoes and onions from heat. Enjoy hot.½ ounce chopped fresh herbs, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
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