How to Make Perfectly Crispy Home Fries in a Cast Iron Skillet
These Crispy Cast Iron Skillet Home Fries are perfect for any meal and are simple to make in your trusty cast iron skillet.
With this simple, foolproof method, you can add your favorite herbs and spices to make your potatoes exactly how you like them—no need to worry about undercooked potatoes or burned onions.
The Best Home Fries in a Cast Iron Skillet
Equipment
- Large (10-inch or more) cast-iron skillet
- Stiff spatula
- Sharp knife
- Microwave safe dish (for precooking the potatoes)
Ingredients
- 1½ lb potatoes (scrubbed clean of 4 medium, about 4 cups of diced potatoes)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup minced onion
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- pinch cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes. You can either use leftover baked potatoes or dice the potatoes into ½-inch cubes and microwave them for 6 minutes on high.
- Cook the onion. Cook until the onion is softened, translucent, and beginning to brown (about 5 minutes). Remove the onion to a small plate and set aside.
- Brown the potatoes. Place the cooked potatoes carefully in the skillet in a single layer. Allow them to brown without stirring for about 5 minutes.
- Flip the potatoes. This should take another 5 minutes.
- Add the onion and seasoning. For extra flavor, add any optional seasonings like fresh herbs, diced bell pepper, or minced garlic. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes reach the desired level of browning (an additional 2-3 minutes).
- Serve: Serve immediately.
Notes
More Tips:
After you microwave or rinse the diced potatoes, make sure to dry them with a clean towel. Having too much water can stop them from getting crispy.
A cast-iron skillet is great for this recipe because it holds heat well, making browning even. If you don’t have one, use another heavy pan for the best results.
Make sure your skillet is hot before adding the potatoes to prevent sticking and ensure they cook evenly.
Start cooking the onions on medium-low heat, but switch to medium-high heat to brown the potatoes for the perfect crispy texture.
Wait before flipping the potatoes. Let them sit and brown on one side before turning. This patience pays off with a better crust.
Stirring too often can cause the potatoes to break down and become mushy. Let them cook without stirring for a few minutes at a time.
Key Ingredients and Tools
For making delicious home fries, you’ll need a few important items:
- A heavy skillet: This helps the potatoes have a crispy outer layer by distributing heat evenly.
- A microwave-safe dish: This is useful for quickly precooking the potatoes.
- A sharp knife: This is necessary for dicing the potatoes evenly, ensuring that they cook uniformly.
- Butter: This adds flavor and helps to brown the onions and potatoes.
- Cayenne pepper: A small amount gives a subtle spiciness; if you don’t have cayenne, crushed red pepper flakes can be used instead.
These tools and ingredients will greatly improve the outcome, making sure your home fries turn out crispy, tasty, and perfectly cooked.
You can use these ingredients and their possible substitutions:
- Vegetable oil: Olive oil or canola oil is a great alternative.
- Butter: You can replace it with margarine or ghee.
- Cayenne pepper: Replace it with crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce.
- Fresh herbs: Swap them with dried herbs (use 1/3 of the amount).
Trying these substitutions will slightly alter the outcome, but you can still try them for a different variation in the recipe.
These home fries are just the thing for a cozy and delicious meal! They’re easy to make, and you can customize them to your liking.
With their crispy exterior and fluffy center, they’re sure to be a hit alongside any meal. So try them and treat yourself to a homemade dish everyone loves!
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.