Give your lazy weekend breakfast a serious upgrade with these deliciously crispy Homestyle Breakfast Fries. This diner-style home fries recipe features golden brown cubes of tender potatoes mixed with sweet bell peppers, slightly spicy poblanos, and lightly caramelized onions for an easy skillet breakfast that’ll knock your socks off.
4wholeGreen Onions – thinly sliced; white/light green & dark green parts separated
To Taste Chopped Fresh Parsley or Chopped Fresh Basil – for garnish
Instructions
Boil Potatoes: Add 2 quarts of broth, water, or a combination of the two to a large pot or Dutch oven. Place the pot on the stovetop over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 ½ tablespoons of kosher salt, baking soda, and all the cut potatoes. Give everything a good stir and let the potatoes return to a boil. Once boiling again, immediately reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook the potatoes for 7-11 minutes, or until the tins of a fork meet little resistance when inserted into the chunks of potatoes.
Drain, Rest, Season and Toss Potatoes: Once the potatoes are fork-tender, carefully drain them using a strainer and then return the potato chunks back to the hot pot. Let the potatoes sit in the pot for 1 minute to remove the excess moisture. Then, transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and season with the paprika, Italian spice, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Toss and stir the potatoes to coat them in the oil and seasoning, being a little rough when tossing so that a layer of mashed-potato like paste has built up on all the potato chunks. Then, set the potatoes aside.
Meanwhile, Sauté Onions and Peppers: In a large cast iron skillet or nonstick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil with 1 tablespoon of butter over medium to medium-high heat. Once hot, add the bell peppers and poblano peppers to the pan. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Then, add the yellow onions and white/light green scallions to the skillet and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers and onions are soft and golden, about 6-8 minutes. Next, use a slotted spoon to transfer all the sautéed veggies to a plate or bowl.
Fry Potatoes: Place the same pan or skillet back on the burner over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 ½ tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Once the pan is hot and the butter is foaming, and working in two batches, add HALF the potatoes in a single layer, arranging the potatoes so they are cut side down. Cook the potatoes, without stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until the bottom side of the potatoes are golden brown. Then, carefully flip the potatoes and allow the other side to cook, undisturbed, for an addition 3-4 minutes. Then, start tossing and stirring the potatoes and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the home fries are just about crisp and golden all over. Use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes to a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat the process, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and tablespoon of butter to the pan, frying the rest of the potatoes, and transferring them to the plate.
Add Everything Back to Pan: Wipe the pan with a paper towel and heat 2 teaspoons of oil. Once shimmering, return the sautéed vegetables to the skillet, followed by the potatoes. Toss and stir everything to combine and then season to taste of salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sliced dark green onions. Toss the potatoes to combine. Taste the potatoes and adjust for seasoning as you see fit.
Serve: Transfer the crispy home fries to a serving bowl or platter and dust with smoked paprika and more fresh herbs, if desired. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
Potato Variety: You can use Yukon Golds or Russets to make this recipe for home fries.
Yukon Gold Potatoes (shown in the photos): Typically smaller in size, Yukon golds will have a creamer center with a slightly less exterior and deeper flavor.
Russet Potatoes: Typically a little larger in size, Russets will have a fluffier center with a slightly crispier crust.
Cutting Potatoes: Make sure you cut the potatoes to be on the chunkier, larger side – larger than a traditional large 1-inch dice. Aim for around 2-inches or so.
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Recipe Serve: 4-6
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 6 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.