Pan Fried Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

Perfectly crispy pan fried potatoes are tossed with flavorful caramelized onions for a stand-out potato side dish that’s an incredible addition to any meal!

Everyone needs that one easy potato recipe up their sleeve! These pan fried potatoes are that one recipe you need.

These bad boys feature super crispy outsides, fluffy interior, and so many flavorful caramelized onions in every bite. Pretty much just perfection in a potato.

And the best part? It’s all made in one trusty skillet completely on the stovetop in less than an hour!

With the holidays fast approaching, easy side dishes like this are the best kind of recipe to have up your sleeve. They go well with literally ANY meal!

And they pretty much just cook themselves they’re so freaking easy.

These Pan Fried Potatoes feature…

• Red potatoes that are pan fried until crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
• Flavorful caramelized onions.
• Only a handful of basic pantry ingredients needed and only one pan!

Making the Pan Fried Potatoes

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

• Red potatoes
• Oregano
• Garlic powder
• Parsley
• Vegetable oil
• Sweet Vidalia onion
• Unsalted butter

Choosing Your Potatoes

We prefer using baby red potatoes over anything else for this recipe because their waxy texture and thick skins are perfectly suited for pan frying.

Can I Use a Different Potato? You can definitely experiment with different kinds, just make sure you cut them into the suggested size of 2-inches. Feel free to try yukon golds, fingerlings, or baby potatoes.

Tips for Perfect Pan Fried Potatoes

1. Caramelize onions slowly – the trick to caramelizing onions is to not rush the cooking process. Cook the onions on medium heat, stirring occasionally until onions are completely broken down and a deep caramel color.
2. Cut potatoes into uniform sizes – this is super important because you want all the potatoes to cook evenly.
3. Pan fry potatoes in single layer – don’t be afraid to do the potatoes in batches if you’re having trouble fitting them all in the pan – it’s important that each potato piece has contact with the pan.
4. Cook potatoes on medium heat – don’t be tempted to bump up the heat – we found that the medium heat will give the potatoes a lovely crust on the outside, yet cook them all the way through without any burning.
5. Cover pan while cooking – this builds steam that helps cook the potatoes through faster.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on these potatoes!

• Skip the onions – if you’re not a fan of onions, just leave them out!
• Make them cheesy – add a handful of shredded cheddar or Parmesan during the last 2 minutes of cooking for a cheesy kick.
• Add more spices – kick up the flavors in these potatoes with more dried herbs or cayenne/red pepper flakes for a spicy flavor.

What to Serve with Potatoes

We love serving these potatoes alongside any main meat dish. It goes great with meatloaf, grilled chicken, or steak.

You can also keep things on the lighter side and serve it alongside a big green salad for a meat-free meal!

There is just no going wrong with a batch of these potatoes on your menu! The crispy pan fried texture is so simple, but SO freaking good. And the caramelized onions just absolutely complete them and bring all the flavors in for a home run.

This is the only potato recipe you need in your life and that’s a fact.

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

Watch these potatoes made step-by-step on Google web stories!

More amazing potato dishes to try next!

• Air Fryer Fingerling Potatoes
• Tuscan Salmon and Baby Potatoes
• Mushroom Caramelized Onion Scalloped Potatoes