Home Fries Breakfast Recipe

Wash and cut

Wash potatoes thoroughly. Leave skins on for texture. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch dice (about even cubes).

Soak to remove starch

Place diced potatoes in a bowl of cold water and soak for 10 minutes to remove surface starch. Drain and pat thoroughly dry with a clean towel or paper towels.

Prep vegetables

Peel and halve the onion, then cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice. Core and seed the green bell pepper, then cut into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. If using scallions, thinly slice white and green parts and set aside.

Preheat pan

Heat a large heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until hot.

Add fats

Add the neutral oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the butter and let it melt and foam; when the foaming subsides the pan is ready.

Par-cook potatoes

Add the dried potato cubes in a single layer. Let them cook undisturbed 4–5 minutes to brown the undersides. Use a spatula to flip and continue to cook, stirring every 2–3 minutes, for a total of 8–10 minutes until edges are golden and pieces are tender when pierced with a fork. If the pan becomes too crowded, cook in two batches.

Add onion and pepper

Push potatoes to one side, add the diced onion and bell pepper to the cleared space (add a touch more oil if pan looks dry). Cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and begin to brown. Mix everything together in the pan.

Season and finish cooking

Sprinkle salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes over the potatoes and vegetables. Stir to coat evenly and continue to cook, pressing gently with the spatula to increase contact with the pan, for 2–4 more minutes until the potatoes are well-browned and cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Brighten and garnish

Remove skillet from heat. If desired, drizzle the lemon juice over the potatoes and sprinkle with chopped parsley and sliced scallions.

Transfer home fries to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately as a breakfast side. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days and reheated in a skillet for best texture.