Amazing 25-Min Garlic Herb Skillet Fried Potatoes

Sometimes, the very best things in life—and the best things for dinner—are the simplest. We all need those reliable, comforting side dishes tucked away in our back pockets, the ones that come together fast and taste like home, right? That’s exactly what we have here with the Garlic Herb Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions. Forget complicated layering or hours in the oven; this is pure, honest flavor forged in butter and heat.

I remember the first time I attempted to recreate a childhood favorite—my grandmother’s garlic potatoes. On a warm evening, with the sun setting behind the trees, I gathered fresh herbs from my garden, recalling how she would use them to enliven simple dishes. I sliced up some potatoes and onions and tossed them into my trusty skillet, letting the savory aroma fill the kitchen. As I took that first bite, I was transported back in time, feeling her loving presence with every delicious forkful. This memory fuels my passion for bringing classic flavors to the keto table, where traditional comfort food meets modern nutritional needs. You can check out more of my kitchen adventures over on my author page here: Jenny Miller’s Kitchen Corner.

Trust me, these crispy, tender skillet potatoes are about to become your new weeknight staple!

Why You Will Love This Garlic Herb Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions Recipe

Honestly, I wouldn’t bother sharing a recipe unless it was a total winner—and this one is gold! It’s everything you want in a simple side dish, without any fuss. It’s the kind of thing you can whip up while your main course is still simmering.

• It comes together faster than you can believe! The total time is just 25 minutes, which is unheard of for perfectly fried potatoes.
• That cozy, savory flavor hits just right, thanks to a brilliant mix of garlic powder and herbs that tastes just like your favorite diner.
• You can’t beat the texture: crispy edges on the potatoes and tender, sweet onions all mingling together.
• This is the perfect breakfast side dish—it stands up beautifully next to eggs and bacon.
• It’s incredibly versatile! It works with almost any supper you’re making tonight.
• Cleanup is a breeze; most of the action happens right in one skillet!

Seriously, give this one a try next time you need a quick upgrade to your meal. You won’t regret it!

Gathering Ingredients for Garlic Herb Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions

Okay, let’s talk about what you need! This recipe is sneaky because it relies on pantry staples, not a huge shopping trip. That’s what I love about simple comfort food. You likely have most of this stuff already lying around.

For the base, we need about a quarter cup of vegetable oil—I usually grab canola if I have it, but any neutral oil works great for getting that beautiful crisp. Then we get to the stars: three medium Russet potatoes that you must peel, and one big yellow onion that needs to be sliced up thinly. Don’t forget your salt and pepper, of course!

Now for the fun part, the optional add-ins that make these truly special. These will bump up that lovely flavor profile. You’ll want a half teaspoon of garlic powder and a full teaspoon of red pepper flakes if you like a tiny bit of heat. And I always finish mine with a tablespoon of fresh chives sprinkled right on top before serving! If you want to browse some other pantry must-haves, check out my list of essential items for cooking.

Essential Equipment for Perfect Garlic Herb Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions

You don’t need a shelf full of fancy gadgets for this recipe, thank goodness! We are keeping things super simple here. You just need two things, really. First, you absolutely need a good, heavy sauté pan or, even better, a cast-iron skillet. I can’t stress this enough for achieving those real diner style recipes edges!

The cast iron holds heat so perfectly and evenly, which is the secret weapon for getting that deeply browned, crispy exterior on your skillet potatoes without burning the insides. Trust me, if you have one, use it! Second, have some paper towels handy. You’ll need them to gently blot the finished product so they aren’t swimming in oil.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Garlic Herb Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions

This is where the magic happens, friend! The technique is super straightforward—it’s all about managing the heat and giving everything enough space to brown up nicely. Don’t rush this part; a little patience ensures you get the best crispiness. If you’re looking for some general foolproof cooking ideas while you wait, I have a little guide you might want to peek at later on how to make dinner foolproof.

Preparing the Oil and Slicing Vegetables

First things first: get that oil hot! Pour in your quarter cup of vegetable oil and set your skillet over medium-high heat. You want it shimmering, but not smoking—that means it’s ready for action. While the oil is heating up, slice your peeled Russet potatoes and your large yellow onion. We’re aiming for ¼-inch thickness for both. Keep those slices even; it helps them cook at the same rate!

Cooking and Seasoning the Garlic Herb Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions

Once that oil looks good, carefully—and I do mean carefully, you don’t want a splatter surprise!—add your potatoes and onions to the pan. Season them right away with salt, pepper, that lovely garlic powder, and the red pepper flakes if you’re using them. This is the key step for developing that classic fried potatoes and onions flavor. Cook these together, stirring often, for about 10 to 15 minutes. If you notice things browning too fast and they aren’t quite tender yet, just pop a lid on for a minute or two; it traps the steam and gives you a creamier interior. For more inspiration on classic Southern-style frying, you can check out this reference on southern fried potatoes.

Finishing and Serving Your Fried Potatoes and Onions

When those potatoes are golden brown all over and fork-tender—give one a quick taste for seasoning while you’re at it!—it’s time to pull them out. You don’t want these tasting oily, so carefully transfer the whole batch onto a plate that you’ve lined with a few paper towels. Let those towels soak up any extra oil for just a couple of minutes. Finally, sprinkle those chopped chives over the top for color and a fresh little zing. Dig in while they are hot!

Tips for Making the Best Garlic Herb Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions

Getting that perfect balance between a soft inside and a super crispy outside is what elevates these skillet potatoes from good to absolutely unforgettable. My biggest piece of advice? Don’t crowd the pan! Seriously, this is non-negotiable for true crispness.

If you pile too many potatoes and onions in there at once, they steam instead of fry, and you end up with soggy wedges. If you’re making a big batch, cook them in two separate rounds. You need space for that oil to bubble and truly brown the edges.

Also, stick with Russet potatoes if you can find them. They have that starchy nature that gets delightfully fluffy inside when cooked, which is exactly what you want. Remember what I said about temperature control: medium-high heat is your sweet spot. If you start too cool, they soak up oil. If you start too hot, they burn before softening through!

And one last little secret: a quick toss/flip every couple of minutes ensures every surface gets friendly with the hot oil for an even golden color.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Garlic Herb Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions

I get so many questions about ingredients, especially when people are trying to adapt things to their own kitchens! The beauty of this recipe is its core simplicity, but choosing the right foundation makes a huge difference.

Let’s talk potatoes first. Why Russets? Because they are the starchiest potato out there! When you fry them, they get wonderfully soft and almost fluffy on the inside while still achieving that crisp outside crust we are going for. If you use waxy potatoes, like red potatoes, for example, they tend to hold their shape too much and can seem a bit rubbery when fried like this, so stick to Russets if you can manage it.

About the oil—vegetable oil is fantastic because it has a high smoke point and doesn’t flavor the potatoes much, letting the garlic and herbs shine. However, if you want a richer, more decadent flavor that screams ‘comfort food,’ you can absolutely swap that vegetable oil for clarified butter, or ghee! It cooks beautifully in this skillet. For a flavor boost, I also love swapping the dried garlic powder for fresh chopped garlic, but you have to be careful because fresh garlic burns way faster than the powder, so I always toss that in right at the end with the herbs.

And speaking of herbs, if you have a garden bursting with fresh finds, please use them! If you’re using fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary instead of the dried garlic powder and red pepper flakes, use about double the amount of fresh herbs. They add such a beautiful, bright note to these savory skillet potatoes. If you love garlic butter flavor profiles, check out my garlic butter mushrooms recipe for another easy skillet side idea!

Serving Suggestions for Your Skillet Potatoes

So, you’ve got this gorgeous, crispy, garlicky side dish glistening in your skillet—what do you serve it with? Honestly, they are so flavorful they could stand alone, but they really shine when paired with something hearty!

Since these are the ultimate breakfast side dish, my go-to suggestion is always a big plate of scrambled eggs and a few crisp strips of bacon. That salty, savory combo is heaven. If you’re making these for brunch, they’d be amazing stirred into or served alongside a baked casserole—I have a fantastic one that features bacon you should look at: Loaded Breakfast Casserole.

For dinner, don’t hesitate! These are fantastic next to a perfectly grilled steak or maybe some simple roasted chicken. They bring that satisfying comfort food feel to any supper plate.

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Garlic Herb Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions

I always hope there are leftovers because these taste amazing the next day, but you have to treat them nicely! If you have any of these fantastic fried potatoes and onions left over, the key is getting them stored away fast. Pop them into an airtight container—don’t just leave them sitting out on the counter hoping for the best!

They will keep safely in the refrigerator for about three days, max. Now, for reheating—please, please, please don’t be tempted to use the microwave. I know it’s fast, but it turns these crisp beauties into floppy sadness instantly. If you want to bring back that delicious crunch, you need heat!

The absolute best way is back in your cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add just a tiny slick of fresh oil, spread the potatoes out in a single layer, and let them crisp up again for about five minutes. They’ll be almost as good as new! That little bit of extra effort makes all the difference in keeping that perfect texture.

Frequently Asked Questions About Garlic Herb Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions

I always expect a few questions popping up after a recipe this simple because it relies so much on your technique! Don’t stress if something isn’t immediately perfect; cooking is all about practice. Here are the things I get asked most often about nailing these skillet potatoes.

How do I make these skillet potatoes extra crispy?

For those beautiful, shatteringly crisp edges that make these the best fried potatoes and onions, you need three things working for you. First, Russet potatoes are absolutely the way to go—their high starch content is your friend! Second, make sure your oil is properly preheated to medium-high heat before the vegetables even hit the pan. If the oil isn’t hot enough, they just soak it up and steam. And my biggest tip: don’t crowd the pan! Cook in batches if you have to. Giving each potato slice room to breathe lets the moisture escape and allows that gorgeous browning to happen.

Can I use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder in this fried potatoes and onions recipe?

Oh, yes, you totally can, and it smells incredible simmering away! If you substitute fresh garlic for the powder, you must change *when* you add it. Garlic powder can go in at the beginning with the salt and pepper because it won’t burn easily. Fresh garlic, however, burns fast once it hits high heat!

If you use fresh, mince up about two cloves and toss them in during the last two minutes of cooking, right before you take the skillet off the heat. This toasts the garlic slightly and keeps it fragrant without turning bitter. It’s a different flavor profile, but still delicious!

Is this a good breakfast side dish if I am short on time?

It is one of the best breakfast side dish options you could choose when time is tight! Remember, the total time commitment is only about 25 minutes from fridge to plate. That’s faster than waiting for the toaster oven to preheat sometimes! Because they are cooked right on the stovetop and don’t need any oven time, they fit perfectly into rushed morning routines. They truly capture that quick, satisfying flavor profile you get from the best diner style recipes.

If you’ve got any other questions while testing out my recipes, you can always browse my main recipe index for answers or just send me a note!