Pan Fried Potatoes Recipe

Bratkartoffeln is a traditional German pan-fried potatoes recipe. Growing up, we often had pan-fried potatoes, but I never got tired of them. 

My mom used both cooked and raw potatoes. Pre-cooked, she loved slicing the potatoes very thinly. When using raw, she would cut them like a wedge, so one end would fry more than the other, resulting in an interesting texture that she loved. She would add onions, eggs, or bacon, or make just plain potatoes. In that case, we usually had some kind of milk soup (porridge) with it. 

That might sound like a good breakfast to you. But no, pan-fried potatoes were not served for breakfast; that’s not the German way. They are mostly served for lunch, which is the main meal. Breakfast is reserved for bread; you don’t mess with that. 

I still make pan-fried potatoes quite often. Since they are so versatile and tasty, it’s one of our staple dishes. We, too, enjoy them mostly for lunch. However, feel free to make bratkartoffeln whenever it fits your meal plan best.

In spring, we might savor pan-fried potatoes with fresh asparagus and peas. 

During summertime, with stewed cabbage and fresh veggies. In the picture above, I used canned potatoes. 

In winter, bratkartoffeln make a yummy dish with canned beans, carrots, and beets, or any other vegetable you like. 

Most often, though, we serve them with beans and lecho. Canned zucchini tongue or zucchini salad also makes tasty additions. 

Ingredients for pan-fried potatoes 

Pan-fried potatoes have just two ingredients: potatoes and some kind of fat to fry them in. Butter, butterfat, lard, vegan butter, or coconut oil can be used. Oil is not traditionally used, but if you prefer it, go for it. You also do not need a lot of fat, just enough to get some browning. 

For potatoes, choose a waxy variety that is low in starch and high in moisture, such as French fingerlings, Russian banana, or new potatoes. All-purpose potatoes like German butterball (our favorite) or Yukon gold work well, too. If all you have are starchy white potatoes, cut them and soak them in water for at least 15 minutes to help remove some of the starch. 

Pan-Fried Potatoes can be made with raw, pre-cooked, or canned potatoes. All of them will taste slightly different. That makes the recipe so versatile. Using the same simple ingredients, you get a variety of results. 

Traditionally, for bratkartoffeln, pre-cooked potatoes with the skin are used. Preferably, the potatoes are cooked the day before and cooled. You also get the benefit of resistant starch, which makes the potatoes better digestible. Then they are peeled, thinly sliced, and fried. 

Leftover cooked potatoes can also be used. However, you don’t want to slice them too thinly, or you’ll end up with a mash. 

Canned potatoes are also better sliced a bit thicker or cut into chunks. Read here how to can potatoes. 

The recipe below uses raw potatoes. That’s the option I use most often. It saves me one step of work. With the raw potatoes, I do 4 turns and cover the pan between them. If the potatoes are precooked or canned, two turns (browning from both sides) might be enough, and the covering is not needed. Otherwise, there is no difference in the recipe. 

In addition to potatoes and butter, onions and bacon are common ingredients in bratkartoffeln. Since we eat plant-based I sometimes add mushrooms instead of bacon.  

The onions can be added first as the first ingredient. That’s how I do it and what the recipe will suggest. However, if you like slightly undercooked sweet onions, add them at the last turn so they are just slightly browned, not cooked. It is up to your preference. 

Pan-Fried Potatoes Recipe

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