These Crispy Pan Fried Potatoes make the perfect side dish to so many meals. Easy to make you can serve these with your favorite dinners or as a breakfast dish. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, they are one of our family's favorite side dishes! The potatoes are boiled first and then crushed, so they have plenty of edges, some small pieces, and some larger pieces. This gives you the perfect mix of crispy bits and soft fluffy bits. These really are the BEST pan fried potatoes!
Place 1.5 pounds (680g) of potatoes in a pan and just cover with water (about 1 inch above the potatoes) Add 1 ½ tablespoon of salt.
Bring the water to a boil, turn the water to a simmer and cook the potatoes until a fork easily pierces them. (around 20 minutes for baby potatoes)
Drain the potatoes well and leave them to steam dry. (see note 3)
Use a mug or drinking glass to crush the potatoes. (see note 4)
Pour 3 tablespoons of oil into a heavy-based skillet or frying pan and heat over medium-high heat.
Once glistening, add the crushed potatoes and leave undisturbed for 3 minutes. Use a spatula to turn the potatoes gently and cook on the other side for 3 minutes.
Once the potatoes are crisp, add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt.
Serve immediately with fresh herbs.
Notes
You want to choose baby potatoes as they cook more quickly and crush easily. Baby Yukon Golds will be soft and creamy when cooked, so you get a delicious soft inside. But they don't smash up to give you as many jagged narley edges. Baby Red Skinned Potatoes or a Baby Nadine Potato will provide you with a fluffier inside and more crunch as they are starchy, so the crush more easily into small and large chunks.
You can change the flavor of this dish by adding different herbs. Some great choices would be:
parsley
thyme
sage
rosemary
oregano
It is essential to let the potatoes drain well and steam dry. This is what allows them to get crispy when fried.
Don't worry if some of the potatoes fall apart. This will give you more crispy bits. The aim is to get a few small chunks and plenty of large pieces.