Recipe | Perfect Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes) every single time

Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes) it’s like a staple in German cuisine. They’re hardly ever served for breakfast, but they frequently appear as lunch or dinner (side) dishes.

It’s easy (and quick) to make Bratkartoffeln from leftover boiled potatoes, but what if you don’t have leftovers and want to make them from raw potatoes? It’s possible, but in the past, I had trouble with the potatoes sticking to the pan bottom and I couldn’t figure out why (I was using a non-stick skillet and even tried it in the cast-iron pan).

I got some valuable tips from my mom when I was in Germany back in April and I’ve been – successfully – making Bratkartoffeln repeatedly since I’ve been back. It’s almost “laughable” to call this a recipe, as there is not much to it, but I thought I’d share the tips that helped me get browned and slightly crispy potatoes every single time.

Ingredients:

potatoes (I use Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes)
butter, margarine, or ghee
salt
seasoning (optional)
onion (optional)
bacon or pancetta (optional)

1. Cut the potatoes into slices. (They work better than cubes because they’re more even in thickness).

2. Rinse with cold water and pat dry.

3. Add about a tablespoon of butter to your non-stick skillet and let melt.

If you want to add onion or pancetta, fry them first, then remove them from the pan (or they’ll burn).

4. Add the potatoes in one even layer (best to not stack them in multiple layers, if you got a big pan, but not crucial). Season with salt (and other seasonings, if desired).

5. Reduce heat to medium and cover with lid to keep the moisture in (that is the important part for them to NOT burn and stick).

6. Let fry for about 10-12 minutes, then briefly lift the lid and carefully turn the potatoes.

7. Replace the lid and fry for another 10 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Add back onion or pancetta.

Enjoy! And let me know if you try them out!

ShootingStarsMag
May 24, 2023 at 8:40 am

Oh wow, this looks so good. Thanks for sharing!

Lauren
1. San
  May 27, 2023 at 12:44 pm
  
  You’re welcome :) Can’t keep these to myself!
Kim
May 24, 2023 at 9:20 am

I want to try them! The lid is a good tip for me – I am a horrible cook and don’t know to do things like that.
1. San
  May 27, 2023 at 12:44 pm
  
  Honestly, the lid was my mom’s best tip as well. I thought the potatoes wouldn’t “brown” if I kept the lid on. WRONG!
Suzanne
May 24, 2023 at 9:48 am

Yum! These sound delicious!
1. San
  May 27, 2023 at 12:44 pm
  
  Thank you :)
Alyssa
May 25, 2023 at 11:29 am

These sound heavenly! I always roast my potatoes in the oven because I’ve never been able to perfect cooking them in the pan – I think using the lid might just do the trick!
1. San
  May 27, 2023 at 12:45 pm
  
  I often roast my potatoes in the oven too, but I try to avoid the oven in the summer because it’s so hot here.
J
May 26, 2023 at 6:42 am

When I was a kid, one of my favorite ways to eat potatoes was very similar to this. My mom would buy canned whole white potatoes, and slice them, then fry them (usually in bacon fat). So delicious. I have never been able to get them right with fresh, uncooked potatoes, but this looks like it would actually work out perfectly. I may need to go buy some bacon!
1. San
  May 27, 2023 at 12:45 pm
  
  You might have to try for a bit of nostalgia :)
  1. J
    May 27, 2023 at 3:03 pm
    
    Thanks San, I made these yesterday (fried bacon, then cooked potatoes in bacon fat, then cooked eggs after that) Quite a big breakfast, but delicious!
    1. San
      May 29, 2023 at 6:29 pm
      
      Oh, that sounds delicious :)
Melissa
May 27, 2023 at 9:43 pm

Oh, these look good. I will give them a try.
1. San
  May 29, 2023 at 5:29 pm
  
  Yay!
Currently | May – theinbetweenismine
May 30, 2023 at 6:30 am

[…] | Bratkartoffeln (like it’s my […]
Friday Thoughts #18 – The Brighton Jotter
June 23, 2023 at 2:30 am

[…] while we’re talking about potatoes I’ve also made San’s Bratkartoffeln. Hubby commented on how good they were, so it’s definitely a win. Cooking them was probably a […]
Anne
June 28, 2023 at 3:00 pm

These look fantastic. I love roasted potatoes – and avoid the oven most of the time by using the air fryer (seriously, I only turn the oven on for granola and other things that simply don’t fit in the air fryer). This approach, though, looks excellent in a completely different way. I may have to try it… as an experiment, of course. :) For purposes of scientific comparison with the roasted version.
1. San
  June 30, 2023 at 11:36 am
  
  Oh, potatoes in the air fryer! There’s an idea! I have one (in the garage) and haven’t used it yet… maybe that would be a good way to try it out!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
July 2, 2023 at 8:49 am

So the lid is the secret. Thank you San’s Mom. I usually do cubes though because I find it easer to stir. And I am impatient so I believe it’s faster.
1. San
  July 2, 2023 at 5:13 pm
  
  I always did the cubes. And I stirred. But there’s really no need to stir (only flip once) when you use the lid!

Comments are closed.

Recipe | Perfect Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes) every single time

Ingredients:

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