Whether you call them breakfast potatoes, hash browns, French fries, or home fries, they are a versatile, inexpensive and tasty side dish for those morning eggs, and it’s a shame to make them exclusive to breakfast.
Diced home fries may be famous for their place on the breakfast plate next to some sunny side eggs, but home fries can be served at any meal, hot, at room temperature or chilled.
But first, what are they?
Home fries are a simple sauté of small cubed potatoes, some onions (and peppers if you like), seasoned with salt and pepper – and that’s it. Hash browns started appearing in New York diners in the late 1800s. They are HUGELY popular where I come from on Long Island. The breakfast plate isn’t big enough to hold the mound of hash browns that come alongside the eggs.
But hash browns are grated using a box grater, and while they hold a true spot in my heart, I have to say as a Mom, I prefer making diced potatoes because I can make a LOT at a time.
What kind of potatoes should I use?
For my home fries I like to use a white potato, more specifically a Russet. Russets will crisp up on the outside while remaining soft and tender on the inside. Yukon Golds have a lower starch content and are best for baking, the same goes with red potatoes. However, I do like to add sweet potatoes to my mixture for some depth.

HOW TO MAKE CRISPY GOLDEN HASH BROWNS:
- Cut potatoes into uniform ¼ inch pieces so that they all cook evenly. The secret to getting nice crispy home fries however, is they must be dry. Completely dry. So what I do is I place the cut cubed potatoes in a little bowl of water until I’m done cutting all of them. Then once I’m ready to cook I drain them and place them on a kitchen towel and ring them out over the sink.
- Coat the bottom of the pan with oil. Once it’s hot add a pat of butter to it. This helps the potatoes get that nice crispy skin. THE KEY to this being successful on any level is to LET THE POTATOES COOK! Give them a few minutes to get crispy. Don’t move them around. Once they start to soften, add some diced onions and peppers too.
Can I bake my home fries?
You certainly can. Simply toss them in a large bowl with oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Feel free to add some chili powder and cumin for a Mexican flare or Italian seasonings. Then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a roasting pan and roast them at 425°F for 20 minutes, turning once.
What to Serve with Home Fries:
- You can go wrong with these Egg Stuffed Roasted Red Peppers. Breakfast literally couldn’t be easier with this recipe!
- If it’s Christmas time and you’re looking for something festive, then these Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are just what you need.
- In the mood for something Fall? Try our Pumpkin French Toast with maple cinnamon butter – mmm mmm!
HOMEMADE DICED HOMEFRIES
Like this recipe? Pin it to your BREAKFAST board!
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook and Pinterest!
Print
Homemade Diced Homefries
Description
These diced small potatoes will get so golden and crispy on the outside, yet soft and tender on the inside. A perfect accompaniment to eggs to get your morning started right!
Ingredients
- 3 Medium Sized Potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 Medium Sized Onion, peeled and diced
- ½ Cup Bell Pepper, color of choice, diced
- 1–2 Tablespoons Butter
- Olive oil (enough to coat bottom of the pan)
- Sea salt & Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and oil. When the butter is melted add the potatoes and cook approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Add the onions and peppers. Give it a good stir. Season with salt and pepper. Stir occasionally for another 5 minutes until you begin to see the onions caramelize.
- Reduce the heat to low and add oil if the pan looks dry or the ingredients are sticking. Continue cooking until you can poke through the potato easily with a knife and the onions/peppers are deeply caramelized.
- Serve while hot with eggs, pancakes or whatever breakfast suits your fancy!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS:
4 INGREDIENT BANANA PANCAKES
HASH BROWN WRAPPED VEGETARIAN OMELETTE
Why not leave the skins on?
★★★★★
So crispy and I of course added bacon
★★★★★
these are great, especially with eggs!
★★★★★
I especially like eggs over easy with these hash browns – there is something about the yolk mixing in with the potatoes on those last bites that always gets me! Thanks for your comment!
I’m gonna try it ! I’m not very good in the kitchen !