German Pan-Fried Potatoes (Bratkartoffeln)

Classic and comforting, these German pan-fried potatoes (aka Bratkartoffeln) are bursting with flavor. Soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and a perfect side dish for a plethora of recipes, there’s little effort needed to whip this easy recipe up. Naturally gluten-free, vegan, and all-around a great choice.

If you’re anything like me, potatoes are a delicious and large aspect of your food journey. They add so much to a dish and, of course, do just fine when served by themselves, for example, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! They need no help in impressing people when added to a dish.

Plus, if they are added to a dish, rarely, if ever, does it end up being a bad addition. They have such a universal flavor and texture that they have few foods they don’t pair well with.

Outside of being one of my favorite ingredients (mind you, I am German, and we love potatoes, especially Bratkartoffeln, haha), did you know potatoes are an amazing source of vitamins and minerals? It’s a true story. They are alkaline and contain high levels of fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, vitamin B1/B2/C, and more.

Potatoes have been shown to improve heart health, bone health, blood pressure, digestion, inflammation, and so much more. They even contain a good amount of folate, which is involved with DNA synthesis and repair, ultimately preventing the creation of cancer cells in the body caused by DNA mutations. Read about more incredible health benefits of potatoes in this article.

How to Make German Pan-Fried Potatoes (Bratkartoffeln)

STEP 1: Slice your potatoes and place them in a bowl of cold water for ten minutes. Dice your onion and set it aside.

STEP 2: Heat the oil in a frying pan and set the stove on medium heat. Place the potatoes in the pan and leave to fry for about 8-10 minutes without touching them.

STEP 3: Gently flip the potato slices and once they’ve browned, turn down the heat to low and cover the pan.

STEP 4: Allow the potatoes to steam for 15-18 minutes before adding the set-aside onion, salt, pepper, and rosemary (if using). Fry for a few more minutes (without a lid) or until potatoes are fork-tender.

STEP 5: Garnish with freshly chopped herbs like parsley and enjoy!

Which Potatoes are Best?

Believe it or not, there are multiple types of potatoes. All of them taste great, fried, mashed, or however you want to fix them up. However, there are some that do better than others for these pan-roasted potatoes.

Now, it all depends on how you prepare your potatoes when it comes to choosing the perfect kind. For this recipe, you can choose to either do air fryer potatoes or use a skillet/frying pan. If you’re using an air fryer, you can use whatever potato you like.

However, with a skillet or frying pan, you’ll want to use waxy potatoes and not starchier potatoes because they will fall apart in the pan. Here are a few potatoes that are perfect for making these healthy roasted potatoes in a frying pan.

• Red-Skinned Potatoes – This includes all potatoes with red skin – they can be small or medium-sized, depending on the brand and season.
• Purple Potatoes – These aren’t as commonly found in grocery stores, but are definitely purple, taste like any other potato, and make for a fun color to any dish.
• Fingerling Potatoes – These come in various colors, but are usually small and oblong.
• Yukon Gold Potatoes – Also known as all-purpose potatoes. These have thinner skin than most waxy potatoes, look like a lighter-colored potato, and often come in a small or medium size depending on the brand and season.

Helpful Tips and Variations

1. Air Fryer Potatoes – If you want to skip the stovetop, simply toss the sliced potatoes, oil, salt, and pepper into a bowl and add to the air fryer basket. Cook for about 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (ca. 204 °C) then garnish with some fresh herbs and enjoy!
2. Raw vs Cooked Potatoes? – I prefer using raw potatoes for making pan-fried potatoes (that’s how I learned it in Germany), however, it’s also possible to use cooked potatoes. If you want to use cooked potatoes, I recommend boiling the potatoes for a maximum of 10 minutes in salted water the day before making this recipe. Store in the refrigerator overnight, then add them to the frying pan the next day. The cooking time will be less!
3. Treat Them Like Baked Potatoes – Top your pan-roasted potatoes with toppings such as vegan cheese sauce, vegan ricotta cheese, a nice dressing, etc. Treat them like a baked potato.
4. Use them as a base – Potatoes work great as a base for many dishes. For example, you can serve my Easy Lentil Stew on the side. Other great ideas are serving them to this Mexican Avocado Salad or turn this Vegan Potato Salad into a roasted version.

If you make these crispy Bratkartoffeln, let me know in the comments below or tag me on Instagram or Facebook in your posts (@elavegan and #elavegan).

You might want to check out my other vegan potato recipes:

• German Schupfnudeln
• Vegan Hash Browns
• Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
• Crispy Oven-Baked Potato Wedges
• Stuffed Potato Cakes
• Vegan Parmesan Potatoes
• Stuffed Potato Skins

Pan-Fried Potatoes (Bratkartoffeln)

Author: Michaela Vais

Classic and comforting, these German pan-fried potatoes (aka Bratkartoffeln) are bursting with flavor. Soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and a perfect side dish for a plethora of recipes, there’s little effort needed to whip this easy recipe up. Naturally gluten-free, vegan, and all-around a great choice.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, German

Servings 2

Calories 283 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• 4 medium (500 g) potatoes sliced (see notes)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp sea salt or to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Minced fresh rosemary leaves (optional)

Instructions

 

• You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.

  Slice potatoes (you can peel them or leave the peel on) and dice the onion. Add the potato slices to a bowl with cold water and leave them there for about 10 minutes, then drain.
• Heat oil over medium heat. Place the potato slices in the pan. Fry at medium heat (without stirring!) for about 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of the slices.
• After 8-10 minutes, gently flip the potato slices. As soon as the potatoes are nicely browned, turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid.
• Steam the potatoes for about 15-18 minutes covered. Remove the lid and add the diced onion, salt, black pepper to taste, and rosemary (if using). Fry for a further few minutes, stirring occasionally or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
• Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy! Serve with my Easy Lentil Stew!

Notes

• You can use an iron cast pan or a non-stick frying pan.
• I recommend waxy potatoes or all-purpose potatoes for this recipe. Do not use starchy potatoes, as they might fall apart in the pan.
• You can easily make these pan-fried potatoes in an air fryer! Simply add potato slices to a bowl and toss with oil, sprinkle with salt, and pepper. Add to air fryer and cook for 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (ca. 204 °C)! Shake basket halfway through.
• Read my blog post for more helpful information!
• Recipe serves 2. Nutrition facts are for one serving.

Nutrition Facts

Pan-Fried Potatoes (Bratkartoffeln)

Amount per Serving

Calories

283

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

14

g

22

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

5

%

Carbohydrates

 

34

g

11

%

Fiber

 

7

g

28

%

Sugar

 

1

g

1

%

Protein

 

7

g

14

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically

Equipment

Cast iron pan*

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