Easy German Fried Potatoes | Bratkartoffeln
These authentic Bratkartoffeln, or German fried potatoes, are the ultimate comfort food! Crispy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, this easy recipe makes a delicious side for breakfast or dinner.
Bratkartoffeln
A classic dish in Germany, Bratkartoffeln are slices of potato that are pan-fried until they achieve a crispy exterior. They’re delicious with meat dishes such as Wurstsalat or Schnitzels, as part of a hearty German breakfast with cold smoked salmon or eggs, or even as a standalone dish.
Whether you’re a fan of German cuisine or just looking for an easy-to-make and delicious side dish, this recipe will easily become a family favorite.
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The Ingredients
This is very economical dish, as you only need 3 ingredients!
- Potatoes: The best potatoes for pan frying are waxy potatoes with thin skin, such as Yukon gold or red. Starchy varieties like Russet tend to fall apart.
- Fat: After lots of experimenting, I prefer beef tallow for its high smoking point.
- Salt: a sprinkling of sea salt brings out all the best flavors of these Bratkartoffeln.
Substitutions and Variations
Once you have mastered the basic for making German fries, you can adapt it to your liking! Here are some ideas:
- Onions: many Germans will fry sliced onions alongside the potatoes
- Bacon: you can fry bacon pieces in your skillet beforehand and then even use some of the bacon fat
- Fat: any heat-stable fat such as lard, ghee, goose fat, avocado oil, or sunflower oil will work but I don’t recommend olive oil
- Seasoning: Add a bit of smoked or sweet paprika, garlic salt, or any other dried seasoning you enjoy. If you like spicy fries, season them with a dash of cayenne powder, or dip them into horseradish aioli.
- Shape: you can make German fries but cutting the potatoes into sticks or cut them into cubes
Useful Kitchen Tools and Equipment
These will help you get the job done easily and efficiently!
- Large pot: Any pot will do to cook the potatoes
- Cast iron skillet: While you can use any skillet, I highly recommend using cast iron. If you follow my simple cast iron care, you will have perfectly non-stick skillets.
- Potato peeling pick: This is such a handy tool for quickly peeling potatoes!
- Spatula: A basic stainless steels spatula makes flipping the potato slices very easy
How to Make Bratkartoffeln
*This is only a summary of the steps involved in making the German fried potatoes. For the full instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Boil and peel the potatoes. They will be hot, so let them cool a bit before peeling them!
- Cut the potatoes into even slices, and to the thickness you prefer.
- Pan fry them in batches in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Arrange them in a single layer, so all of the surfaces become crispy.
- Serve them with garnish of fresh herbs. I enjoy them with chopped chives.
Helpful Recipe Tips
- Cook the potatoes first. This is the simplest way to ensure that your German fried potatoes will be not be raw or undercooked. I prefer to boil them, but you could bake them or even cook them in a microwave. Learn more about the right way to cook potatoes.
- You may need to fry in batches, depending on the size of your skillet.
- Remove the fried potatoes with a slotted spatula or spoon. If you like, you can place them on a paper towel to soak up any excess fat.
- Taste test and adjust the seasoning if you feel the flavor is bland.
- Save time by boiling the potatoes up to two days ahead of time. Wrap them well and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to pan fry them.
How to Serve
I prefer to eat them right after frying, but you can keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To reheat, just crisp them up in a hot skillet for a few minutes.
To bring out the best in Bratkartoffeln, you can sprinkle them with some fresh herbs such as chives or chopped parsley, or some spring onions (scallion). With a dollop of homemade sour cream and a green salad, this can be a delicious meatless main course.
Bratkartoffeln are the perfect side for sausages and other meat dishes such as German fried meatballs (Frikadellen or Bouletten).
Eggs sunny-side up (or scrambled eggs) are a classic accompaniment for this German food.
Common Questions About German Fried Potatoes
In short, yes, you can. However, it takes a bit longer and you may have to adjust the heat setting on your stove to make sure they brown evenly and cook all the way through.
While not strictly necessary, I recommend you let the potatoes cool down completely before slicing. They will hold their shape better during the frying and crisp up better.
The best potatoes for pan frying are waxy potatoes with thin skin, such as Yukon gold or red. Starchy varieties like Russet tend to fall apart.
While Germans might serve scrambled eggs and fried potatoes separately, you can absolutely combine the two in one skillet.
Yes, you will get crispy fried potatoes and won’t have to use as much fat.
Other Classic Dishes You Might Like
Easy German Meatballs | Frikadellen
Crispy Potato Cakes | Kartoffelpuffer
Please leave a comment below or contact me if you need help or have questions!
Bratkartoffeln | German Fried Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or red
- ½ cup tallow or other fat (lard, ghee, or sunflower oil)
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the potatoes to a pot, add enough cold water that they are barely covered, and bring them to a boil over medium heat. Cook until just done.
- Drain the water through a colander and peel the potatoes as soon as you can comfortably touch them, or let them cool down completely.
- Cut the potatoes into even slices.
- In a cast-iron skillet, heat the fat over medium-high heat until very hot.
- Carefully add the potatoes to the skillet in a single layer (you might have to do this in batches) and fry them until golden brown and crisp.
- Flip the potato slices and fry them on the other side.
- Remove the fried potatoes with a slotted spoon or spatula. If you like you can place them on a paper towel to soak up any excess fat.
- Continue with the remaining potato slices. You might have to add more fat as needed.
- Season the potatoes with sea salt and plenty of black pepper.
Notes
- For best results, let potatoes cool down completely before slicing and frying.
- Waxy, thin skinned potatoes work best in this recipe (Yukon, golden, red potatoes)
Nutrition
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So… I tried this with cooked potatoes and found that the potatoes basically disintegrated when attempting to turn them (I used red potatoes with skins on, and a well-seasoned cast-iron pan, with a light glaze of vegetable oil, and minced onion). It was completely delicious, but it was more of a “hash” than individual, sliced potatoes, presenting as a unified dish.
Do you have any suggestions, with regards to trying this with raw potatoes? I suspect they’ll hold their shape better, and will withstand turning better… Or, maybe, par-boiling the potatoes so they are soft but not cooked through? Again, taste was off-the-chain, but my end results were fairly sad compared to yours!!! lol #operatorerror ~Chrissie
Yes, you can make this with raw or half-cooked potatoes but it will take a lot longer. Make sure to use more waxy potatoes and resist turning them too often to keep them from getting too mushy ~ Anja
Would these work in a deep fryer?
I haven’t tried it but I am sure that will work great ~ Anja
Great potato side! This is our go to as well. We use butter and a little avocado oil.
Oh my, I love a good fried potato! Might be my German heritage, lol! Can’t wait to give this a try.
Nice! Happy cooking ~ Anja
These are making me so hungry! They look absolutely delicious!
Hope you get to make them ~ Anja
I love crispy potatoes, adding this recipe to my cook book! Thanks Anja
Great! Happy cooking ~ Anja
I’ve been looking for a good German potato recipe! This is perfect 🙂
Love that you like it ~ Anja
These look beautiful and delicious! I love the idea of boiling first. Thank you.
Yes, so much easier and quicker with boiled potatoes ~ Anja
I love potatoes! Thank you for another excuse to cook some more!
Great! Happy cooking ~ Anja