This post may contain affiliate links for which I earn a commission. Read my disclosure page here.
German Pan Fried Potatoes, or Bratkartoffeln, is an easy, quick and tasty side dish for your favorite German meals. These perfect Bratkartoffeln are made with bacon and onions. So much flavor, so good!
I used to joke that Germany was my second home country. Before I moved to the States, I went to college in Germany and spent 5 years there. (The majority of my adulthood at that point.) Right after I graduated high school I was accepted to a German college and moved there when I was 19. It was an exciting time for me, to wake up in a country where people speak a different language, to meet new friends on campus, to find a new job and to get to travel to other places and countries close by.
One of my most memorable meals I had in Germany is “Bratkartoffeln und Schnitzel” (German pan fried potatoes and Schnitzel). Bratkartoffeln are a very traditional German side dish and you will probably find them on the menu in every German restaurant.
I have made this meal several times at home and my husband always asks me to make it again and again. That’s what he requested for his birthday last Saturday.
There are two main tricks to making great German fried potatoes. Start them in a single layer in the skillet with plenty of fat and cook them slowly on medium to medium-high heat (about 20-30 minutes). Don’t overcrowd the pan/skillet with too many potatoes. Cook them in batches if necessary.
This recipe Bratkartoffeln recipe goes great with Schnitzel.
How To Make German Pan Fried Potatoes (Bratkartoffeln)
What you need:
5 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 pieces bacon
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
paprika, to taste
Preparation
Peel and chop potatoes. After I peel them, I prefer to place the potatoes in a bowl with cold water to prevent browning. While chopping potatoes, place them back in the bowl with water.
Save This Recipe
Enter your email and we'll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Delicious Meets Healthy.
Cook 6 pieces of bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat. Move the bacon to a plate and reserve the bacon fat.
Add chopped onion to bacon fat in the skillet and saute until onion is translucent. Using slotted spoon move cooked onion to the plate with the bacon.
Before placing the chopped potatoes in the pan with bacon fat, pat dry them with a paper towel. You don’t want any water to get in contact with hot oil because it will create a lot of splatter and may burn you.
Season potatoes with salt, pepper and paprika and cover pan with a lid. Cook on medium heat for about 25 minutes until potatoes are tender, flipping them halfway through.
Repeat with remaining potatoes and each time add 1 Tbsp of olive oil or fat of your choice if needed.
Place the pan fried potatoes in a dish and stir in the caramelized onions and chopped bacon. Adjust seasoning if necessary and serve the German fried potatoes warm.
The caramelized onions and cooked bacon add such a nice savory flavor to these potatoes. Just look at these crispy golden brown potatoes. Deliciousness squared.
And it gets better with every bite you take.
German Pan Fried Potatoes (Bratkartoffeln)
Save This Recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Delicious Meets Healthy.
Ingredients
- 5 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 6 pieces bacon
- 2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- paprika, to taste
Instructions
- Chop potatoes and place in a bowl with water to prevent browning.
- Cook 6 pieces of bacon in a skillet over medium high heat. Move the bacon to a plate and reserve the bacon fat.
- Add chopped onion to bacon fat in the skillet and saute until onion is translucent. Using slotted spoon move cooked onion to the plate with the bacon.
- Place part of the peeled and chopped potatoes in a a single layer in the skillet. Season them with salt, pepper and paprika and cover pan with a lid. Cook on medium heat for about 25 minutes until potatoes are tender, flipping them halfway through.
- Repeat with remaining potatoes and each time add 1 Tbsp of olive oil or fat of your choice if needed.
- Place the pan fried potatoes in a dish and stir in the caramelized onions and bacon. Season with salt, pepper and paprika if needed and serve warm.
Hi, Do you par boil he potatoes first?
Hi John, I didn’t parboil the potatoes in this recipe. But I have parboiled them before first and that works well too. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
My husband absolutely LOVED these potatoes. What he didn’t eat with dinner, he ate for breakfast the next day then asked me to make them again soon. The bacon and the onions blended with the paprika combined to make the perfect compliment to our bavarian roast and red cabbage. These potatoes will definitely make it into our regular rotation.
Hello Neli, I hope March 25 2019 finds you well.
I am about to try your recipe for German Fried Potatoes.
Why do you show photos of the German Fries with green onions, but make no mention of them in the recipe? Are German Fries usually made with white or yellow or purple or green onions? Which onions should I use?
Thank you.
We had it when we were on skiing in Austria. Don’t remember the name but we’ve recognised it on the photos. And the taste! Just finished lunch! Mmmmm
So good. I’m not even German, but I stumbled across this recipe, and without a doubt, it is one of the best “hash-ish” recipes out there. German or not. I used my home grown gemson potatoes, and m-mm, delicious. The onions were the best I’ve ever had. So glad I found this recipe, the family Is begging for more. 5 stars all the way. 🙂
Awesome!! Thank you so much, Trista!!
First time having German food since my family left the country and their culture behind in the 1800’s.
Many years ago my Mother in Law used to make a dish I never learned to make and have never been able to re-produce it. She would put pork chops in a large sauce pan, I can’t remember if it was cast iron or metal, she would brown the chops and then add water and potatoes cut up. She would cook all of that together until the potatoes were done and the meat was brown and done. It would be falling apart and she would mix it all together. I remember really loving it and watched her several times. That was back in the 50’s. Does this sound like what you made here? I’d love to make it as I really liked it.
Yes, that’s what I made here. It’s very delicious! Not sure if it will turn out the same way as the one your Mother-in-Law used to make., but I think you will enjoy it! 🙂