Oven Fried Potatoes and Onions

Oven Fried Potatoes and Onions are a scrumptious side dish that can easily become a main.

Fried Potatoes and Onions on a White plate. The potatoes are served with a fried egg on top. Plate is on a concrete countertop with a fork and blue print napkin.

You’ll love the crispy contrast of the top and bottom with the deliciously, tender potatoes in the center.

Oven Fried Potatoes and Onions combines a favorite dish from my childhood with a classic French potato dish called Pommes Anna (Potatoes Anna).

This Fried Potatoes and Onions recipe is my own hybrid mix of the two. And, we absolutely love it!

Even better, you can make Fried Potatoes and Onions into a main dish by cracking eggs on top at the end of cooking time, to add protein and lusciousness to your meal.

Fried Potatoes and Onions on a White plate. Plate is on a concrete countertop with a fork and blue print napkin.

You’re also going to love how simply and quickly you’ll be able to put this yummy dish together. Oven Fried Potatoes and Onions is going to become a favorite comfort food side or main dish in your family meal rotation.

In This Post:

What to Serve with Fried Potatoes and Onions

Serve this dish with my house salad recipe and you’ll have a scrumptious breakfast, or breakfast for dinner, that your family will want again and again!

And if you would like to add bread to your meal, you can’t go wrong with my homemade biscuits or soda bread.

Fresh fruit, fruit salad or any of your favorite green vegetables are also perfect sides. My air fryer green beans would be fantastic!

A house salad in a bowl ona concrete counter top with a turquoise fabric napkin. The larger salad bowl of salad is in the background

The Ingredients

Russet Potatoes (I think Yukon Gold, Idaho Potatoes and Red Potatoes would work, as well.)
Red Onion
Butter (I used salted, but either should be fine.)
Homemade All Purpose Seasoning (I prefer this homemade blend, but if you have a favorite use that. Just be aware of the salt content. My homemade is low salt, so if yours isn’t, you may not need additional salt.)
Salt

Ingredients for Fried Potatoes and Onions on a Concrete Counter top: Clear bowl of peeled and sliced Russet Potatoes, stick of softened butter, 1/2 cup of minced red onion and small white bowl with All Purpose Seasoning and Salt in it.

Why Use a 12″ Cast Iron Skillet?

I chose the 12″ skillet, so that there would be a larger surface area of crispy potatoes, in my Fried Potatoes and Onions.

You could use a smaller skillet, but the layers of potatoes would be thicker and increase the cooking time. For me, time is always at a premium near dinner. I like the method that gets my Oven Fried Potatoes and Onions on the table most quickly.

Also, I use my smaller, 10″, cast iron skillet as a weight on top of the potatoes as they cook.

I only have 1 cast iron skillet. What can I substitute as the top weight?

A heavy glass pie plate with dry beans or pie weights would be a good option. Or even a non-cast iron (but oven safe) skillet that can be filled with something like dry beans or pie weights. You just want something that will press down on the potatoes and help the maximum amount of potato surfaces to come in contact with the bottom of your cast iron skillet. This will help crisp up your Oven Fried Potatoes and Onions.

FAQ

Can I use a 10″ cast iron skillet instead of a 12″?

Yes. You will have more layers than I did in the 12″ skillet, so your Fried Potatoes and Onions may take longer to cook all the way through. Leave the weight on your 10″ skillet for 25 minutes, instead of 20. Then remove the weight and foil to finish cooking. It may take up to an additional 15 to 25 minutes, in addition to the time listed in the recipe, because of your thicker layers.

Can I substitute a different variety of potatoes?

Absolutely! You can make your Fried Potatoes and Onions with Russet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, Idaho Potatoes or Red Potatoes. My favorites are Russets (the starch browns easily) and Yukon Golds.

pile of several potato varieties on a white counter

How can I tell if my Oven Fried Potatoes are Done?

The simplest way to tell is to look for the crispy, golden brown top. After that, pierce the center of the potato layers with a fork. If the fork slides through easily to the bottom layer, the potatoes are done. This is called “fork tender”.

How to Make Fried Potatoes and Onions

The Prep

Preheat the oven to 425° on the convection setting. (If you don’t have convection, that’s fine. Just set it to 425° and expect that it may take an additional 5 to 15 minutes to cook the Oven Fried Potatoes and Onions all the way through, depending on your specific oven.)
Peel and slice the russet potatoes (or Yukon Golds) into 1/8″ thick slices. You can use a good, sharp knife. But, I prefer this mandoline_{[affiliate link]} for cutting uniform slices that cook evenly. (You can check out my Amazon shop for more of my favorite kitchen tools.) If you don’t have a mandoline just be sure to keep your slices the same thickness and not thicker than 1/8″.

Slicing Russet Potatoes with a mandoline

Use 2 Tablespoons of the softened butter to grease the bottom and sides of the 12″ cast iron skillet, you will cook the Fried Potatoes and Onions in.
Reserve 1 tablespoon of butter from what remains. Set it aside for later.
Melt the last 5 Tablespoons of butter in the microwave and stir in the All Purpose Seasoning and salt. Set aside.

12" Cast Iron Skillet - bottom and sides greased with butter

melted butter mixed with salt and all purpose seasoning in a white bowl. Yellow Pastry brush is resting in the bowl

Layering the Potatoes, Onions and Butter Sauce

Place sliced potatoes into the bottom of the 12″ cast iron skillet in a single layer. I started in the center of the skillet and worked out for this first layer. One slice in the center and then working outward in a circular pattern. Only add enough slices to cover the bottom with a slight overlap on each potato slice.
With a pastry brush, brush seasoned melted butter over that first layer.
Sprinkle half of the minced onions over the brushed first layer.
Add a second layer of potatoes. I started on the edge of the skillet and worked to the center for the 2nd layer.

building layer 1 of potato slices in cast iron skillet

layer 1 of potato slices in cast iron skillet complete

Wind the 2nd layer back to the center and then, with the pastry brush, brush seasoned melted butter over the second layer.
Sprinkle the last half of the onions over this brushed layer.
Add the third layer of potato slices for the Fried Onions and Potatoes. I don’t usually have enough for a full layer so I arrange them in a single layer beginning at the center of the skillet and working out as far as it will go. I don’t usually overlap the top layer.
Use the rest of the melted butter to brush the last layer.

2nd layer of sliced potatoes complete in cast iron skillet

2nd layer of potatoes brushed with seasoned butter mixture

Tear a sheet of foil just large enough to cover the top of your skillet.
Use the reserved softened butter to grease one side of the foil.
Press the foil, buttered side down, over the potatoes in the skillet.
Add a second smaller (oven safe) skillet (or a heavy pie plate with weights) on top of the foil to weight down the potatoes.

Grease a sheet of foil with reserved butter

Placing foil over the final layer of prepped potato slices

Baking and Serving

Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the top skillet and the foil and continue baking for 12 to 25 minutes, until potatoes are golden brown and crispy on top and fork tender all the way through. In my oven that only took about 12 minutes, but timing will vary from oven to oven.
Remove from the oven and serve.

Fried Potatoes and Onions garnished with chopped parsley in a cast iron skillet

Make Fried Potatoes and Onions a Main Dish

One of the most affordable and delicious suppers I remember growing up was fried potatoes with eggs cooked on top.

Once your Fried Potatoes and Onions are done, you can enjoy the same homey and comforting main dish by simply removing the potatoes from the oven.

Raw eggs cracked over the top of Fried Potatoes and Onions, ready to go back to the oven for 3 to 4 minutes baking time.

Immediately crack the number of eggs you need for those you are serving over the top of the finished Fried Potatoes and Onions.

Place the skillet back into the 425° oven until the eggs reach their desired doneness.

It took between 3 and 4 minutes for my egg whites to be firmly set and the yolk to still be runny.

If you like hard yolks on your eggs, leave them in a little bit longer.

Fried Potatoes and Onions in a Cast Iron skillet with sunny side up eggs on top

I hope you get a chance to try these delectable and affordable Oven Fried Potatoes and Onions.

If you do and you find that you and your family enjoy them, I hope you’ll stop by and leave a 5 star comment on this post to let me know.

Leaving 5 stars with your comment helps others find our recipe when they do a Google search. Thanks so much!

The Recipe

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