Need a quick and delicious side dish? Try my 10-minute Crispy Potatoes O'Brien recipe made with diced potatoes, peppers, and onions. With just a few ingredients and minimal prep time, you can have a flavorful and satisfying side dish that cooks in only 10 minutes and is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner!
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Potatoes O'Brien were my father's favorite breakfast potato whenever he wanted something different than his usual crispy hash browns. I made this recipe with him in mind, while also wanting to get something on the table in a hurry. With just a quick 5-minute par-cook in the microwave and another 5 minutes in the pan with sautéed veggies, I had crispy, flavorful potatoes on my plate, and in my mouth. Dad would've loved them!
My microwave hack is something I already use for my skillet potatoes, and I love the way that this method cuts my cooking time more than in half and results in such crispy and delicious potatoes. This recipe is so simple yet so delicious that you'll wonder why you ever spent any money on store-bought potatoes. And then you'll make them again for dinner... and again for breakfast tomorrow!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Traditional potatoes O'Brien are made with potatoes, red and green bell peppers, and onion. I'm not straying from perfection. However, there are always ways to make this work for you! Let's take a look:
- Russet potatoes - Russet potatoes are the best choice for o'brien potatoes because their high starch content creates that perfect crispy exterior while maintaining a fluffy interior. If you can't find russet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes make a great alternative with their naturally buttery flavor and ability to crisp up nicely in a skillet.
- Red and green bell peppers - While traditional Potatoes O'Brien call for fresh red and green bell peppers, you can save time by using pre-cut vegetables from your grocery store's produce section or even frozen pepper strips – just thaw, dice, and pat dry before adding them to your skillet.
- Onion - I only use half an onion for this so it's not too onion forward. You can add more if you want, or mit them if you're not a fan.
- Seasonings - I remember my father used Lawry's seasoned salt in his potatoes, but my husband and I really like Old Bay Seasoning. You could also just use plain salt and pepper, maybe add a half teaspoon of garlic powder and a quarter teaspoon of onion powder.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
The right skillet for crispy potatoes
A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is ideal for Potatoes O'Brien because it retains heat beautifully to caramelize vegetables and crisp potatoes. If you don't have a cast-iron pan you should totally fix that situation as soon as possible, but here are two good alternatives:
- Stainless steel - A heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan works wonderfully too—just preheat your pan before adding oil to prevent sticking and allow slightly longer cooking time for that golden crust to develop.
- Nonstick - A nonstick pan is perfectly fine for cooking potatoes, though you may not achieve quite the same level of caramelization or crispiness—just be sure to preheat it properly and avoid using metal utensils that could damage the coating.
Quick Recipe Video
Step-by-Step Instructions
This potatoes o'brien recipe is absolutely the easiest one you'll ever find. Really. I'm hungry. Let's make potatoes:
- Step 1: Start by washing your potatoes and peeling them if you like, but it is not required. Cut into ½ inch cubes. Then cut your vegetables to a similar size. Preheat your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 2: Add diced potatoes to a large glass bowl. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and add 2 tablespoons of water and stir. Cover the bowl with a large dinner plate and microwave on high for five minutes.
Step 3: Add a tablespoon of neutral oil to your hot skillet and add in your vegetables. Season with a little little bit of salt and pepper and sauté until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Step 4: While the vegetables are sautéing, drain your potatoes and then dump them out onto a clean kitchen towel. Gently rub them to dry off the excess water and to rough up the edges a little bit.
Step 5: Add the potatoes to the hot skillet with the vegetables and add seasonings. Add another tablespoon of oil and toss everything together. Gently press into a single layer and let sit for 1 to 2 minutes to develop a crust.
Step 6: Flip everything over and let it cook undisturbed for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy on the edges and the vegetables are softened. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Serve right away to get them at their crispy-best.
Helpful tips
As my daughters often remind me, people come to this blog with varying levels of cooking experience. Here are my best tips for making sure you make delicious 10 minute potatoes O'Brien, no matter your kitchen skill level:
- Keep it even - Cut your potatoes into even, small cubes (about ½-inch) to ensure they cook uniformly both in the microwave and skillet.
- Dry them off - After microwaving, make sure to thoroughly pat the potatoes dry before adding them to the hot skillet – this is crucial for achieving that golden-brown crispiness.
- Season every layer - Season at multiple stages – add some salt to the raw potatoes before microwaving, then adjust seasonings again at the end.
- Be patient - After adding the potatoes and seasoning to the pan and stirring together, let everything sit undisturbed in the hot skillet for 1-2 minutes before stirring to develop a nice crust.
- Flavor bomb - For extra flavor, consider adding a small amount of butter or bacon fat to the skillet when you add your potatoes.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can par-boil the potatoes in water for 5-7 minutes or roast in a 425°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes instead.
Make sure to thoroughly dry the potatoes after microwaving and use a hot enough skillet without overcrowding.
Cool completely and then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a little oil for 3-5 minutes until crispy again. You can also microwave them in 30 second intervals until hot, but they will lose their crispiness.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve these potatoes O'Brien for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but my favorite is always going to be next to some creamy cottage cheese scrambled eggs and crispy bacon or alongside chicken fried steak. Just the way my Dad would've had them.
Did you try this recipe?
Leave a comment with a ⭐️ rating below to tell me all about it, and don't forget to tag me on Instagram!
I appreciate you!
-Cynthia
📖 Recipe
10-Minute Crispy Potatoes O'Brien
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes cut into ½ inch dice
- ½ red bell pepper cut into ½ inch dice
- ½ green bell pepper cut into ½ inch dice
- ½ medium onion cut into ½ inch dice
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Wash potatoes (peeling optional) and cut into ½-inch dice. Cut onions and peppers to similar size. Preheat cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place diced potatoes in a large glass bowl. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and add 2 tablespoons water. Cover with a dinner plate and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil to hot skillet. Add vegetables, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
- While vegetables cook, drain microwaved potatoes and spread on a clean kitchen towel. Gently rub to remove excess moisture and rough up edges.
- Add potatoes to skillet with vegetables. Add another tablespoon oil and seasonings, then toss everything together. Press into a single layer and let cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes to develop a crust.
- Flip mixture and let cook undisturbed for another 2 to 3 minutes, until potatoes are golden brown with crispy edges and vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Enjoy immediately for best flavor and texture.
Save This Recipe! 💌
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!
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