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    Home » Sides

    Bratkartoffeln (German Pan-Fried Potatoes)

    Published: Nov 19, 2023 · Modified: Apr 15, 2025 by dirndlkitchen · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Bratkartoffeln are German pan-fried potatoes that are crispy on the outside and addictive! I love cooking my potatoes with onion and bacon, then topping them with fresh chives.

    German pan-fried potatoes in little skillet

    Bratkartoffeln is super popular in Germany and one of the many many ways that Germans love to eat potatoes (over 100 pounds a year per person). Germans like them as a main course or side as an alternative as other popular sides like Spätzle (German egg noodles) or Kartoffelknödel (potato dumplings).

    When making German fried potatoes as a main course, I love adding some sunny-side-up eggs on top like my Oma always did. Bratkartoffeln are also commonly served as a side with Schnitzel, Hackbraten, Frikadellen, or Currywurst.

    How to make German pan-fried potatoes

    Making German pan-fried potatoes is easy. Simply follow my step-by-step instructions below to recreate this German staple food at home wherever you are.

    Boil the potatoes

    Start by boiling your potatoes with the skin on until done. To boil the potatoes, first rinse them and brush off any dirt, leaving the skin on. Place them on the bottom of a large pot and fill them with water until the potatoes are just covered. Add some salt, place a lid on top, and bring them to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let them cook until done. You can check the doneness by carefully poking them with a sharp knife. If it easily slides into the potato, they are done cooking.

    Peel the potatoes

    When the potatoes have cooled enough so you can handle them, peel them by pulling the skin off. It will come off super easy using a small paring knife.

    bratkartoffeln step by step instructions

    Cut into slices

    I then cut the potatoes into ½-inch or about 1-centimeter thick slices.

    Cook the bacon and onion

    Cut the bacon into small dice, then add it to a large skillet (don't add any oil or butter at this time). A couple of minutes into cooking, add the onion and cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion is starting to brown. Remove the bacon and onion from the pan, leaving any remaining bacon grease in the pan.

    If not using bacon, cook onion over medium heat in a little bit of butter, then remove from the pan and add a little more butter and oil in the next step.

    Cook potatoes

    Melt the butter into some of the grease, then add the avocado oil or other high-heat cooking oil. This is to bring up the smoke point and not have your potatoes burn as easily while still giving it amazing butter and bacon flavor. Add the potatoes into your skillet next to each other, slice by slice, and season with some salt. Cook until browned on one side before flipping over and repeating the process. Cook in batches until all potato slices have been crisped and browned.

    Serve

    Add the bacon and onion mixture on top and sprinkle with some sliced chives.

    If serving as a main dish, I like to cook some sunny side eggs to add on top.

    Bratkartoffeln as a side for German meatloaf

    Ingredients

    You only need a few ingredients for my German fried potatoes and I added a few helpful ingredient notes below.

    • Potatoes. See the note on the best potatoes to use below. Waxy potato varieties like Red Bliss, Red Adirondack, French fingerlings, baby potatoes, and new potatoes work best. Yukon Gold is great, too.
    • Butter. I like to add butter to the bacon grease for added flavor. Feel free to skip adding butter and only use oil.
    ingredients for Bratkartoffeln
    • Oil. I also use high-heat cooking oil, usually avocado oil, in addition to using butter since butter burns easily.
    • Bacon. I use a thick-cut bacon that I then cut into small dice.
    • Onion. I use yellow onion and small dice the same size as the bacon dice.
    • Chives. I like topping my Bratkartoffeln with fresh sliced chives for a mild, fresh onion flavor.

    Best potatoes to use for Bratkartoffeln

    It's hard to find the same kind of potatoes in America that you would use in Germany for Bratkartoffeln, but here are some tips on how you can come really close.

    Generally speaking, you want to use waxy potatoes, which have a low starch content and keep their shape during the pan-frying.

    Waxy potatoes that are ideal for German fried potatoes are Red Bliss, Red Adirondack, French fingerlings, baby potatoes, and new potatoes.

    German pan fried potatoes using Yukon gold potatoes

    Yukon Gold potatoes work great, too. They are an all-purpose potato that tastes great while not falling apart too much.

    If you're in Germany, the following types of potatoes are ideal: Cilena, Linda, Nicola, Annabelle and Belana.

    The best way to store potatoes

    It's best to store potatoes in a dark area without much moisture and good airflow. That means taking them out of the bag they came in and transferring them to a basket or crate that has good breathing holes.

    Do not store your potatoes right next to onions because onions emit ethylene gas which causes potatoes to sprout and spoil.

    More German potato recipes

    Hungry for more German potato recipes? Check out my Oma's creamy German potato salad, Bavarian potato salad, potato dumplings, potato pancakes, and Schupfnudeln (potato noodles). Tip: Pair them with my beer-battered cod recipe !

    German pan-fried potatoes in little skillet

    Bratkartoffeln Recipe (German Pan-Fried Potatoes)

    Author: Sophie Sadler
    Bratkartoffeln are German pan-fried potatoes that are crispy on the outside and addictive! I love cooking my potatoes with onion and bacon, then topping them with fresh chives.
    Bratkartoffeln is super popular in Germany and one of the many many ways that Germans love to eat potatoes (over 100 pounds a year per person). Germans like them as a main course or side.
    When making German fried potatoes as a main course, I love adding some sunny-side-up eggs on top like my Oma always did. Bratkartoffeln are also commonly served as a side with Schnitzel, Hackbraten, Frikadellen, or Currywurst.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Cooling Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 2 hours hrs
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine German
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 418 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 900 grams waxy potatoes see note below on which type to use
    • 4 slices thick-cut bacon
    • 1 onion large
    • 30 grams butter
    • 30 milliliters oil
    • chives for garnish, or use fresh parsley
    Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

    Instructions
     

    • Start by boiling your potatoes with the skin on until done. To boil the potatoes, first rinse them and brush off any dirt, leaving the skin on. Place them on the bottom of a large pot and fill them with water until the potatoes are just covered. Add some salt, place a lid on top, and bring them to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let them cook until done. You can check the doneness by carefully poking them with a sharp knife. If it easily slides into the potato, they are done cooking.
    • When the potatoes have cooled enough so you can handle them, peel them by pulling the skin off. It will come off super easy using a small paring knife.
    • Slice the peeled potatoes into ½-inch or about 1-centimeter thick slices.
    • Cut the bacon into small dice, then add it to a large skillet (don't add any oil or butter at this time). A couple of minutes into cooking, add the onion and cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion is starting to brown. Remove the bacon and onion from the pan, leaving any remaining bacon grease in the pan.
      If not using bacon, cook onion over medium heat in a little bit of butter, then remove from the pan and add a little more butter and oil in the next step.
    • Melt the butter into some of the grease, then add the avocado oil or other high-heat cooking oil. This is to bring up the smoke point and not have your potatoes burn as easily while still giving it amazing butter and bacon flavor. Add the potatoes into your skillet next to each other, slice by slice, and season with some salt. Cook until browned on one side before flipping over and repeating the process. Cook in batches until all potato slices have been crisped and browned.
    • Add the bacon and onion mixture on top and sprinkle with some sliced chives.
      If serving as a main dish, I like to cook some sunny side eggs to add on top and a side salad.

    Notes

    Best potatoes to use for Bratkartoffeln
    It's hard to find the same kind of potatoes in America that you would use in Germany for Bratkartoffeln, but here are some tips on how you can come really close.
    Generally speaking, you want to use waxy potatoes, which have a low starch content and keep their shape during the pan-frying.
    Waxy potatoes that are ideal for German fried potatoes are Red Bliss, Red Adirondack, French fingerlings, baby potatoes, and new potatoes.
    Yukon Gold potatoes work great, too. They are an all-purpose potato that tastes great while not falling apart too much.
    If you're in Germany, the following types of potatoes are ideal: Cilena, Linda, Nicola, Annabelle and Belana.
    bratkartoffeln step by step instructions

    Nutrition

    Calories: 418kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 9gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 324mgPotassium: 1023mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 215IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Babette

      March 29, 2024 at 12:32 pm

      Nicola potato is available in USA, if you grow it yourself

      Reply
      • dirndlkitchen

        April 10, 2024 at 7:07 am

        Ohh! I will have to look into those for my next batch of Bratkartoffeln!! I just need a bigger garden now. Ha! Thank you!

        Reply

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    Hallo! I'm Sophie Sadler, cookbook author of 'The German Home Kitchen', coming this September, and German food blogger at dirndl kitchen since 2015. I am so happy you’re here! 🥨

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