Let Me Tell You About These Potatoes…
I have eaten a lot of potatoes in my day, but oven fried potatoes & onions? Oh, that’s a whole different universe, friend. I first made these on a random Tuesday, probably because I’d run out of just about everything else, and the smell alone had my neighbor poking her head in to ask what magic was happening in my tiny kitchen. Fast forward, and now my family asks for these spuds at least once a week—they basically vanish straight form the pan. I’m not saying you’ll make friends with potatoes alone, but these crispy, golden potatoes & onions… don’t count them out. And if you manage not to eat half of them with your fingers right off the tray? Well, more willpower than me.
Why You’ll Love This (At Least, I Sure Do)
I make this when I want something that reminds me of being back home on a chilly night. My family goes absolutely bonkers for these (never enough leftovers, sigh). Sometimes, when I’m a bit hangry (which happens more often than I’d like to admit), I throw everything together a bit haphazardly—and honestly, these potatoes are almost foolproof. The onions get all caramelized and a bit crunchy round the edges, which I guess is why folks are always circling the oven right before dinner. And I swear, every time I skip the paprika, someone notices. Go figure.
What You’ll Need (But Seriously, Improvise)
- 2 lbs potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russets, but red potatoes work too—my grandma argued for them every time)
- 1 large onion (Yellow is classic; I’ve used red onions when that’s what was rolling around in the crisper)
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil (Or regular veggie oil if the fancy stuff is out—been there, done that)
- 1 tsp salt (sea salt, table salt, whatever)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (Sometimes I swap for regular paprika or skip it all together and um, it’s fine-ish, just not as wow)
- Optional: 1/2 tsp garlic powder, a bit of rosemary or thyme (adding dried herbs give it a fun kick)
Alright, Here’s How You Do It (Don’t Stress)
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (about 220°C)—I always forget to do this first and then stand around twiddling my thumbs. Not essential but, you know, gets things moving.
- Scrub your potatoes (peel ‘em if that’s your jam, but I’m lazy and keep skins on). Chop into bite-sized chunks, about 1-inch, but honestly, “bite-sized” means what you feel like.
- Cut your onion into wedges; don’t overthink it, just not too thin or they vanish and you’ll be sad.
- Toss potatoes and onions in a big bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika. Actually, I find it works better if you use your hands and kind of massage the oil and spice in—it gets everywhere, but totally worth it.
- Spread the mix on a large baking sheet (I line mine with parchment so I don’t have to scrape bits off later).
- Bake about 25 minutes, then use a spatula to flip and shuffle everything around (this is where I typically sneak a taste and burn my mouth; you’ve been warned).
- Back into the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are gold with crispy bottoms and those onion edges are brown and irresistible. Don’t freak out if they stick a bit—that’s flavor, just a gentle scrape will do the trick.
- Sprinkle extra salt or herbs if you feel fancy. Then, stand back because people will emerge from nowhere.
Some Honest Notes (Learned the Hard Way)
- If you crowd the pan, stuff steams instead of fries—so use two pans if you gotta.
- I once tried using sweet potatoes—ehhh, they get mushy, not really what I like here.
- Onion powder in place of real onion? Not the same, but it’ll do in a pinch.
- Leftovers? They’re actually even better cold, maybe that’s just me.
Variations I’ve Messed With
- Cheesy: Toss on a handful of shredded cheddar in the last 5 minutes. Melty cheese is always a win, right?
- Spicy: Sprinkle in chili powder or a pinch of cayenne—just be careful, I once got a bit carried away. My bad.
- Mediterranean: I tried tossing in chopped olives and feta, which sounded better than it turned out if I’m honest, but it’s interesting!
Don’t Have a Sheet Pan? Eh, Try This
I always say a big sheet pan is essential—but, I’ve actually managed with a glass baking dish or even a roasting pan from my slow cooker before. Might take a bit longer to crisp up but it’ll still disappear just as fast.
Making These Ahead or Stashing Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, up to 3 days (though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day!). Reheat in the oven or—my secret—toss them straight in a frying pan for a quick 5-minute sizzle.
Serving Ideas? Here’s What I Do…
Perfect with eggs in the morning (I’m a big fan of a runny yolk to mop up the spuds), or serve next to roast chicken for an easy dinner. Sometimes I just heap them into a bowl, grab a little ketchup or mayo (don’t judge), and call it a meal. My uncle swears by a splash of malt vinegar—I never got the hang of that, but to each their own, eh?
Pro Tips (From Messing Up… a Lot)
- I once tried rushing the flipping step and everything stuck like cement. Let them go that first 25 minutes, trust me.
- For extra crispy bottoms, let ‘em rest 2 mins out of the oven before you scoot ‘em off the tray.
- Get creative with seasonings—curry powder is surprisingly good (learned that here).
FAQs (Because People Always Ask!)
- What’s the best potato for this?
- Yukon Golds are my fave, but Russets crisp up nicely too. Reds in a pinch. Heck, I even used purple ones from the farmer’s market—worked fine!
- Can I add other veggies?
- Sure, just watch out for watery stuff like zucchini (turns mushy); carrots and bell peppers work okay, though they can get a little soft if you slice ‘em too thin.
- Is parchment paper important?
- Nah, it just makes cleanup easier. If you don’t have it just rub a bit of oil on the tray. It’ll stick more, but nothing dramatic.
- Are these actually healthy?
- Well, they’re definitely lighter than a deep-fry (which I attempted once, see this recipe), and you pick the amount of oil you use. So, kind of depends!
- Can I freeze ‘em?
- Potatoes can get weird after freezing (sort of mealy?), but I suppose you could. I’ve never had enough leftovers to test this, so let me know if you do.
One last quick tangent—I once tried to add apples to this recipe thinking, hey, apples and onions, classic, right? It just didn’t work as well as I hoped, but hey, you never know until you try! So if you’re feeling adventurous, I’d say experiment—kitchen mishaps are half the fun.
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
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1Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with oil.
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2In a large bowl, toss the potato wedges and sliced onions with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, salt, and black pepper until well coated.
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3Spread the potatoes and onions in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet for even cooking.
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4Bake for 35-40 minutes, turning the potatoes and onions halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
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5Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve hot as a side dish or enjoy as a main course.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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