In Germany, we call German fried potatoes Bratkartoffeln, because potatoes in German are called “Kartoffeln” and “braten” means to fry. You may also know our fried potatoes as German fries or German home fries.
Bratkartoffeln are potatoes slices that are fried in a pan with plenty of fat until crispy, then seasoned with spices. In this recipe, I'll show you how to make German fried potatoes yourself, how we season them and which ingredients we use in addition to the potato slices.
Ingredients for Real German Fried Potatoes
For German fried potatoes you only need a handful of ingredients that you probably have in stock or can get quickly from any supermarket around the corner.
- Potatoes, of course, are essential. There are many different types in Germany. For fried potatoes we prefer to choose waxy potatoes like Linda, Anabell or Sieglinde. They contain little starch and therefore don't fall apart so quickly when fried. In the USA, I recommend red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes for German-style fried potatoes.
- Fat for frying: I prefer clarified butter or an oil that can be heated to high temperatures like sunflower oil. You can also use avocado oil, corn oil or peanut oil to fry the potatoes.
- For delicious fried potatoes, you definitely need salt. We also season our German fried potatoes with pepper. In certain parts of Germany, a little caraway is fried with the potatoes.
- Onions and bacon make our German fried potatoes recipe perfect. If you don't like them, you can leave them out.
How Is Bratkartoffeln Pronounced?
Click below to listen to the correct pronunciation:
Mastering Fried Potatoes: Two Simple Methods
There are two ways to make fried potatoes yourself:
1) Fried Potatoes Made from Boiled Potatoes
Fried potatoes work best when made from already boiled potatoes. You can cook them fresh as potatoes with the skin on, then peel and fry them.
Or you can use potatoes from the day before. This makes fried potatoes an ideal way for using up leftover potatoes.
2) Fried Potatoes Made from Raw Potatoes
Alternatively, you can use raw potatoes for fried potatoes. Peel them, cut them into slices and rinse them under cold water to wash off the starch. Then you can dry and fry them. Making fried potatoes from raw potatoes takes a bit longer, but it works just as well as using boiled potatoes.
How Fried Potatoes Are Served in Germany
You can serve fried potatoes as a main dish on their own or as a side with other meals. We enjoy them paired with:
- fried eggs as a delicious dinner for the whole family
- as a side dish with schnitzel, fish or meatballs
- sauerkraut and smoked pork
- sausage salad
Are you in the mood for more German potato recipes? Then be sure to try our potato soup and classic German potato pancakes, just like my grandma used to make.
German Fried Potatoes - Bratkartoffeln
Ingredients
- 1 kg potatoes
- 50 g clarified butter or vegetable oil
- 1 onion
- 100 g bacon
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes and place them, unpeeled, in a pot with ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover them with cold water and let them cook for 20-25 minutes. Test with a knife if they are sufficiently cooked. They are ready when you can easily pierce them and they slide off the knife.1 kg potatoes, 0.5 teaspoon salt
- Drain the potatoes and peel them while they are still hot. Then slice them into ¼ to ½ inch thick pieces.
- Peel the onion and slice it. Cut the bacon into cubes. Fry the bacon and onions together in the pan, then take them out and set them aside.1 onion, 100 g bacon
- Put the clarified butter or oil in the pan and fry the potato slices in batches. Make sure the slices lie loosely next to each other. Fry each side for 3-4 minutes, then turn them.50 g clarified butter or vegetable oil
- Finally, add the bacon and onions to the fried potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Lina Haagen says
The bacon is tasting so good!