Potatoes O’Brien are a country breakfast favorite. Easy-to-make but they also are great next to the main dish at dinner time! Tender potatoes are fried with flavorful red and green bell pepper and onions to make the ultimate breakfast side that the whole family will love!
Skillet Breakfast Potatoes O'Brien
Potatoes O’Brien is typically reserved for diners and weekend brunches, but you can make it any time! My recipe makes it so easy to turn out perfect potatoes each time you make it!
I boil the potatoes until they’re almost done, then season and fry with the delicious peppers and onions. Then you’re left with an amazing breakfast side anyone will enjoy!
My potatoes O’Brien recipe is crispy, savory, and golden-brown delicious!
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This easy to make potatoes O’Brien recipe cooks in just 35 minutes – that’s plenty of time for you or your sous chef to cook up some sausage or bacon and scramble a few eggs!
You can also make these classic potatoes O’Brien ahead of time and freeze, so you have delicious breakfast potatoes ready for any time you want a delicious and easy breakfast!
That’s perfect for busy people who want a homemade breakfast without too much effort!
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
A Breakfast Staple! I don’t know many people who don’t love potatoes O’Brien! It’s just so classic and delicious!
So Easy! This recipe is so simple to make! I boil the potatoes before frying, so they always turn out perfectly cooked!
Full of Flavor! The peppers and onions that are cooked with the potatoes add so much flavor! A simple seasoning of salt and pepper is all it needs!
🥘 Potatoes O' Brien Ingredients
These delicious potatoes use just a few simple ingredients to make a delicious side! It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or anytime!
Potatoes O’Brien complements just about any breakfast dish. These skillet potatoes can even pair with a grilled or roasted protein for a super easy lunch or dinner!
- 3 large Russet Potatoes – Russet potatoes are the classic potato used for potatoes O’Brien. You should wash these well and dice them into ½-inch cubes.
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil – We’ll need a good amount of oil to fry these potatoes so that they don’t stick to the pan! I like a neutral oil with a high smoke point like vegetable oil for this recipe.
- ½ large Green Bell Pepper – You can’t have potatoes O’Brien without peppers! The green bell pepper should be de-seeded and cut into ½ -inch dice as well.
- ½ large Red Bell Pepper – The red bell pepper should also be de-seeded and cut into ½-inch dice! You want the potatoes, onions, and peppers all to be around the same size.
- ¼ cup Onion – You can use white or yellow onion, depending on preference. The onion should be about the same size as the peppers and potatoes, but they will shrink more during cooking.
- ¼ teaspoon each Salt & Pepper – Or according to taste! This is the main seasoning for the potatoes O’Brien so add as much or as little as you desire.
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*
🔪 How To Make Potatoes O'Brien
It’s so easy to make this potatoes O’Brien recipe! Boiling the potatoes first makes them cook up so quickly!
- Prep your potatoes. Start the potatoes O’Brien by washing and dicing 3 large russet potatoes into ½-inch cubes and transferring them into a large pot of salted cold water. Next, bring the potatoes to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. The potatoes should be slightly tender, but not falling apart!
- Prep your veggies. Once the potatoes are done, drain and rinse them in cold water. Set aside. Then, you want to de-seed and dice ½ each of a large green and red bell pepper into ½-inch pieces. Next, dice enough onion to make ¼ cup (about ½ a large onion). Set all the veggies aside with the potatoes.
- Fry the potatoes and veggies. Heat a large skillet or frying pan with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer and starts to smoke, add the diced potatoes. Along with the potatoes, add the prepared red and green bell peppers and onion.
- Finish and serve. Stir the ingredients to mix, then season with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper, or to taste. Fry until crisped and golden-brown, about 20 minutes. Be sure to occasionally flip or stir your potatoes O’Brien as they cook so they do not stick or burn. Serve immediately when done.
Crispy, savory potatoes O’Brien is the perfect breakfast or brunch side! Serve with your favorite style of eggs (try it with my super easy scrambled eggs), and bacon or sausage for a hearty breakfast the whole family will love! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- You can prep the potatoes ahead of time! Simply cube the potatoes and keep them completely submerged in a bowl of cold water for up to 24 hours!
- Potatoes are not traditionally peeled for potatoes O’Brien, but you can if you prefer! Make sure to either keep a good eye on the potatoes or add a little extra oil as needed to prevent them from sticking.
- Potatoes O’Brien makes a great base to add to egg dishes! Try adding to a frittata, quiche, baked eggs, or even my delicious baked Denver omelet for a hearty and tasty breakfast!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
My easy to make potatoes O’Brien recipe will last for up to 3 to 4 days in the fridge! I recommend putting the cooled leftover potatoes in an airtight container or plastic storage bag for the best quality.
You can absolutely freeze potatoes O’Brien for any time you want an easy breakfast addition! Flash-freezing the potatoes is my recommendation for the best quality (no one likes trying to chip away at a big clump of frozen veggies!).
Start by laying out the cooled potatoes O’Brien on a parchment or foil covered baking sheet in one even layer. Put the potatoes in the freezer and freeze for about 4 hours.
When frozen, transfer to a heavy-duty freezer storage bag, label, and keep in your fridge for up to 3 months!
Reheating Potatoes O'Brien
When you’re ready to reheat, I recommend crisping the potatoes back up on the stove top! Heat a large skillet with a drizzle of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
Add the leftover potatoes (you can add straight from the freezer if using frozen, but be careful of splatter). Fry the potatoes for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’re reheated and crisped again.
🥔More Easy Potato Recipes!
- Boiled Potatoes
- Roasted Red Potato Wedges
- Foil Packet Baked Red Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Fondant Potatoes
- Yukon Gold Smashed Potatoes
❓ FAQ
Potatoes O’Brien is a breakfast classic in the United States! It’s unknown how the recipe got its name, but it is known that it was invented at a restaurant in Manhattan in the early 1900s. However the recipe got its name, it’s a staple side dish that’s a breakfast must-have!
If you want a hands-free approach to your potatoes O’Brien, try making it in the oven! Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C), then line a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper. Add the prepared (but raw) potatoes and veggies to the baking sheet. Then, add the oil and seasoning, toss to coat, and spread out to an even layer. Place in the oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy!
📋 Recipe
Potatoes O'Brien
Ingredients
- 3 large russet potatoes (washed and diced into ½-inch cubes)
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ large green bell pepper (de-seeded and diced)
- ½ large red bell pepper (de-seeded and diced)
- ¼ cup onion (white or yellow onion, diced)
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Wash and dice the potatoes into ½-inch cubes and transfer them into a large pot of salted water. Bring the potatoes to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 8-10 minutes. The potatoes should be slightly tender, but not falling apart.3 large russet potatoes
- Drain the cubed potatoes and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet or frying pan with the vegetable oil to medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer and is just starting to smoke, add the diced potatoes, green bell peppers, red bell peppers, and onion.2 tablespoon vegetable oil, ½ large green bell pepper, ½ large red bell pepper, ¼ cup onion
- Stir to mix, season with salt and pepper, then fry until crisped and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Be sure to occasionally flip or stir your potatoes O'Brien as they cook. Serve immediately when done.¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper
Equipment You May Need
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Cynthia White says
Fantastic potatoes, the fam had them for breakfast today...yummy:)
Janie says
Absolutely love these potatoes with eggs and bacon. We also always have gravy. So good!