I love breakfast potatoes, but whenever I’ve made them it’s been quite a time-consuming process. I’d boil the potatoes to soften them slightly then finish them off in the oven. But all in all it could take a couple of hours and they still wouldn’t turn out that great.
And then I discovered skillet potatoes. This method is SO much faster and simpler and they turn out delicious! Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Leaving the skin on minimizes food waste and maximizes nutrient content as so many vitamins, minerals, and other phytochemicals live in the skin of plants. Plus fiber!
I also like my potatoes with a little garlic and/or onion powder, a sprinkle of paprika, and maybe a little crushed red pepper flakes. Feel free to make ‘em classic or get creative.
And if you end up with leftovers, they are delicious reheated with shredded cheddar and topped with Greek yogurt (or sour cream), chives or green onions, and salsa!
Fueling notes:
- Per serving, this recipe packs 28 g of carbs, 3 g of protein, and 7 g of fat, and 4 g of fiber
- Pre-workout: have at least 1 hour before your session to give you enough time to digest. If >2 hours before your session, add a protein (e.g eggs).
- Post-workout: this recipe has the ideal 3-4:1 ratio of carbs to protein! Have post-workout meal within 1-2 hours of your session.
The Stuff
- 5 medium potatoes, cubed with skin on
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and red pepper flakes to taste
The Steps
- Combine potatoes, oil, and spices in a large skillet and mix to even coat potatoes in oil
- Cook on medium-high heat for 10 minutes with the lid on stirring 4 or 5 times
- Cook for an additional 10 minutes with the lid off using a spatula to turn potatoes every 3 minutes or so. Be careful not to mush them as the potatoes will be softening.
- Remove from heat when golden brown (you can increase the cook time a bit if you want them crispier
Did you make it? I’d love to see how it turned out! Tag @climbingdietitian on instagram.
Other Recipes You Might Like

Savory Potato Pancakes
Got leftover mashed potatoes? We certainly did after Easter dinner and these pancakes were an easy way to repurpose them (as well as some leftover ham we had too). You can do just about anything when it comes to what you put inside these potato pancakes but ham (or sausage) and cheese is killer combo.Continue reading “Savory Potato Pancakes”
One thought on “20-Minute Skillet Home Fries”