How to Saute Potatoes

Reviewed by Ashley Crawford

Last Updated: April 13, 2024 References

Sautéing is a form of cooking that involves cooking food quickly in a small amount of fat or oil. When it comes to cooking potatoes, many people don’t realize that sautéing them is a great cooking option, along with roasting, frying, steaming, and all the other ways you can cook potatoes. The key to sautéing potatoes is parboiling them first, as this will ensure they cook evenly and don’t burn on the outside.

Ingredients

1.1 pounds (500 g) potatoes
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 tablespoon (14 g) butter
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Parboiling the Potatoes

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1
Wash the potatoes. Use a vegetable brush and scrub the potatoes under clean running water to remove dirt and other particles. You don’t have to peel the potatoes to cook them this way, so it’s important to wash them thoroughly first. The best potatoes for sautéing are small waxy ones with thin skins, including: ^{[1]
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- Charlotte
- Maris piper
- Desirée
- King Edward
2
Cut the potatoes. Transfer the potatoes to a clean towel and pat them dry. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut the potatoes. For sautéed potatoes, you can cube them, slice them, or halve them:
- For cubes, cut each potato into half-inch (1.3-cm) chunks ^{[2]
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- For rounds, slice the potatoes into half-inch (1.3-cm) disks ^{[3]
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- For halves, simply cut each potato in half lengthwise ^{[4]
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3
Boil the potatoes for a few minutes. Fill a medium pot halfway with water. Put on the lid and bring the water to a boil over medium heat. When the water is boiling, add the potatoes. Return the water to a boil and cook the potatoes in the boiling water for four to five minutes. ^{[5]
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- Parboiling the potatoes like this will partially cook and gently soften them, and this means they’ll cook evenly through when you sauté them.
After three minutes, remove the potatoes from the heat. Drain them in a colander. Place the colander inside the pot and let the potatoes drain for about five minutes. This will give the potatoes time to dry, which will make for crispier sautéed potatoes.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Finishing the Potatoes in a Pan

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Turn the oven to 350 F (177 C) and let it come to temperature. You will likely have to fry the potatoes in batches, and you can keep the cooked batches warm in the oven while the others sauté. ^{[6]
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2
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Pour the oil into a large skillet or frying pan. Turn the heat to medium and let the oil preheat. The oil is ready when the surface begins to shimmer, but you don’t want it to start smoking.
- Good oils for sautéing potatoes include canola and sunflower.
- Instead of cooking the potatoes in oil and adding butter later, you can also sauté them in duck fat or another animal fat. ^{[7]
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3
Arrange the potatoes in the pan. When the oil is ready, transfer the potatoes to the hot pan. For cubes, spread the potato chunks out into an even layer. For rounds, place each round in the pan individually, and spread the rounds out in a single layer. For halves, place each potato cut-side down into the pan.
- Cook only a single layer of potatoes at a time to ensure even cooking and browning. You may have to cook them in batches. ^{[8]
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Sauté the potatoes in the hot oil for about five minutes. When they become golden brown on the one side, use a thin spatula to flip the potatoes. Cook for another five minutes, or until they're golden brown on both sides. ^{[9]
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5
Add the remaining ingredients. Once you flip the potatoes, wait about three minutes and then add the butter, garlic, and rosemary to the pan. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Shake the pan to distribute the new ingredients evenly. Continue cooking for another two minutes or so, until the potatoes are cooked through and browned.
- Once fully cooked, toss the potatoes a few times with the spatula to coat them in the garlic and rosemary. ^{[10]
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When the first batch of potatoes is done, transfer them to a baking sheet. Spread the potatoes out into a single layer and transfer them to the oven to keep warm while you sauté the remaining potatoes. ^{[11]
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Add more oil to the pan and let it preheat. When the oil is hot, arrange the remaining potatoes in the pan and cook them for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Flip the potatoes regularly, and add more butter, rosemary, and the garlic in the last few minutes of cooking.
8
Season with salt and pepper and enjoy. When all the potatoes are cooked, transfer them from the baking sheet or frying pan to a serving bowl. Add additional salt and pepper, to taste, if necessary. ^{[12]
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Research source} Toss the potatoes to coat them in the seasoning before serving.
- Sautéed potatoes can be eaten alone, as a side dish with your favorite meals, or turned into tasty salads.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Serving Sautéed Potatoes

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A big bowl of hot sautéed potatoes is a delicious and filling snack. Potatoes are a good source of carbohydrates, fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. They also contain protein, iron, and calcium, making them a nutritious snack. ^{[13]
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Sautéed potatoes are an excellent side dish, and they're a popular add-on for pork chops. ^{[14]
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Research source} For a more balanced meal, serve the pork chop with the sautéed potatoes, a dollop of dairy or non-dairy sour cream, and some steamed vegetables.
Steak and potatoes is a classic combination, and sautéed potatoes are an excellent addition to braised, broiled, pan seared, or barbecued steak . ^{[15]
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Research source} You can serve this meal with steamed broccoli, roasted asparagus, or a fresh garden salad.
Incorporate them into a stir fry . Sauté cubed potatoes until golden brown, and then transfer them to a plate. Add more oil to the pan and stir fry chopped onions, mushrooms, peppers, and other favorite vegetables for five to 10 minutes. Add the potatoes back to the pan for the last few minutes of cooking and toss everything to combine all the vegetables.
Potato salad is another delicious and creative way to serve and eat potatoes, and there's no end to the types of salad you can make. You can use cold leftover sautéed potatoes in place of boiled potatoes in any potato salad, including classic, country, veggie, Italian, and more.
6
Bring them to a potluck. Potatoes pair well with a variety of other mains and side dishes. They're also very popular, making sautéed potatoes a great choice to bring to a pot luck style party, barbecue, picnic, or other gathering. To change the flavor of the potatoes, you can add other herbs and spices, including: ^{[16]
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- Chopped chives
- Tarragon
- Parsley

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How to Saute Potatoes

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Parboiling the Potatoes

Finishing the Potatoes in a Pan

Serving Sautéed Potatoes

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