These crispy pan fried baby potatoes are cooked in one pan until the centers are soft and creamy and the outside turns golden and crisp. They’re finished with butter, smoked paprika, fresh herbs, chili oil, and a cool garlic sour cream sauce.
This recipe is simple, but the method makes a big difference. The potatoes cook first in a little water until tender, then the water evaporates and the same pan turns into a skillet for crisping them in olive oil and butter. No draining, no roasting tray, and no extra pot.
The result is a side dish that tastes buttery, garlicky, a little smoky, and fresh from the herbs. Serve these potatoes with chicken, steak, burgers, grilled meat, eggs, or as a warm appetizer with the creamy garlic sauce underneath.
Ingredients
For the Potatoes
1 1/2 lb baby Yukon gold potatoes
Water, enough to barely cover the potatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tbsp butter
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
For the Garlic Sour Cream Sauce
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and black pepper, to taste
For Serving
3 tbsp chili oil
Extra chopped parsley and chives
Instructions
1. Cook the Potatoes
Add the potatoes to a wide skillet or sauté pan. Pour in just enough water to barely cover them.
Cover the pan with a lid and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, remove the lid and let the potatoes cook until fork-tender, about 18–20 minutes.
By the end, most of the water should be gone. If the potatoes are tender but there is still too much water in the pan, carefully pour off the excess. If the pan dries out before the potatoes are soft, add a small splash of water and keep cooking.
2. Crisp the Potatoes
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter to the pan with the cooked potatoes.
Cook over medium heat for 10–12 minutes, turning the potatoes every few minutes, until the skins are golden, blistered, and crisp in spots.
Do not stir constantly. Letting the potatoes sit against the hot pan for a minute or two at a time helps them brown properly.
3. Add the Seasoning
Sprinkle the potatoes with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and chili flakes.
Toss for about 1 minute, just until the spices coat the potatoes and warm through in the oil. Keep the heat at medium so the paprika does not burn.
4. Add the Fresh Herbs
Add the thyme, rosemary, dill, and parsley.
Toss for another 30 seconds, just until the herbs smell fragrant and still look fresh. Turn off the heat.
5. Make the Sauce
In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, mayonnaise or Greek yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.
Taste and adjust with a little more salt or lemon juice if needed.
6. Serve
Spread the garlic sour cream sauce onto a serving plate.
Pile the hot crispy potatoes over the sauce, drizzle with chili oil, and finish with extra parsley and chives.
Serve right away while the potatoes are hot and crisp.
Love crispy, buttery potatoes? Save this one to your Pinterest board so you don’t lose it.
Tips for the Best Pan Fried Baby Potatoes
Use a wide pan so the potatoes have space to crisp instead of steam.
Baby Yukon gold potatoes work best because the skins get golden while the inside stays creamy.
Do not add the paprika too early. It can burn if it sits in the hot oil for too long.
For more crispy edges, gently press a few potatoes with the back of a spoon before frying.
Fresh herbs should go in at the end so they stay bright and do not turn bitter.
What to Serve With Crispy Garlic Herb Potatoes
These potatoes are great with grilled chicken, steak, pork chops, burgers, roasted meat, eggs, or a simple salad. They also work as an appetizer if you serve them on a large plate with the garlic sour cream sauce underneath.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat them in a skillet over medium heat with a small drizzle of oil until warmed through and crisp again. You can also reheat them in the air fryer at 375°F for 4–6 minutes.
The microwave works for warming them, but the potatoes will lose most of their crispness.
