Potatoes Lyonnaise is a simple, delicious side dish with just 4 ingredients, including potato and onion slices that are lightly fried in butter until tender but crisp.
Today’s recipe always sounded a little fancy to me.
French words can do that.
(Unless you’re just putting “French” in front of something. Like fries. Or toast.)
Potatoes Lyonnaise seemed like it must be involved. Difficult. Fussy.
But my dedication to all things potato all of the time thankfully led me to explore and to experiment and to finally give this dish a try in my own kitchen.
And guess what?
It’s SO easy!
No really, this isn’t at all hard to make.
Plus, the recipe is just 4 ingredients (as well as salt and pepper). Can’t beat that for a simple dish that feels fancy.
It’s a perfect side dish for the holidays or when having company over, but it’s also a good one to make just anytime.
So let’s get cooking.
Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make potatoes Lyonnaise. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
First, let’s tackle some of the basics.
Recipe FAQs
Lyonnaise potatoes are a French style side dish consisting of thinly sliced potatoes that are parboiled then cooked in butter until tender and crisp and mixed with lightly fried onions and seasonings.
Russet potatoes are standard for this recipe. Other potatoes will work too, particularly Yukon potatoes or potatoes with a high starch content.
The potatoes for this recipe need to be thinly sliced - about ¼ inch thick. A mandolin makes quick work of this. You could also thinly slice the vegetables with a sharp knife; just aim to make them even.
Alright, let’s get into what we need for this recipe.
Ingredient Notes:
- Potatoes: As mentioned, russet potatoes are standard and we want 4 medium sized ones. They need to be peeled and sliced.
- Butter: I prefer using unsalted butter to control the amount of sodium in recipes, but salted would be fine here too.
- Onion: Use a sweet onion or a yellow onion for the best flavor. It needs to be thinly sliced so the pieces fry up lightly in the pan.
- Rosemary: The chopped fresh rosemary gives a great earthy and herby flavor to the potatoes. You could substitute another herb, such as parsley, when serving if you prefer.
So simple.
And if you love potatoes like I do, check out Greek roasted potatoes, healthy mashed potatoes, quick microwave baked potatoes (my busy weeknight go-to) and spicy roasted potato wedges.
Potatoes every day please!
OK, back to today’s recipe.
Make ahead tips: You can cook the onions ahead and store them in the fridge. You can also parboil the sliced potatoes and store those in the fridge in a covered container.
Then when you’re ready to proceed, cook the potatoes in the butter until lightly fried and golden brown, add the onions and seasonings and you’re ready to go.
Last thing, what to do with any leftovers.
The recipe is best served immediately for maximum crispiness on the lightly fried potatoes and onions, but you can save extras.
Leftovers potatoes Lyonnaise, once cooled, can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat until warmed through.
I hope you give this most excellent potato dish a try in your kitchen soon. I think you’ll be surprised at how easy it is - and how delicious!
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Potatoes Lyonnaise
Ingredients
- 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about ¼ inch thickness)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 small sweet or yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- To a large deep saucepan or Dutch oven, add sliced potatoes, kosher salt and enough cold water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch.
- Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the potatoes are slightly cooked but still al dente. Don’t overcook them at this point! Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the onion and set aside.
- Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the same skillet. Add the potatoes in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are golden brown on each side, about 8-10 minutes per batch. (Add extra butter if needed between batches.)
- Return the onions to the pan, add the rosemary and pepper and stir well to combine. Cook until heated through, 1-2 minutes, then serve immediately.
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