This recipe for pan-fried potatoes with mushrooms is a comforting, nostalgic dish that brings together crispy potatoes and earthy mushrooms for the perfect side.
If you grew up in a Slavic household, chances are you’ve had your fair share of pan-fried potatoes—or Zharenaya Kartoshka, as we call it. Pan fried potatoes with mushrooms are the ultimate version. It's one of those simple, comforting dishes that we are drawn to whenever hunger strikes, even if there’s nothing else planned for dinner. For me, whenever we didn’t have anything set on the menu, my parents would give us the familiar signal—time to peel potatoes.
Even today, Zharenaya Kartoshka (pan-fried potatoes) is a dish that I turn to when time is short and I need something quick, filling, and full of flavor. There’s something about a pan of sizzling potatoes that always feels like home. Potatoes are one of those pantry staples I never seem to run out of, and thank goodness for that! I always have a backup stash ready to go, just in case.
But my absolute favorite way to make pan-fried potatoes is with mushrooms—particularly chanterelles. While fresh chanterelles are tricky to find, I’ve discovered that dried chanterelles work wonderfully and are easy to keep on hand. The earthy flavor of the mushrooms paired with crispy golden potatoes and a bit of caramelized onion is truly unbeatable. It’s the perfect combination that brings me back to my childhood and adds a hearty, comforting touch to any meal.
Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, (approximately 5 medium potatoes)
1 large onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, optional
½ cup dry mushrooms (I used dry chanterelles)
½ cup boiling water
3-5 Tablespoons sunflower oil
salt, pepper
green onions, parsley and/or dill, minced, to garnish
How To Make Pan Fried Potatoes With Mushrooms
Peel the onion, cut it in half and thinly slice.
Pour the boiling water over the dry mushrooms and set them aside for 5 minutes to rehydrate.
Peel the potatoes and julienne.
Drain the mushrooms through a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or a cheesecloth. Save the mushroom broth. Rinse the mushrooms, making sure they are completely clean and don't have any grit left on them.
Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add the sliced onion, season with salt and cook for about 3 minutes. 
Add the dry mushrooms and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened and are slightly golden. 
Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. The garlic is totally optional. 
At this point, pour in the mushroom broth and add the potatoes to the skillet.
This method of pan frying potatoes is actually very unusual for me, since I make it completely differently when pan frying potatoes without the addition of dry mushrooms. Since the mushrooms need time to rehydrate and become soft, as well as trying to cook the onion, mushrooms and potatoes at the same time, without anything burning and having an even golden browning all around, I think this is one of the best ways to go about it. The potatoes turn out creamy, soft, incredibly flavorful, since they are cooking in the concentrated mushroom broth. The broth is also borrowing the flavors of the onion and garlic, as well the mushrooms and all of the wealth of flavors is soaked into the potatoes. 
Season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid and cook for 8-10 minutes, until all the water is absorbed and the potatoes are softened and can be pierced with a fork. 
Uncover the skillet, increase the heat to medium high and cook the potatoes for another 5 minutes, just until it becomes golden on all sides. 
You may want to add a Tablespoon or 2 of oil or butter to the skillet, so it becomes more golden. Garnish with the fresh herbs.
For crisper potatoes there's a slightly different method. This is how I normally made pan-fried potatoes without the mushrooms. It does require a bit more practice.
Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 3 minutes, until they have softened. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook on medium high heat for about 5-7 minutes, until they are slightly golden. Pour in the mushroom broth that you reserved earlier. 
Cover the skillet and cook for about 1o-15 minutes, on medium low heat, until the mushrooms are softened and all the mushrooms broth is absorbed. Set the caramelized onion and mushrooms aside. 
Wipe out the skillet, pour in about 3 Tablespoons of oil, increase the heat to medium high.
Add the potatoes and cook the potatoes until golden on all sides. 
A few tips on crisp, golden potatoes:
- Make sure the oil in the skillet is very hot and sizzling before adding the potatoes.
- Do not fiddle with the potatoes and allow them get golden and crisp before turning them. This will happen fairly quickly, since you are using high heat to cook the potatoes.
- Do NOT season the potatoes with salt and pepper yet, since the salt will draw out the moisture out of the potatoes and make them soft.
- Repeat, letting the bottom layer of potatoes crisp up before turning them them a thin spatula, until all the potatoes are golden brown.
At this point, season the potatoes with salt and pepper, add the onions and mushrooms and garnish with the fresh herbs.
Pan Fried Potatoes With Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (approximately 5 medium potatoes)
- 1 large onion sliced
- 2 garlic cloves optional
- ½ cup dry mushrooms I used dry chanterelles
- ½ cup boiling water
- 3-5 Tablespoons sunflower oil
- salt pepper
- green onions parsley and/or dill, minced, to garnish
Instructions
- Peel the onion, cut it in half and thinly slice.
- Pour the boiling water over the dry mushrooms and set them aside for 5 minutes to rehydrate.
- Peel the potatoes and julienne.
- Drain the mushrooms through a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or a cheesecloth. Save the mushroom broth. Rinse the mushrooms, making sure they are completely clean and don't have any grit left on them.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add the sliced onion, season with salt and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add the dry mushrooms and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened and are slightly golden.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. The garlic is totally optional. At this point, pour in the mushroom broth and add the potatoes to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid and cook for 8-10 minutes, until all the water is absorbed and the potatoes are softened and can be pierced with a fork.
- Uncover the skillet, increase the heat to medium high and cook the potatoes for another 5 minutes, just until it becomes golden on all sides. You may want to add a Tablespoon or 2 of oil or butter to the skillet, so it becomes more golden.
- Garnish with the fresh herbs.
For crisper potatoes there's a slightly different method. This is how I normally made pan-fried potatoes without the mushrooms.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet.
- Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 3 minutes, until they have softened.
- Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook on medium high heat for about 5-7 minutes, until they are slightly golden.
- Pour in the mushroom broth that you reserved earlier. Cover the skillet and cook for about 10-15 minutes, on medium low heat, until the mushrooms are softened and all the mushrooms broth is absorbed. Set the caramelized onion and mushrooms aside.
- Wipe out the skillet, pour in about 3 Tablespoons of oil, increase the heat to medium high.
- Add the potatoes and cook the potatoes until golden on all sides. Do NOT season the potatoes with salt and pepper yet, since the salt will draw out the moisture out of the potatoes and make them soft. Since the heat is relatively high, the potatoes cook quickly, so keep checking them, but don't turn them until they are golden brown. Keep turning them, using a thin spatula, until all the potatoes are golden brown.
- At this point, season the potatoes with salt and pepper, add the onions and mushrooms and garnish with the fresh herbs.
Hi Olga, thank you so much... I got the cravings for this old dish my grandma used to make and wanted to make it for my kids as well. I used a fresh other mushrooms and it came out amazing i will plant chanterelles eventually and make it the way it should be... Thank you again...
That's wonderful, Yanek. I think it's so special when we cook nostalgic recipes like this one to share with our loved ones.
Looking forward to eating this, just about to. Could you please also tell how to incorporate the cabbage into this.Thank you.
I don't use cabbage in this recipe, so I'm not sure what would be the best way.
Hey Olga, I just notice your wood salt holder/container.. And I have been looking for it ever since I saw it on Laura in the kitchen chanel... If you don't mind me asking where did you get it from ? Thank you dear and I love your blog / recipes but especially tips... You are such an awesome organize person!!! Thank you for your awesome/ helpful posts!
I bought mine at Bed, Bath and Beyond, Diana.
That's awesome, Michelle! I'm glad it worked out with tilapia too.
Thanks for all the nice compliments.
Thank You Olga!
My wife and I really enjoyed your Pan Fried Potatoes With Mushrooms and Onions
May I put this potato recipe on my website or would you rather I put a link to your recipe?
My wife claims this baked squash to be one of the best things I've ever made:
http://878help.com/squash.htm
Also try a little of my spice blend rub on your husband's beloved chicken sandwich:
http://878help.com/steveschicken.htm
Enjoy and Thanks again from the old, cold Canadian cook - Steve
Hi Steve,
Glad you enjoyed the potatoes. I am honored that you want to share this recipe. Please link it back to me website. Thanks.
Looks delicious! I tried to make this tonight and follow your "crispier" method. I put the same amount of potatoes as you in the pan at once, and they did not cook well. I ended up adding water to let them boil. The bottom fried nicely but the rest of the potato was still hard. I think there were just too many in the pan for this to actually work. Do you have any tips or other strategies? Thank you. 🙂
Hi Lisa,
The crispier potatoes take a bit more practice:). I actually prefer this method and it's the way I make pan fried potatoes most often.
The trick is to allow the bottom layer to cook all the way until it golden brown.
Usually, most of the potatoes will stick together when you flip the potatoes, which is a good thing, since you can put the potatoes that are already crisp on the very top. (They will break apart easily as you continue cooking the potatoes.)
Keep rearranging the potatoes, keeping the crisp ones on top and the pale, less cooked potatoes on the bottom layer, letting each part crisp up before turning. This method should work if you follow these tips and the ones I already wrote in the recipe instructions. Also, another thing to take note of is to cut the potatoes on the thinner side, which helps them cook faster.
However, if you want an easier method, follow the first method.
My husband is Ukrainian and prefers the crispier ones 😉 me too, actually.
Thanks for the tips! I will have to try this again. Just one more question, do you cover the pan for the crispier method or not?
No, do not cover the skillet for the crispier method.If you do, the potatoes will be soft.
Do u think I could possibly substitute these dried mushrooms with a more common fresh mushrooms?? (Baby bellas)?? Cuz I have 2 packs of those in the fridge and was wondering what to do with them (my mom randomly got those for me lol). Plz let me know what u think Olga. Thanx a lot!!
Of course you can, Mariya.
An excellent example of COMFORT FOOD! YUMMMMM!!!! I already love the taste of this! Must make me some ASAP! thank you so much, Olichka! 🙂
That's right, COMFORT FOOD all the way:).
So i made this yumminess!!!! 😀 It was really really good, way better then a traditional pan-fried potatoes that I have been making for many years. And i paired this dish with your cooked red cabbage salad dish, Olichka, and oh my goodness! These two together got married pretty well and became a dinner: TO DIE FOR! The only problem was - I COULDN'T STOP EATING! LOL! 😛
Seriously, i reccomend to everyone! Even my girls, that supposedly don't eat mushooms in any shape or form - LOVED THIS DISH!
Yay! I'm so happy that you enjoyed this dish and the Braised Purple Cabbage along with it:).
Olga, fried potatoes with mushrooms is my absolute favorite!! Thanks so much for posting this recipe. Guess who's getting her nuts.com order tomorrow? 😉
Ha ha! Enjoy, Galya:). Love this dish and nuts.com too.
Love it! I introduced my non-Slavic 🙂 husband to this dish early in our marriage and now he loves it too! I also love chanterelles and you are right they are so hard to find fresh. I've been doing the same and buying a lot of dried mushrooms, luckily they are very common in England. Great post!
Dry mushrooms are such a great option, aren't they. So convenient too:).
ohhh yes! memories of childhood years. And yes Olga, I really agree with you that you really can not go wrong with this potato dish. I've never tried doing it with dry mushrooms, thanks for such a wonderful idea!! And by the way, the pictures of your food are AMMMAzing…either I started paying more attention to photography but they look incredible:)
Thank you for the sweet comment, Tina:). Good pictures are essential for a food blog, so we are doing our best to learn and grow in that department:). Thank goodness for the wealth of available resources.