Lyonnaise potatoes are a beloved French classic, featuring sliced potatoes pan-fried with sweet onions until golden. The result? A great contrast of textures and tastes with crispy, golden edges, potatoes, sweet caramelized onions and a touch of fresh parsley. Whether you’re in search of a cozy, rustic French side dish for a weeknight dinner, or a reliable, crowd-pleasing recipe for your next gathering, Lyonnaise potatoes are always a winning choice.
What are Lyonnaise Potatoes?
Lyonnaise Potatoes, known in French as “Pommes de terre à la Lyonnaise”, are a quintessential French potato side dish hailing from the city of Lyon. In classic French cuisine, the term à la lyonnaise signifies a dish prepared and garnished with caramelized onions.
And Lyonnaise potatoes are exactly that – crispy potatoes with caramelized onions!
The recipe is straightforward and satisfying: potatoes are first peeled, sliced and then par-boiled before being sautéed with onions in butter and oil until golden and the edges are crisp. The potatoes are then finished with a heavy sprinkle of black pepper and some fresh parsley.
A brief history of Lyonnaise Potatoes
The origins of this iconic French side dish trace back to the early 19th century, with renowned chefs like André Viard—author of Le Cuisinier Impérial—and Alexis Soyer offering their own takes on thinly sliced potatoes and onions fried in butter. The recipe quickly gained popularity among chefs, and in 1907, the legendary Auguste Escoffier elevated it to new heights adding chopped parsley—a flourish that remains a signature of the dish to this day.
Today, Lyonnaise potatoes are cherished both in the bustling restaurants of Lyon and in cozy French home kitchens. After all, who can resist crispy, buttery potatoes layered with sweet, golden onions?
Why you’ll love this recipe
I first fell in love with Lyonnaise potatoes during my student years living in Lyon. This delicious French side dish was a staple on the menus of traditional bouchons—the cozy, no-frill bistros that define Lyon’s culinary scene. I was always amazed at how such a simple dish could deliver so much flavor: tender, buttery slices of potato with irresistibly crisp edges and the sweetness of perfectly cooked onions.
After testing and tweaking the recipe in my own kitchen over the years, I’ve found that using a combination of oil and butter gives me the ideal balance of flavor and that golden, crispy texture.
In essence, this recipe is quick and easy, and yields great taste and texture with the crispy, buttery potatoes and the sweet caramelized onions. Although not traditional, I love to add crushed garlic cloves for extra flavor. Adding the fresh parsley at the end, off-heat, makes it taste fresher – offering great contrast with the rich, buttery potatoes.
Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe
With just a handful of pantry staples and a straightforward cooking method, you’ll have a delicious, authentic French cooking classic on the table in under 30 minutes. Keep reading for a detailed look at the ingredients you’ll need to make perfect Lyonnaise potatoes every time.
- Potatoes. Choose waxy potatoes that hold they shape well when cooked, such as Yukon gold or Russet. In the spring and summer, New Potatoes are a great option too.
- Salt. You can’t skip on salting the water before boiling the potatoes.
- Butter and oil. A combination of butter and oil is ideal for pan-frying potatoes. The butter ensures a rich, golden color, while the oil helps achieve a perfectly crisp texture. Additionally, oil raises the cooking temperature, preventing the butter from burning and allowing the potatoes to crisp up beautifully.
- Onions and Garlic. The slightly sweet and caramelized onions and garlic pair magically with the crisp potatoes.
- Fresh Parsley. To finish, the potatoes are garnished with fresh parsley. Both curly or flat work great here.
How to make Lyonnaise Potatoes
- Peel and slice the potatoes and onions, crush the garlic.
- Parboil the potatoes to soften them slightly.
- Pan-fry the garlic, onions and potatoes in butter and oil until golden.
- Season with salt, pepper, and fresh parsley.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of potatoes are best for this recipe?
Choose a waxy variety that hold its shape well once cooked thanks to its lower starch content and higher moisture. Varieties I recommend are Yukon Gold, Fingerling, New potatoes and Red Potatoes.
What to serve with Lyonnaise Potatoes?
These potatoes are a a quintessential French side dish, perfect served alongside various meats, poultry and fish.
Serve it with chicken recipes like a Chicken Fricassée, Poulet à l’Estragon, Chicken Marengo, a classic Coq Au Vin, or a classic French Roast Chicken. It also pairs great with beef recipes like a traditional Beef Daube or a Flemish Beef Carbonnade Stew.
Audrey’s cooking tips:
- While you peel the potatoes, place them in a large bowl filled with cold water and a splash of lemon juice. This prevents them from browning.
- You can slice the potatoes by hand (1/4 inch thick) or you can use a mandolin.
I hope you’ll enjoy this Lyonnaise Potatoes (Pommes de terre à la Lyonnaise) as much as I do! And if you have any questions, please leave a comment.
