This is a straightforward homemade version of Ruth’s Chris lyonnaise potatoes — tender, golden slices of Yukon golds with sweet, caramelized onions and buttery everything. It’s rich. It’s cozy. It’s one of those sides that accidentally becomes the main event.
Jump to RecipeQuick Summary
- Prep time: 15 mins
- Cook time: 30 mins
- Flavor: buttery, soft-on-the-inside, golden-on-the-outside
- Great for: holidays, steak nights, craving carbs and not caring
Why I Like This Recipe
This one hits deep. I made it the first time to impress someone and ended up eating most of it alone with a fork straight from the pan. The potatoes soak up all that butter, the onions get jammy and sweet, and honestly… it’s simple. But in a really elegant, “I definitely know what I’m doing” kind of way.
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled, sliced into ¼-inch rounds)
- 2 Tbsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 2 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 5 Tbsp clarified butter (divided)
- 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
- freshly ground black pepper
- chopped parsley (for garnish)
How To Make Lyonnaise Potatoes
- Boil the potatoes: Put slices in a pot, cover with cold water. Add salt + vinegar. Bring to boil, then simmer 4 mins — they should barely be tender. Drain.
- Cook the onions: In a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp butter. Sauté onions with a pinch of salt for 10 mins, till soft and golden. Add a splash of water, scrape up the browned bits. Transfer onions to a bowl.
- Crisp the potatoes: Add 2 Tbsp butter to same skillet. Drop in half the potatoes — single layer. Don’t touch them. Let them get golden on the bottom (about 3 mins), then flip and brown the other side. Transfer to bowl with onions. Repeat with last half of potatoes and last 2 Tbsp butter.
- Combine it all: Add potatoes + onions back to the skillet, toss gently, heat through for a minute. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve: Sprinkle parsley. Eat while still warm and buttery and perfect.
Tips for Success
- Vinegar in the boil keeps the slices from falling apart. Magic.
- Use a thin spatula to flip the potatoes — they’re delicate and fussy.
- Clarified butter is key. Doesn’t burn, so everything stays golden not bitter.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet or they won’t brown right.
- This dish loves salt. Don’t be shy with it.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge: Airtight container, up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Microwave works in a pinch. Better if you reheat in a pan with a little extra butter.
- Freezer: Meh. Not great. Texture goes weird. Just eat them fresh if you can.
FAQs
It really helps with the browning. But you can sub ghee or regular butter, just watch the heat.
Yukon Golds are best — waxy and buttery. Russets fall apart too easy.
Keeps the potatoes from breaking down while boiling. Plus a little brightness.
Totally. Add it near the end of the onion step so it doesn’t burn.
Yes — just reheat gently with a touch of butter to bring it back to life.
Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them
- Overcooking the potatoes while boiling → they’ll fall apart during the sauté. Keep it to 4 mins max.
- Using raw onions → no. They need that slow browning to be sweet and soft.
- Flipping too soon → let the potatoes sit and crisp. Don’t poke them constantly.
- Crowding the skillet → they’ll steam, not fry. Do it in batches.
- Undersalting → it’s potatoes. Be generous. They soak up flavor.
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving – est.)
- Calories: 344 kcal
- Total Fat: 19g
- Carbs: 41g
- Protein: 5g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fiber: 4g
- Sugars: 2g
Steak House Lyonnaise Potatoes Recipe
Course: Side DishCuisine: French-InspiredDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes30
minutes344
kcalButtery golden potato slices with caramelized onions and crispy edges — indulgent, cozy, and steakhouse worthy.
Ingredients
1½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled, sliced into ¼-inch rounds)
2 Tbsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
2 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
5 Tbsp clarified butter (divided)
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
freshly ground black pepper
chopped parsley (for garnish)
Directions
- Boil sliced potatoes with vinegar + salt. Drain.
- Sauté onions in butter. Set aside.
- Crisp potatoes in batches with butter.
- Combine onions + potatoes in skillet, heat through.
- Garnish with parsley, serve hot.
Notes
- Yukon Golds hold their shape best.
- Don’t skip the second butter crisping step — that’s the magic.
- A squeeze of lemon at the end can lift it if it feels heavy.
