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A staple side dish in south Louisiana homes, Cajun smothered potatoes is beloved for its humble ingredients, simplistic preparation, and sky-high comfort food level. Once you get the hang of preparing this basic recipe, you'll be able to add whatever meats and veggies you have on hand to it, making it a one-pot meal ace-in-the-hole you'll be glad to have on a busy weeknight.
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Are you a potato head? I mean, a lover of all things potatoes? I most definitely am, and lucky for me (thank you Lord), so is Mark. We eat potatoes like three times a week, all year round. The only thing we usually change up is the type of potato. Yep. We almost always have sweet potatoes and russet potatoes or Yukon Golds on hand. We also enjoy the more fancy French fingerlings, Austrian crescent, and LaRette's when they show up at our local produce market from time to time.
But, There's No Potatoes Like Cajun Smothered Potatoes
We love our potatoes around here, and if we had to eat them only one way for the rest of our lives, we would probably choose Cajun smothered potatoes. Why, you ask? Because something almost out-of-this-world happens to plain ole potatoes, the Cajun 'trinity,' and just a few spices tossed together and cooked down in a cast iron skillet for roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Something a little melt-in-your-mouth good, that's also a little crunchy, sweet, and a tad bit spicy. Something that transforms the potatoes into a spirit-warming side that's hearty enough to take on a good Salisbury steak sauce. Something tasty enough to serve alongside almost any main dish, yet yummy enough to eat all by itself. (Topped with ketchup for your child, or a few shakes of Tabasco for yourself.)
How to Make Smothered Potatoes Every Way You Can Imagine
As the potatoes cook down in the skillet, they get soft and ever so slightly browned in all of the right places. Throughout this process, the Cajun 'trinity' also infuses each potato bite with a sweetness that plays off of the subtle spicy cayenne pepper flavor undertone to perfection.
And then there's the limitless add-ins that you can use to take this southern potatoes recipe to the next level. These include sausage, mushrooms, scrambled eggs, and/or any leftovers that you might have in the fridge. I've used everything from green beans to cooked chicken strips to roasted red peppers to meatloaf. It's always good, always different, and always a welcome change from the norm.
So, if you're looking for a new way to enjoy old-trusty potatoes, put these Cajun smothered potatoes on your culinary to-try list. Hundreds of years of south Louisiana tradition is once again oh sooo spot-on in this dish. Yep, yum, and yay!!!
Cajun Smothered Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter or oil I use 2 T butter and 2 T oil
- ⅓ cup finely chopped onion
- ⅓ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- ⅓ cup finely chopped celery
- 1 pound russet potatoes about 5 to 6 potatoes, cubed into approximately 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
- ½ cup filtered water or gluten free chicken broth beef broth, or vegetable broth
Instructions
- In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, brown the trinity - onions, green bell peppers, and celery - in the olive oil and butter for approximately 10 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, parsley, paprika, and SP&C to taste.
- Add the water or broth to the pot.
- Cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 35 mins to 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft and lightly browned, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure that the potatoes do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.Nutrition
Made this tonight after seeing it on Pinterest. Great dish!! We loved it! Added polish sausage and okra. Good 1 dish meal. Cooked it in my favorite deep sided 12" cast iron skillet. Thanks!!
Ooh, I betcha that was great. It's never occurred to me put okra in the smothered potatoes, so that's a new twist I can't wait to try. You're sooo welcome, and thanks for reaching out to let me know!!