This skillet of thin-sliced potatoes with mushrooms is a warm, golden-brown connection to the past. We love it alongside hearty main courses, tucked into breakfast plates, or even eaten by itself with a dollop of sour cream.

The smell of potatoes sizzling in oil, mushrooms soaking up the savory juices, and fresh dill stirred in at the end feels like home.

This dish fills the kitchen with comfort. It’s rustic, humble, and incredibly versatile. Sometimes we pair it with roasted chicken, other times with fish, and on cold days, we simply eat a big plate of it as a main meal. The texture — that perfect crisp outside giving way to a tender center — is what makes it irresistible.

But for me, this dish is deeply personal. My grandfather taught me how to make it. He was my dad’s adoptive father, but my dad always treated him as a biological parent. Growing up, I didn’t have many memories with him — life and time can be that way — but standing in the kitchen learning to slice potatoes just so, hearing his gentle instructions, and watching his practiced hands work the skillet is something I’ll never forget. He was a wonderful man, kind and generous in the way only truly good people are.

A Dish with Soviet Roots

Thin-sliced potatoes with mushrooms is a classic from the Soviet Union era, when simple, affordable ingredients had to stretch into filling meals. Potatoes were the backbone of the Soviet kitchen — cheap, accessible, and hearty enough to feed a family through long winters. Mushrooms were a beloved seasonal treasure, gathered in forests and dried or preserved for use year-round.

This combination became a staple because it was economical, nourishing, and easy to prepare in one pan. In rural areas, sunflower oil was the common cooking fat, and fresh dill was often added for brightness. In modern Russia, this dish still appears on family tables and in restaurants — sometimes elevated with wild mushrooms like chanterelles or porcini, or finished with a touch of butter for richness. But at its heart, it remains a simple skillet dish that brings people together over good food.

The Secret to Perfect Potatoes

Many people struggle to get the right texture — a crispy, golden-brown outside and a tender, fully-cooked inside — but the trick is in the method, not magic. Here’s what my grandfather taught me:

Use a Cast Iron Skillet – It holds heat evenly and gives the potatoes that deep, even browning you can’t get from nonstick pans.

Heat the Oil Until It’s Really Hot – Don’t rush this. You want a generous amount of sunflower oil (3–4 tablespoons or enough to coat the skillet generously) shimmering before the potatoes touch the pan. Adding them too early means they soak up oil without crisping.

Abundance of Oil Is Key – Skimping on oil is the fastest way to dry, uneven potatoes. Think of it as shallow-frying rather than sautéing.

Do Not Cover – Covering traps steam, which makes the potatoes soggy instead of crispy.

No Added Water or Early Onion – Moisture is the enemy of crispness. Add mushrooms halfway through and onions only if you’re okay with losing some crisp — or skip them entirely for maximum crunch.

Don’t Over-Stir – Let the potatoes sit long enough on one side to form a crust before flipping. If you stir too often, you’ll never get those browned edges.

Ingredients

4 medium gold potatoes, thinly sliced (about ⅛ inch thick)

8 oz baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

(Optional) 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced — for flavor, but skip if you want ultra-crisp potatoes

3–4 tablespoons sunflower oil (or enough to coat the skillet generously)

1–2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon butter (optional, for richness)

Step-by-Step Method

1. Prep the Potatoes

Slice evenly so they cook at the same rate. A mandoline works best, but a sharp knife and steady hand will do the job.

2. Heat the Skillet

Place your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sunflower oil and wait until it shimmers. This step is crucial — the oil must be hot before adding the potatoes.

3. Cook Without Crowding

Add the potatoes in a single layer if possible. Let them sit undisturbed for a few minutes until the bottoms are golden brown before flipping. Resist the urge to stir constantly.

4. Add Mushrooms Midway

When the potatoes are about halfway cooked, add the mushrooms. They’ll release moisture, which helps soften the potatoes inside while still allowing the outsides to crisp if your heat is high enough.

5. Season and Finish

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped dill right before serving. If using butter, add it at the very end for a glossy finish.

Five Ways We Serve This Dish

1. With Roast Chicken – Perfect for soaking up the juices.

2. With Grilled Salmon – The dill ties the flavors together.

3. As a Breakfast Plate – Add a fried egg for a filling start.

4. With Pickles and Rye Bread – A traditional Russian table combination.

5. As a Vegetarian Main – Big plate, side salad, sour cream for dipping.

Tips for Success

Pat potatoes dry after slicing if they seem wet — excess moisture will ruin your crisp.

Keep the heat high enough to sizzle but not so high that they burn before cooking through.

Avoid overcrowding — if making a big batch, cook in two rounds and combine at the end.

A Dish that Bridges Generations

Every time I cook this, I think of my grandfather. He was patient in the kitchen, never in a hurry, but never wasteful with his movements. The way he sliced potatoes was methodical, almost meditative. He didn’t have to say much — the lesson was in watching him.Although he wasn’t my father’s biological parent, my dad always spoke of him with deep respect and love, treating him as his own father. That bond carried into our kitchen years later. Cooking this dish feels like carrying his legacy forward — not just in taste, but in the quiet joy of making something simple and good.

In a world that celebrates complex recipes and rare ingredients, there’s something grounding about a dish like this. It’s proof that humble, everyday food can be every bit as special as a gourmet meal. The magic isn’t just in the crispy edges or the golden color — it’s in the hands that taught you how to make it and the people you share it with.

When the skillet hits the table and everyone starts spooning generous portions onto their plates, I see the same thing my grandfather must have seen — people eating heartily, smiling, and finding comfort in something as simple as potatoes and mushrooms. That’s the real recipe here: not just the ingredients, but the love that goes into making them.