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They don’t call these melting potatoes for nothing! This is my easy homemade recipe for fondant potatoes that’s delicious and crispy outside and practically melting in the middle.
In my house, “pass the potatoes” is a love language. From mashed potatoes to garlic parmesan roasted potatoes, there are so many ways to prepare them, and melting potatoes have long been a favorite!
Melting potatoes are, quite literally, melt-in-your-mouth potatoes that are all but guaranteed to win the Christmas potluck. You start with thick-cut potato rounds that get tossed with butter and then slow-roasted. Then, they’re roasted again in broth until they’re crazy-tender inside and crispy and golden outside. It’s one of my favorite ways to give the humble potato a glow up into a completely show-stealing side dish, whether I serve them with steak or a holiday roast. It’s so easy!
What Makes These Melting Potatoes So Special
- The steps are super simple. First, these potatoes get roasted with olive oil, butter, and thyme, before they’re returned to the oven with broth for a final, hot roast.
- They’re loaded with flavor. Between the herb butter and the broth, the potatoes get infused with flavor while they cook up meltingly tender.
- You’ll make them for any occasion. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter – heck, it doesn’t even have to be the holidays to enjoy these decadent melting potatoes. They’re great for everyday dinners, and you’ll be looking for excuses to make them!
Another name for melting potatoes is “fondant potatoes” (fondant meaning “melting” in French). It’s a classic cooking technique that involves browning potato rounds in a skillet before they’re transferred to the oven, where they’re roasted in a buttery broth until they’re practically melting in the middle. I’ve simplified things a bit with this recipe so that most of the cooking happens in the oven.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These melting potatoes don’t need much, just a few easy ingredients that I’ll cover here. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for the printable recipe with the full amounts and details.
- Olive Oil and Butter – Butter adds loads of flavor, but it also has a low smoke point. The solution: Melting the butter and combining it with olive oil prevents it from burning at higher temperatures.
- Potatoes – I recommend Yukon Gold or russet potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes tend to be creamier, while russets are fluffier.
- Thyme – Freshly chopped is best.
- Broth – Low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth.
- Garlic – Fresh cloves, minced.
How to Make Melting Potatoes
I’ve always appreciated French cuisine for its knack for turning the simplest ingredients into something totally five-star. And once you’ve learned how to make them, I can bet these melting potatoes will be on repeat. The steps are very easy:
- Melt the butter. Start by slowly melting butter in a saucepan, then stir in the olive oil.
- Prepare the potatoes. Meanwhile, peel and chop the potatoes into ½” thick rounds. Afterward, toss the potatoes in the butter mixture with chopped fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Bake. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle over the leftover butter. Now, bake the potatoes in a 450ºF oven for 15 minutes, flip, and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Add the broth. Finally, whisk the broth with the garlic, and then pour this over the potatoes in the baking pan.
- Bake again. Return the potatoes to the oven for another 15 minutes, and you’re ready to serve. The leftover buttery broth makes a delicious sauce to drizzle over when serving!
Tips and Variations
- Use a metal baking sheet/roasting pan. Make sure the rimmed sides are tall enough to hold the broth. Avoid other materials, especially glass baking dishes, as adding cold broth to a hot glass dish can cause it to shatter with the sudden temperature difference.
- Different herbs. I use thyme, but rosemary and parsley are also great herb choices for potatoes. If you like a little spice, add crushed red pepper flakes.
- Cut the potatoes to the right thickness. You’ll want to slice the potatoes to ½” thickness. Thinner or thicker slices result in over- or underbaked potatoes.
- Leave the skins on. If you’re short on time or don’t feel like peeling the potatoes, it’s totally optional! The skin adds extra texture, but it doesn’t affect the flavor at all.
- Use chicken stock. If you aren’t making this recipe vegetarian, chicken stock has a deeper flavor and darker color than vegetable broth or stock.
What to Serve with Melting Potatoes
Melting potatoes are such a versatile side dish. While the potatoes roast in the oven, it leaves my hands free to cook pan-seared steak or tomahawk pork chops on the stovetop, or I’ll serve these crisp-tender potatoes with mains like sheet pan salmon for an easy, two-pan meal.
Melting potatoes are also the ultimate holiday side dish with braised lamb shanks or roast turkey breast. Serve them alongside a green bean casserole and cranberry sauce, with a slice of turtle pie for dessert!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Leftover melting potatoes can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. I love turning leftovers into a breakfast hash or adding them to a frittata or soup.
- Reheat. Warm these potatoes in the oven with a little broth, flipping halfway through.
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Melting Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Melt butter. Add butter to a saucepot and melt it over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, stir in olive oil.
- Peel and slice the potatoes. Preheat oven to 450ºF. Peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into ½-inch thick slices crosswise. Add the potatoes and thyme to the butter mixture. Toss well to coat the potatoes. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
- Bake the potatoes. Arrange the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle any remaining butter over the potatoes. Bake the potatoes for 15 minutes. Flip them gently and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Add the broth and bake again. Combine vegetable broth with garlic. Pour the vegetable broth mixture over the potatoes. Bake the potatoes for another 15 minutes.
- Serve. Drizzle any cooking liquid over the melting potatoes and serve them warm.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Very good, but I used a little Rosemary rather than the thyme. 😊