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Get ready to try your new favorite potato side dish with my mouthwatering Melting Potatoes Recipe! Pillowy-soft on the inside, yet beautifully golden brown and crisp on the outside, these easy fondant potatoes literally melt-in-your mouth. Everyone at the table will love them!
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Fondant Potatoes
If you know me, you know I'm always on the hunt for unique potato recipes. Potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables to cook with; they're hearty, filling, last a long time in the pantry, and are so versatile!
Why not combine two of the potato's best features into one? That's the magic of Melting Potatoes, traditionally known as Fondant Potatoes! Roasted hot with broth added to the pan, these potatoes develop a soft inside that practically melts like butter and yet become beautifully crispy on the outside.
If you're looking for new potato recipe ideas, try this fun potato side dish! It's delicious, beautiful, and the perfect side dish for steak, chicken, pork tenderloin, and more! I'll show you how to make melting potatoes and share my favorite dinner pairings for them. Enjoy!
Melting Potatoes Ingredients
- Yukon Gold potatoes: I like Yukon Gold for their tender, waxy interior and thin skin. You can also use russet, but peel them first if you do.
- Unsalted butter: Unsalted butter lets you choose how much salt to add! If you use salted butter, make sure to cut down on added salt.
- Garlic: Use freshly pressed or minced garlic; it'll have a much better flavor than powdered. I recommend a garlic press to make this easy.
- Chicken broth: Chicken and vegetable broth both complement the potatoes well and have a nice neutral flavor.
- Thyme: Fresh or dried thyme both work well here.
- Salt and pepper: I prefer Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Kosher salt also works well, but I recommend avoiding fine table salt.
How to Make Melting Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. While the oven is heating, peel the potatoes (if desired) and slice them into ½-inch rounds (or wedges, if you prefer).
- Place the butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 10 second intervals until completely melted.
- Mince the garlic, then add it, the melted butter, and the sliced potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Toss well to coat.
- Transfer the potatoes to a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and arrange them in a single layer, making sure to pour on any remaining butter and garlic.
- Pour in the chicken broth and shuffle the pan to evenly coat.
- Season with salt, pepper, and dried thyme.
- Bake for 55 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and have absorbed almost all of the liquid. A fork should easily insert into the center of the slices.
- Optional: Set the oven to broil and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, then flip and broil another 2 minutes or less. This crisps the potatoes up further.
- Remove, garnish with fresh thyme, and enjoy!
Fondant Potato Recipe Tips
- Instead of using the broiler to crisp the potatoes, you can also cook them without the broth for 5-10 minutes, then add in the broth and cook them the rest of the way.
- Chicken or vegetable broth both work well, but you can always change things up with beef broth, pork stock, or even add a splash of white wine!
- If you're using thin-skinned potatoes like Yukon Gold, you don't need to peel them. For russet potatoes, however, peel the potatoes first to ensure they soak up the broth. I recommend using Yukon Gold if possible, however.
- Serve these up with all your favorite baked potato toppings, like sour cream, chives, bacon, and cheese!
Melted Potatoes Substitutions
- Potatoes: Any type of potato can work for this recipe, even fingerling potatoes sliced in half or purple potatoes! I love melting potatoes as a purple potato recipe; the color makes the dish really stand out.
- Broth: Chicken and vegetable broth have the best flavor for this dish. If you don't have any broth, using chicken soup base or bouillon cubes will work too.
- Thyme: You can use your favorite herbs for this recipe. I like thyme, but fresh rosemary is delicious as well!
Melting Potatoes Recipe FAQ
Melting potatoes are potatoes cut into slices and cooked in the oven in broth so they're super soft, then broiled to form a perfect crispy crust! With a combination of soft and crisp textures, the inside of the potato melts in your mouth! Traditionally, they're known as Potato Fondant.
I cut my melting potatoes into ½-inch rounds, but some recipes prefer them a bit thicker (up to 1-inch slices). Keep in mind this may affect the cooking time, so I recommend sticking to ½-inch thick potato slices.
There are some very slight differences when it comes to melting potatoes vs fondant potatoes. First off, fondant potatoes are traditionally cut much thicker, and are often browned on the stove before being added to the oven. My melting potatoes are thinner for a shorter cooking time, and the browning happens in the oven instead of the stove.
Potato Recipe Ideas
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Melting Potatoes
Equipment
- 9 by 13 inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 3 Yukon gold potatoes
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 cup Chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Thyme - dried or fresh
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh thyme - for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. While the oven is heating, peel the potatoes and slice them into ½" rounds, or wedges if you prefer.3 Yukon gold potatoes
- Place the butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 10 second intervals until completely melted.4 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
- Mince the garlic, then add it, the melted butter, and the sliced potatoes to a large mixing bowl, and toss well to coat.4 cloves Garlic
- Transfer the potatoes to a 9"x13" baking pan and arrange them in a single layer, making sure to pour on any remaining butter and garlic.
- Pour in the chicken broth and shuffle the pan to evenly coat.1 cup Chicken broth
- Season with sat, pepper, and dried thyme.½ teaspoon Salt,½ teaspoon Pepper,1 teaspoon Thyme
- Bake for 55 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and have absorbed almost all of the liquid. A fork should easily insert into the center of the slices.
- Optional: Set the oven to broil and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Remove, garnish with fresh thyme, and enjoy!1 Tablespoon Fresh thyme
Notes
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- Instead of using the broiler to crisp the potatoes at the end, you can also cook them without the broth for 5-10 minutes, then add in the broth and cook the rest of the way.
-
- I like chicken or vegetable broth, but you can always change things up with beef broth, pork stock, or even add a splash of white wine!
-
- If you're using thin-skinned potatoes like Yukon Gold, you don't need to peel them. For russet potatoes, however, peel the potatoes first to ensure they soak up the broth.
-
- Serve these up with all your favorite baked potato toppings, like sour cream, chives, bacon, and cheese!
-
- Potatoes: Any type of potato can work for this recipe, even fingerling potatoes sliced in half or purple potatoes! Use your favorite!
-
- Broth: Chicken and vegetable broth have the best flavor for this dish. If you don't have any broth, using chicken soup base or bouillon cubes will work too.
-
- Thyme: You can use your favorite herbs for this recipe. I like thyme, but fresh rosemary is delicious as well!
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