Up your side dish game with my elegant fondant potatoes. I roast these potatoes with fresh herbs and butter until they’re melt-in-your-mouth tender with wonderfully crisp tops and bottoms. They’re fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside– the perfect melding of textures. These potatoes class up any holiday meal.
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With the holidays coming up quickly, I am always looking for easy recipes with a real wow factor. These fondant potatoes have it all! Pan-seared and then baked in the oven, the middles are soft and the outsides are crisp. They’re rich with buttery flavor and fresh herbs, and they truly taste like they came from a five-star restaurant.
What’s in This Fondant Potatoes Recipe?
- Potatoes: You can use any type of potato that you’d like for these fondant potatoes. Russets, yellow or red potatoes will work well. I used Yukon Gold for mine. If you choose to use mini potatoes, the cook time will be shorter.
- Salt + Pepper: Enhance the natural flavor of the potatoes.
- Oil: I like avocado oil for its neutral flavor and high smoke point.
- Butter: Unsalted butter adds richness to the potatoes. To make these potatoes vegan, replace the butter with the same amount of vegan butter. I’ve had great success with Miyokos vegan butter brand.
- Garlic: Adds savory flavor to the potatoes.
- Fresh Herbs: Thyme and rosemary add herbal flavor to the potatoes.
- Vegetable Broth: Keeps the potatoes moist and infuses them with savory flavor. You can also use chicken broth if you prefer.
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Tips for Success
- Use a potato peeler or a sharp knife to remove the skins.
- Coat all sides of the potatoes with the salt and pepper before adding them to the skillet.
- Allow the oil to get hot in the skillet before adding your potatoes. This will give them a good sear.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover fondant potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a covered oven-safe skillet with a bit of vegetable broth at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
These fondant potatoes are such an elegant addition to any holiday meal. I love them at Easter with pineapple ham, Thanksgiving with turkey, or Christmas with garlic butter prime rib.
All the Holiday Sides
60+ Holiday Side Dish Recipes
This holiday season be sure to check out our sides guide for all the recipes plus tips and tricks for entertaining.
Fondant Potatoes Recipe
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Ingredients
- 8-10 small/medium Yukon Gold potatoes peeled
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (⅜ stick)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- Flaky sea salt for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Cut both ends off each of the peeled potatoes so that they sit flat, they should be about 2 inches tall. Pat dry with a paper towel and season each side with salt and pepper.8-10 small/medium Yukon Gold potatoes, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Place the avocado oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the potatoes flat side down. Cook until a golden crust has formed, about 5 minutes.2 tablespoons avocado oil
- Flip the potatoes, and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until a crust has formed on the other side. Drain the oil from the skillet.
- Add the butter, garlic cloves, thyme, and rosemary to the skillet. Pour in the vegetable stock, and transfer the skillet to the oven.3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 sprig fresh rosemary, 1 cup vegetable broth
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- To serve, top with flaky sea salt and spoon the remaining butter sauce in the pan over the potatoes.Flaky sea salt
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
Nutrition Information
How to Make Fondant Potatoes Step by Step
Season the Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Cut both ends off each of 8-10 peeled small/medium Yukon Gold potatoes so that they sit flat, they should be about 2 inches tall. Pat dry with a paper towel and season each side with ½ teaspoon of sea salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper.
Sear the Potatoes: Place 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large heavy heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the potatoes flat side down. Cook until a golden crust has formed, about 5 minutes. Flip the potatoes, continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until a crust has formed on the other side. Drain the oil from the skillet.
Bake the Potatoes: Add 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 3 peeled garlic cloves, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, and 1 sprig of fresh rosemary to the skillet. Pour in 1 cup of vegetable stock, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. To serve, top with flaky sea salt and spoon the remaining butter sauce in the pan over the potatoes.
