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It seems like I just can’t stop adding garlic and butter to every dish that comes out of my kitchen. Whether it’s steak bites, chicken bites, garlic knots, or my new favorite, these melting potatoes (aka fondant potatoes), the flavor combo is a big hit with everyone in my family.
The texture of fondant potatoes can’t be beat. It’s truly unique among all the potato preparations I’ve tried. If you haven’t made them before, they’re worth trying! Their outsides are seared until brown and their insides are silky, creamy, and tender.
You’re basically making a potato braise—after searing, the potatoes bake in the oven, absorbing tons of flavor from broth, butter, and in my version, lots and lots of garlic.
Simply Recipes / Coco Morante
Amping Up the Garlic Butter Flavor
Traditionally, just a little bit of garlic is used in melting potatoes. A clove or two is lightly smashed and left in one piece in the pan, imparting a hint of garlic flavor to the finished dish. If you’re part of the more-garlic-is-always-better crowd (like me), you’ll enjoy this variation that adds six large chopped cloves to the skillet.
Some recipes start with a tablespoon or two of oil for browning the potatoes, but I prefer the flavor of the all-butter route. The low smoke point of butter requires a little more care and attention to temperature than oil, so you’ll want to be sure to keep the pan over medium heat, but I love the rich flavor butter imparts. Don’t be afraid of browning the butter and getting lots of dark, caramelized color on the potatoes—it tastes wonderful!
In order to keep the garlic from scorching or burning, you’ll wait to add it until after the potatoes are fully seared. Briefly removing the seared potatoes from the skillet gives you plenty of room to sauté all of your garlic, then add in salt, pepper, and broth to create an aromatic braising liquid. The potatoes go back in, get basted with the broth, then bake in the oven until they’re cooked through.
What To Serve with Garlic Butter Melting Potatoes
Serve your melting potatoes alongside roast chicken, pan-seared steak, or any other homey, savory main dish. Add a simple side of steamed green beans or broccoli and you’ve got a beautiful dinner.
Simply Recipes / Coco Morante
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4 small to medium russet potatoes, about 2 1/2 pounds total
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6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
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6 large cloves garlic, chopped
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3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
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2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, optional
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Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
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Prep the potatoes:
Fill a medium bowl halfway with cool water. Peel the potatoes and slice them into approximately 2-inch-thick rounds, adding them to the bowl of water as you go.
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Sear the potatoes:
Heat a 10-inch oven-safe skillet on the stovetop over medium heat for 1 minute. Meanwhile, place the potatoes on a kitchen towel and pat them dry on all sides. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the preheated pan. After the butter has melted, add the potatoes in a single layer.
Sear the potatoes until well browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Using tongs or a pair of forks, flip the potatoes and sear until browned on the other side, about 5 minutes more.
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Sauté the garlic:
Transfer the potatoes to a dish. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter along with the garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the garlic is aromatic but not browned, about 1 minute.
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Braise the potatoes:
Add the potatoes back to the skillet in a single layer. Pour the broth over the potatoes. Use a spoon to baste the potatoes with the cooking liquid, making sure to spoon some bits of garlic on top of each one.
Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the potatoes are tender in the middle and the broth has simmered off, leaving only butter in the skillet, 35 to 40 minutes, basting the potatoes again about halfway through the cooking time.
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Test the potatoes:
Test the potatoes for doneness with a paring knife: when it goes through a potato easily and with little resistance, they are ready. Alternatively, you can test them with an instant-read thermometer: they should register 205 to 210°F in the middle.
Remove the pan from the oven and baste the potatoes with the garlic butter one last time. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, if using, and serve right away.
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| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 275 | Calories |
| 15g | Fat |
| 32g | Carbs |
| 5g | Protein |
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| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 275 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 15g | 19% |
| Saturated Fat 9g | 45% |
| 38mg | 13% |
| 272mg | 12% |
| 32g | 12% |
| Dietary Fiber 3g | 12% |
| Total Sugars 2g | |
| 5g | |
| Vitamin C 13mg | 64% |
| Calcium 40mg | 3% |
| Iron 2mg | 9% |
| Potassium 822mg | 17% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
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