A few weeks ago — although, you can imagine, it feels like it’s been much, much longer* — I learned bout something called melting potatoes and had to make them immediately. This is my favorite way to fall into something new: swiftly and static-free, even better when it has outsized pleasing results. I find the energy that comes from it kind of infectious. Why limit this fun to potatoes? Why don’t I do something random and new and unpredictable every single day? I should start right away. Or after I make these potatoes again because the only bad thing about them was that we had plans that night and I left them with the kids and babysitter. I did sneak one off the pan. It was hot. I dropped it. I definitely definitely did not eat it anyway. I am way too classy for that. Totally.
Do you love a circuitous recipe path? Me too. I saw it on the Instagram Stories of Dawn Perry, who is the food director at Real Simple, and it seems to have been discovered by associate food editor Grace Elkus, who found it on Pinterest, where it is very, very popular. It feels like a pared-down version of fondant potatoes (pommes de terres fondantes), a French dish in which cylinders of potato are browned very slowly in butter, with stock added in increments until the potatoes are crisp on top but creamy inside, but also somewhat glazed and booming with flavor. [Also, I love any dish that allows us to apply high praise usually reserved for meat, i.e. “meltingly tender”, to a vegetable.]
The Pinterest-favorite version that I’ve riffed on here happens in an oven instead of on the stove, meaning it’s fairly hands-off, ideal for people who plan to use their hands to make a big salad to offset the fact that they want to eat the whole pan of them and not share with anyone. The heat will seem too high, the butter too brown, the color on the potatoes too dark, and then you’ll try them and wonder why you’d serve anything else with — or instead of! — a roast ever again.
* Thank you for all of your kind words this week. I am reading them all slowly. I’ve been feeling much better since I wrote it, so thank you, as always, for giving me your ear.
Previously
One year ago: Easiest French Fries and Peanut Butter Brownies
Two years ago: Churros and Nolita-Style Avocado Toast
Three years ago: Red Bean and Green Grain Taco Bowl and Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie
Four years ago: Broccoli Cheddar and Wild Rice Casserole and Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Five years ago: Coconut Bread and Chocolate Hazelnut Macaroon Torte
Six years ago: Potato Knish, Two Ways and Carrot Cake Pancakes
Seven years ago: The Best Baked Spinach and Oat and Maple Syrup Scones
Eight years ago: Thick Chewy Granola Bars and Arroz Con Leche Rice Pudding
Nine years ago: Meatball Sliders, Key Lime Coconut Cake and Steak Sandwiches
Ten years ago: Big Crumb Coffee Cake and Alex’s Chicken and Mushroom Marsala
Eleven years ago: Strawberry Pecan Loaf and Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad
And for the other side of the world:
Six Months Ago: Marbled Banana Bread and Pizza Beans
1.5 Years Ago: How to Julienne and Plum Squares with Marzipan Crumble
2.5 Years Ago: Corn Chowder Salad and Caponata
3.5 Years Ago: Corn Cheddar and Scallion Strata
4.5 Years Ago: Key Lime Pie Popsicles
Melting Potatoes
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary leaves (I skipped because mine are under snow)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch slices
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock or low-sodium broth
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
[This is really, crazy hot. If you’re really nervous, I suppose that 450 degrees or 475 will also work, but I made it both times at 500 without problems.]
Place melted butter in the bottom of a large bowl. Stir in herbs, if using, salt, and pepper. Add potato slices and mix to evenly coat them. Spread potato slices and all of the good stuff at the bottom of the bowl in a 9×13 (quarter-sheet) metal (a glass baking dish shouldn’t be used at this high of a temperature) baking pan.
Roast potatoes for 15 minutes. Use a thin spatula (you all know by now how much I love a flexible fish spatula, especially here) to loosen potatoes and turn them over. Roast for a second 15 minutes, then carefully pour stock or broth into pan and add the garlic cloves. Roast for 15 minutes more, until potatoes are fully tender.
Remove from oven. Transfer to a serving platter along with any remaining liquid in pan and serve warm to very lucky people.
Yum, these look delicious. But more important, welcome back. I’m sure this has been an unspeakably rough week; sending good thoughts your way.
I made these last weekend with half Yukon golds and half sweet potatoes, plus some bulb onions sliced just as thick. They were superb.
Did the sweet potatoes turn out well? Thanks!
They absolutely did. I made sure to use the smallest ones I could find, so they matched with the golds pretty well in size.
I made this. Was a big hit with my guinea pigs(been trying new recipes lately) . I will surely make it again! Was a but concerned about the 500 degree temp but worked out beautifully! Thanks for posting the recipe!
Made these tonight in 450 degree oven
Used fresh rosemary, oregano & chives but garlic powder instead of fresh bc was afraid fresh would burn
Absolutely delicious and definitely “meltingly tender” !!!!!
Love the idea of the sweet potatoes and onions🍷
What temp did you use for the sweet potatoes? Thanks!
I didn’t deviate, I went with 500 degrees. Sweet potatoes were peeled, the golds weren’t since they had really thin skins.
Oh that sounds wonderful!! Thanks for testing it out first for us :-)
This Sounds like wonderful Comfort Food.
Sorry my German Phone writes all capitals :)
And the Potatoes go with Everything! Meat, fowl, Vegetables, salad.. ..
Thanks for the recipe, Deb, and Feel hugged from afar.
You have great timing. I have a bag of yukon gold’s waiting to be into a side dish for company this Friday. They are dairy free, so I’m hoping I can get good results with just olive oil or maybe a little lard too.
Duck fat, maybe? Since you’re cooking for company?
Potatoes roasted in duck fat are one of my absolute favorites.
I parboil the potatoes, drain them and then rough them up by shaking them in the saucepan. Then I put them in a cast iron skillet containing duck fat that has been preheating in a hot oven. I roll ‘em around, put skillet back in oven and roast until brown and crispy. They are so good, people act confused with the first bite; someone always yells, “Why are these so good???!”
Lol Tracey! I’m picturing people, casually conversing around a dinner table, until someone (really, literally) yells, “WHY ARE THESE SO GOOD?!” – Made my morning!
Seriously though… great technique to rough up the potatoes by shaking them in the saucepan – allows more of the duck fatty goodness to seep into the humble potato. :D
French fries–pomme frites, as they are often called–fried in duck fat are served at every good restaurant I’ve been to on visits to Portland, OR. The best are at Petit Provence. My hosts–my cousins–had an excellent nearby source for duck fat and all things meat and fowl in Burlingame: that was a wonderful visit. Their current eating style is pescitarian–it’s a good thing they are excellent cooks! Not that I don’t like fish, but I’m so very fond of roast chicken and bacon.
Tracy – I am a newbie here when I ask this question, but where does one get duck fat? Yours is not the first comment I’ve read about how good things are roasted in duck fat.
If you’re in Ontario duck fat is carried Loblaws and Fortinos. In Quebec the province is swimming in duck fat, literally everywhere. If you’re not in either province I’d bet a butcher would have it, or could tell you where to get it. It’s worth seeking out.
Or, buy a duck and roast it, you will then be swimming in duck fat!
Whole foods carries it.
These look incredible. I’d like to make them for a crowd this weekend. One question–it says at the top of the recipe, that it takes 2 hours and 30 minutes, but it looks to me like you the total roasting time is 45 minutes . . . can you explain?
An error! Will fix. 50 minutes, with prep.
Why does this recipe say 2h30m, when it seems like it’s 45 min of baking, and maybe 15 min of prep? I want to make sure I’m not missing anything!
I had the same question. Deb replied that it was an error and she’s fixed it. Just 50 minutes with prep.
I think the rest of the time must have been meant for enjoying the pan all by yourself. :)
:-))
I have eaten something like this at a French restaurant so many years ago that I have to squint my minds eyes to see that far back! Although they were more like tubes than slices and because they were, I wasn’t even sure they were potatoes. I have looked for them everywhere, under every starchy root vegetable I could think of, but I couldn’t find anything because I didn’t know what they were called or what was in them, being a non-cook at the time. No clue! In retrospect, this recipe describes what I tasted.. omg..finally! Thank you, Debs!
Could your French mystery vegetable perhaps be salsifis? That is a vegetable I came across in France that sounds a lot like what you are describing. I have never found it here though…
Hi,
Salsify is sold in this country as “oyster plant” or “vegetable oyster” – it is still hard to find, but I see it sometimes. It is supposed to be easy to grow…
Sonja and Abik.. I don’t know if that is what I had. I’ve never heard of Salsifis. The vegetable had the texture of a potato but flavor was somewhat obscured by having absorbed some flavor from the wine or chicken stock it was cooked in or finished with. I was thinking maybe it was a fingerling potato that had been pared to appear a tube with caramelized exterior to some extent.
Thanks for the mention of this vegetable I am not familiar with..I will look into it..
Susan….maybe the vegetable was potato and cut in a “Tourne” shape with the same or similar prep of this recipe.
I have never had a bad meal in France…whether sitting or taking it on the go. Yum!
Txpepper: It’s possible that they were fingerling potatoes pared down to shape. I don’t recall them being football shaped, they were definitely a tubular shape, much like an apple or pineapple core looks after being cut using one of those slicing gizmos but fatter and cut to about 2 inches tall. Imagine Debs potatoes 2 inches tall and narrower. They were heavenly.
Was it a Jerusalem artichoke? They are so delicious to be memorable!
Hello! I would like to double this recipie for a Holiday dinner, are there any changes I should make when doing so ? (Other than using a larger pan?)
It should be just fine doubled in two pans.
Hi! I think Deb actually mentioned what you’re describing here at the beginning: “It feels like a pared-down version of fondant potatoes (pommes de terres fondantes), a French dish in which cylinders of potato are browned very slowly in butter, with stock added in increments until the potatoes are crisp on top but creamy inside, but also somewhat glazed and booming with flavor.” I’m jealous that you’ve tried it!
(of course, now that I read your comment more carefully, I see that you already realized this! Sorry!)
Deb, thinking of you and your family, and I hope that cooking is cathartic and meaningful for you.
Quick question – do you think I could use clarified butter? I have a ton and am trying to use it up. Thanks!
In the instructions above the ingredients, Deb writes “I used all butter but I have read that olive oil with a little butter to finish, and/or clarified butter are equally popular, and less prone to burning. But I don’t think you should skimp on the fat.”
😉💖
that’s embarrassing that I missed it! THANK YOU!
could these be made in 350 oven?
Maybe? I’d probably want to go at least to 375/400 to have a roasted, and not just baked, effect.
We made these at 350, because that’s what the roast was cooking at – then when the roast came out to rest, we cranked the oven up to about 450 for the last 10 or 15 minutes (with the broth). They were good but nothing special, which we attributed to the lower temp. Not nearly as brown. Seems like you need the higher heat for the nice brown crunchiness, which is what (I’m assuming) sets these apart.
Wow. Just the name got me (and I had roasted potatoes at dinner only minutes ago, but not with butter like this). Plus it’s so simple.
I’ve only just heard of these in the past week, when I saw them made in an Instant Pot!! Cannot wait to try these – I’ll try the oven first.
And please know you are in my thoughts and prayers. When I read your previous post I had the most fun clicking through and reading all the SantaDad comments and posts. How did I ever miss them before?? A Dad’s wisdom and words are a valuable treasure. Hugs to you.
How did you find the SantaDad comments? Is there a way to bring those comments up, or did you just go back to the beginning of the blog and look for SantaDad? I never knew SantaDad was Deb’s real father. It is so touching to me that he kept up on her blog, but of course, he would! I was a daddy’s girl too until my dear dad died. I would enjoy reading what Deb’s dad had to say!
Can you use sweet potatoes for this recipe?
I’m sure you could, I’d use a lower temperature (they’re more sugary and will burn faster) for sure.
I used half and half sweets and yukon golds, and they turned out great. I would keep a close eye on them during the last 15 minutes though.
I have only ever made this with sweet potatoes and it is superb. I use a 450 degree oven, about 4T of butter for a loaded sheet pan of 1 inch thick slices. About 25 minutes on the first side, flip, and 20 minutes on the back side. Crisp buttery outside, perfectly cooked mushy inside. Can’t wait to try with regular potatoes!
Don’t do the broth part if you use sweet potatoes.
Um, wow. These are truly amazing and worth cranking up the oven. I’ll be brainstorming what else I can make to accompany these.
I made these after you made them in your Stories. Used unpeeled Yukon Golds, with chicken stock and dried Summer Savory as the herb. They were sooo delicious. Definitely a keeper. Thanks so much for this🍷
I just read the Gardian article that you linked to and I think I might try them with duck fat next time. I went to Quebec City a few years ago and potatoes roasted in duck fat were on almost every menu. Butter might be better, but I want to do the duck fat just once to compare, you know, for the benefit of science🍷
Dear Deb,
I made these right away… in my French oven, which doesn’t even get up to 500°. Yet the potatoes came out more black than brown; I wonder what I did wrong. (For the last stage I only kept them in the broth for a few minutes, since they were already so well cooked.)
They still tasted pretty good — they were all gobbled up within a few minutes — but what did I do wrong?
P.S. It’s not a convection oven.
Did you use 500°F or 500°C?
Sorry to hear they were problematic. The broth really mellows any darker spots over the 15 minutes. What temperature did you use?
Your French oven is probably celsius.
Lol, 500° Celsius would be 932°Fahrenheit. I’ve never seen a home oven, in Europe or the US that gets that hot.
It has to be celsius. It’s said in the comment that it didn’t go to 500. I still cannot imagine any oven going much over 500 F..!
Anyone try making these with skins on?
I didn’t peel my potatoes. Used Russet as that’s what was I. Hand. They were so delicious!
Agree with Vencogirl that it can’t be 500 degrees Celsius.
European ovens (and recipes) are typically set by gas marks with the highest being no. 9 which equals 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Lmorland’s original statement that the oven “doesn’t even get up to 500 degrees” means exactly what it says.
The only other explanation could be that the oven runs hot which can easily be adjusted for by getting an oven thermometer.
I preheated oven to 500 convection by mistake as I almost always cook on convection setting. The potatoes turned out very dark brown – almost black in spots by end of second session in oven. With the oven spewing smoke I turned Temp down to 475 convection at that time. Since everything was so hot the liquid evaporated almost on contact. I added more but had nothing for moisture by time up. Nice crispy exterior, if a little too dark and crusty but soft in middle. Not sure it is worth the smokey kitchen but will try again at the lower temperature with hood fan at top speed.
I just made these and had a very similar experience. Everything looked good after the first 15. After the flip and second 15, it was already starting to get a but smoky and dark dark brown. After I added the broth, 10 mins later there was so much smoke and most of the liquid had evapeoated. I might try these with more butter and stock and reduce temp to 475 for the final 15 mins.
Made these with russets for thanksgiving. I had 5 ½ pound so I split between two quarter sheet pans. I doubled the butter but left the stock at 1 cup because I was using the same size pan you call for and was concerned it would be too full with 2 cups.
They didn’t brown as much as I expected (there was space between each piece) but they were golden by the end and everyone loved them. Fed 11 of us.
Making again tonight exactly as written With 2 pounds (except with russets still). They are definitely browning more. Can’t wait to compare!
Thank you for the recipe!
Not sure why this posted as a reply to Dawn’s post. Sorry!
Will make almost asap. If you added lemon juice in place of part of the broth, and perhaps oregano, would these be similar to the potatoes you get at Greek restaurants?
I would like the answer to that question too. If so, would like to try them as a side with lamb gyros.
Very similar! I just did this tonight with the same goal. They’re definitely more roasted/browned than Greek potatoes, but if you want something more classic, the lemony potatoes from Veganomicon are actually spot-on.
Should the broth be warmed before adding?
No need to.
And this is why we love you. Who needs extra steps, extra bowls, extra fiddling. Thank you!
Hi….do you know if the potatoes should be turned once the broth is added? Thanks
I don’t turn them again.
Amazing! I planned to make this tonight based on your Instagram post a while back (I was going to reference the real simple recipe), and I was sooooo happy to see you posted it this afternoon! It was like the universe was asking me to make it. The recipe is perfect! Turned out perfect!!!! Thank you!
Potatoes have never looked better.. must drop everything immediately to make these!
These look lovely, deb. Also, lots of hugs, wishing all the good things your way :)
Made these for dinner tonight with lamb merguez patties and roasted broccoli rabe! DELICIOUS and so easy! I was worried about the butter burning, but nope! :) Thanks for the inspiration!
This was our first try of your recipes to pair with peated salmon for Rabbie Burns birthday. We got small golden potatoes, couldn’t find bit ones and cut them in 1/4 and had some mushroom broth left over from making soup. We left skins on because potatoes were small. Alas I missed the 2nd turn over roasting (my eyes missed that in the middle of writing with excitement) and went right to the broth. My husband loved it but I thought it was mushy and I rather like crispy potatoes better and couldn’t taste the garlic at all. I was so bummed, one day we hope to go to the store after pandemic make again. Will add my garlic for taste too and even butter and oil. It was too buttery. We loved skins! Thank you for all your love in helping us get through the pandemic!!
OMG, add theses this evening, best potatoes ever👍👍👍
These look delicious, but I have to ask, with no disrespect intended — your photo appears to show that you don’t line your pan with foil. WHY?! And the next logical follow is, how do you clean up the burnt/baked on mess?
Lol, I’m glad you asked! It came up many times when I shared this on IG Stories the day I found it. You guys, this is butter and broth! That’s not going to char on much. And doesn’t everyone soak their pans? Just a puddle of water and some soap overnight (or an hour or two) and if anything was stuck, it shouldn’t be after this.
Mine charred! I followed it all to a T, not sure what happened.
Following this and wondering if I could use a cast iron pan instead of a sheet pan since all of mine are old and useful only with parchment/silicone/aluminum foil covered bottoms.
i used a cast iron pan this afternoon. it worked beautiful. no charring, no burnt potatoes… just amazing creamy fluffy perfection. my teenage daughter tried one cold and tried to grab another. I forbid her from eating the rest. I’m reheating to go with dinner (fake shake burgers on fresh made brioche buns) the boys in our house are going to have tots because they “don’t like roasted potatoes”… weirdos ;)
Sprinkle some dishwasher detergent on the baking sheet with water. Cleans every pan I have used and burned anything. Put some in a pot and simmer. depends on how burned on something and how much as to how long. you could probably put the baking han in the oven for a while to get the detergent active. I can’t say for sure about that because I always use parchment paper.
I would Not put Food directly on aluminum foil, especially at these high temperatures. There isn’t any acidic food involved (which “attacks” the foil even more), but still.
Aluminum intake is linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Don’t know if that’s true, but I would not take the risk. Rather soak the pan :)
Firstly, I’m so sorry to hear of your news and can’t begin to imagine how hard it’s been dealing with your grief with an already busy life. These potato’s look delicious, and I absolutely will be trying them soon.
As a side note – I’ve been getting some weird ads on your site lately with close ups of peoples feet/toes with infections, pretty gross stuff. I know you don’t personally control which ads are displayed but just thought I’d let you know!
I got those ads too Yesterday. Toe nail fungus can really put you off the recipes….
Can I use red potatoes?
I haven’t tried it but they’re halfway between floury (Russets) and waxy (Yukon Gold) so they’d probably work here.
I used reds and found them dry. In contrast to the sweet potatoes, which were heavenly.
Just made them this evening. Oven at 500, potatoes were black at the first turning. I moved the rack to the very top shelf, so the other side ended up very dark brown. The broth didn’t seem to mellow the blackness.
Used sweet potatoes and red potatoes. The sweets were fantastic! The reds not as good, a little dry actually. And blander than I expected, though inexpert fresh herbs in the spring would help.
*i expect, not “inexpert” ;)
This sounds tantalizingly delicious to make with chicken broth and herbs to serve at the Pesach Seder meal. Wishing you a Kosher and Sweet Passover.
WELL we will be trying THIS dish this weekend for SURE.
Thanks!
These are my grandma’s Thanksgiving dominating Golden Potatoes! She was a 50s style cook, so I’m sure the recipe came off the side of a broth can. Our version isn’t quite as fancy. I parcook the potatoes and rough them up a little before roasting and use a lot of Lawry’s seasoning salt. They are super delicious, especially with a dollop of sour cream on the side. I look forward to them all year.
Emailing my husband to tell him, “Deb made Golden Potatoes!!!!”
Grew up on Lawry’s season salt too, but when I years later looked at the ingredients, I couldn’t buy it. Full of MSG! Not a seasoning, but a tricky chemical. There’s a wonderful spice shop here in San Francisco called Spice Ace and she sells an identical blend without the junk called Golden Gate Seasoning Salt. Great shop, basically everything you good want plus signature blends like this one. She ships! 😊
I don’t believe Lawry’s contains MSG anymore! Just an FYI :) But your local spice shop sounds fabulous. I am certainly going to check her out as I am on the hunt for some new blends.
Mantras can help you remain present in the moment, focus your thoughts and intentions on what’s important to you and, ultimately, manifest beautiful things in yourself and the world around you.
Cara Mengobati Ejakulasi Dini Sembuh Permanen
Sending you love and peace and all the melty potatoes. ❤
Mine too!!! Well the snow has melted but the plants are no longer usable. Will be replacing soon. But……this is the best recipe direction for optional I have ever seen…..
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary leaves (I skipped because mine are under snow)
These look amazing 😉. Totally trying this👍. My kids would love it! They love all things potato based ha ha🙌😊.
Yum. I’ve made these with sweet potatoes several times. I used a combo of coconut and olive oil and they were incredible. Sometimes I add a bit of curry when I eat mine, since I like that savory/sweet thing. I’ll have to try it with the Yukon. Sending blessings to you and your family.
Could you do this with olive oil?
I have made your chocolate cake with the salt flake a gazillion times, our Vegan dessert staple, thank you so much I love your website!!! … and recipes. Still making the Chick-pea pasta once a week my daughter is besotted with it.
I usually like to leave the skins on my potatoes. Do you have to peel these for them to turn out correctly?
I plan to try these with sweet potatoes. Should be delicious.
Sending you a big bear hug. Lean into all the hugs you can get. Hugs are a balm to the hurting heart. You are not alone.
I made these as soon as I saw the recipe! Easy, superb!
Sounds delicious! I also wondered if I could use red, unpeeled potatoes since I already have them. One person said they turned out dry…. Wondering if anyone else tried them, because I already have them, but don’t want to experiment for this occasion. Also: I would be making for a lot of people for Passover – a lot going on in my kitchen – so I’m wondering if I could make them earlier in the day and then just reheat in a hot oven right before eating. Will that change the results? (How do restaurants do it?) Thank you! Love your blog and books and recipes!
I’m worried about possible oven splatter when cooking at such a high temp. Anyone have this problem?
This sounds dreamy and too easy not to try. I have a traeger smoker and am going to try it in there. I love the flavor it adds to veggies, as well as meat. It doesn’t get up to 500°, but I just have to experiment with this recipe. Thanks, as always, for your posts.
Made these last night, exactly as described with Yukons. Couldn’t be better! One question though— is it really necessary to peel the potatoes?
These sound wonderful, just added thyme to my shopping list for the weekend and will have them with our Easter Ham.
My English mum-in-law roasted potatoes in rendered beef fat and they were always fabulous. (Beef fat is also essential to the flavor of Yorkshire Pudding.) So I save the fat my husband trims from steaks and roasts and freeze it. Then when I need it, I roast the fat and use it for the potatoes. Incredible flavor.
Yum! There’s a trendy British inspired restaurant in SF called the Cavalier and they serve their steak with beef tallow potatoes, so good!
Lee Valley sells the perfect spatula for this purpose: I’ve been using a vintage one just like it all my adult life.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=72310&cat=2,40733,44734&ap=1
For posterity, they’d absorb, not absorbed.
I made these melting potatoes when they came out in Real Simple magazine. They are good but take up oven space that is dedicated to only one dish. You would be lucky if you had 2 ovens. Also, I do remember the potatoes smoking up quite a bit! Otherwise, they were yummy!
Are the garlic cloves for eating or for flavoring the broth/butter? After 15 minutes I imagine they are not fully cooked, would it work to put them in with the potatoes and butter?
Looks very similar to a recipe for Melting Potatoes that I made from Barbara Kafka’s, “Roasting.” Must have been the mid 90’s when published. We loved the result ~ can’t think why I’ve not made them since. Thanks for the reminder.
I have a bone to pick with you (and your colleagues who also have food blogs). I am a very visual person. I can read a recipe with great interest AFTER I have seen the picture! Yet, none of you ever make the effort to include the picture with the printable copy. Which means I have to do it as a secondary effort, using more paper than necessary and besides the fact that it is a pain in the neck and makes me feel like I am stealing something. So simple recipes that could be 1 or 2 pages become at least 3 if not 4 pages long…. Six months later I am looking in my vegetable folder or my seafood folder for an interesting recipe and if I don’t have a picture I can easily overlook one of your better ideas. But if I have a picture of the delectable morsel, I will immediately recognize what a great idea it is.
I made these last night to accompany roast chicken and they were delicious. I used a combination of peeled russets and baby white potatoes, a couple unpeeled, just to compare. The baby whites had a more melty consistency on the inside, but the russets were also tasty. I’d make them again with either russets or yukon golds because I like that size when they’re sliced.
The best part about the recipe was that I was able to make them simultaneously with the roast chicken, which I do at 500, and both dishes were ready at the same time.
Oh good heavens, yes! Fondant Potatoes are one of life’s real pleasures. Thank you for reminding us of them – it’s been several years since I’ve made them.
Do you think this could be made with thick slices of butternut squash or will they burn/get too mushy to serve?
Our wonder BollyWood Theater (Indian street food) had a special a couple months ago of roasted butternut squash that was sooo good. I can’t get it out of my mind and trying to figure out how I can make. I think this is how I need to make So they feel like they’ll melt in my mouth. That’s how I felt about them but couldn’t quite come up with how to do it. I’d say yes, try with butternut squash.
Thank you so much. I feel (being clear that of course the world always revolves around me) that you put this up a little bit because of my utzing. I’m going to make them tonight. But first, I just wanted to add my voice to all the others who responded to your post about your dad. Your post was really lovely, and heartbreaking and I’m glad to hear that you were able to share your feelings about him. He sounds wonderful and a lot like my own dad whom I lost 17 years ago, (and yet, I still miss him every day) and especially when I get into the kitchen where all my favorite recipes are written in his incredibly neat and precise handwriting on 3 x 5 cards. The only thing that is comforting is that it is because we enjoyed the deep and wide connection that the pain is so great. Bittersweet.
Hi Deb~
Heartfelt condolences to you and your family.
I was planning to make striped bass & tomatoes in foil packets* tonight for dinner. You can imagine how thrilled I was to read the melting potatoes recipe: both need a 500 degree oven.
I followed your directions explicitly using russet potatoes. I managed to set off the fire alarm during the first 15 minutes. I put the exhaust fan on “turbo” and continued after I turned the potatoes. It didn’t take long before it went off again. I added the broth, and since the potatoes were gorgeously roasted and the kitchen aromas delicious, I transferred the potatoes to a serving dish and finished them in the microwave. What a delicious dinner – a huge salad on the side.
The recipe for the stripped bass was Mark Bittman’s recipe Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil. Thank you for the delicious pairing, and all you do to encourage enthusiasm in the kitchen.
Ha ha, we also set off the smoke alarm (despite setting up a fan and opening a window in advance)! But it was worth it.
My nephew would be calling that receipe “Noisy Potatoes”!
Everything old is new again! I first read about Melting Potatoes in Barbara Kafka’s Roasting. She roasts
them in wedges, but her recipe is essentially the same. Ms. Kafka’s book is copyright 1995.
You rock and take your time – it is awful but time helps. It is so cool your dad was around for your – much deserved- success. So enjoy your descriptions with your recipes, which are all spot on.
Looks like the ultimate comfort food! Here’s to comfort for you and your family! It sounds like there are so many happy memories of your father.
These sound amazing — perfect for this Easter weekend. I would like to use some amazing Sieglinde potatoes that I have on hand. Can you cook them unpeeled?
Hi Deb:
Is it possible to include the carb (and calorie too, I guess) content of your recipes? My husband is a newly-diagnosed diabetic and I’m trying to stay within his guidelines. LOVE your recipes!
Diane
Several sites allow you to upload a recipe and get the nutritional information- for example https://happyforks.com/analyzer
Deb,
I have never commented on your blog before (aside from maybe to enter a contest), but I want you to know that your blog is the first one I look at every Sat/Sun morning for inspiration for the weekend suppers and desserts or the coming week’s lunches . I am a teacher by day but food is one of my greatest passions. I am all the time sending colleagues your way with knock out recipes (usually they see what I am eating for lunch and demand the details) last week is was the Green Grain Taco Bowl.
Thank you for sharing your life and food finds on the interweb. I was so sorry to hear about the loss of your father. I am glad that food/cooking was your solace. I cope better when I am busy too. I just wanted to take a minute and in this time of sorrow let you know about how much you inspire me in the kitchen. It is obvious that your father is so proud of you!
These look great and I’d really like to make them for my Seder tomorrow. I’m trying to wrap my head around the timing though. Like I don’t want to have to pop up from the Seder to turn them every 15 minutes. Do you think I could just make them at like 5:00 before people get to the house, then pop them back in the oven at like 350 when we start the Seder (ours is about 45 minutes?)
I know I can’t have it both ways, and they may not be as fabulous as hot out of the oven, but they’ll still be great, right?
Sorry my reply won’t help you but I’m in the same boat – but I’d like to make them today for tomorrow and reheat. My ovens will be too busy tomorrow and I won’t be able to tend to them.
I don’t have firsthand knowledge of how well they reheat, but I have a few observations. First, I am not one to attempt a new recipe for a gathering. That’s just me. Second, they require a very hot oven, so you would have yours tied up at 500 degrees for a while. Do you really want to do that? Third, potatoes are fairly hearty and the idea of cooking them early and rewarming seems like a sure bet as long as they get a good crusty carmelization on the outside first. I made a batch for supper and they didn’t crisp up as much as I hoped. It might just be my oven. Hope this helps some.
Can they be made the night before and reheated?
Can these be made the night before and reheated?
Just to assuage the concerns of other commenters — I made this tonight with red potatoes and loved it. No dryness at all. My guests were obsessed and demanded the recipe. (I did, I’ll note, take it out a few minutes before the full 45. And they were quite large red potatoes — five of them weighed a full two pounds — not the smaller ones you often see around.)
Made these tonight and they didn’t carmelize on the outside like yours appear to have. Me thinks calibrating the oven may reveal a discrepancy. The good news is that at least half remain for home fries in the morning. Much like the recent recipe for slow roasted sweet potatoes, I prepare large batches so there will be a stash of leftovers. Don’t get between a Polish girl and her potatoes!
Oh my gosh I made these and I will never make potatoes any other way!!!
I used russet potatoes for this. But first, let me set up the back story. On March 1st, my husband and I decided, on kind of a whim, and because we were renovating anyway, to tear out our kitchen. Greg told me that I had 12 days to move everything out and tear the kitchen out to studs. So, when I first saw this recipe, I was down to a sink and a stove and nothing else….but I wanted so badly to make these. I texted Greg to pick up some Yukons from the store and he came home with Russets. OK, whatever…I will adapt. I didn’t want to waste my pile of peels, so I dumped them in my dry fryer for 12 minutes on 380 degrees and they were delicious! Score one. After all the prep and the butter and the cooking at 500 degrees, my kitchen was actually warm! (we have no insulation in our kitchen at the moment, which can get chilly on the coast of Maine in the months of Farch.) The potatoes were good, but not as delicious as they looked in the photos here….I think I need more practice and maybe a counter top to help me….but I digress. So now it is Saturday morning and I have no sink anymore…just a stove in the middle of a room next to a disconnected water heater with the dry fryer, microwave, and toaster operating on alternating extension cords in the dining room. I dumped the leftover potatoes and all their congealed buttery goodness into the dry fryer, set the timer for 12 minutes on 400 and went to make scrambled eggs and garlic toast. When everything was done, the potatoes came out a hit! The exteriors were crispy crispy and insides were melt in the mouth rich buttery awesomeness. Now to go do the dishes in the bathtub….sigh……
this made me truly LOL, but totally in sympathy! And though I’ve lived in New England for over half a century, I’d never heard of Farch but will be using it all the time now!
Sigh, my bees come out of their hives, see the snow and I’m sure I can hear them swearing!
I made these last night and they were delicious! Our oven is out of commission so I used our toaster oven, which only goes up to 450. The potatoes took maybe 10-15 minutes longer and got only golden brown rather than dark brown, but still had an amazing melting texture and rich flavor.
Deb,
Sending my heart-felt condolences to you. Dads are such an important part of any girl’s life! You’re dad sounds like an awesome guy!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! My MIL used to make potatoes like this, and since her passing a few years ago, it’s one of those foods I have craved, especially on holidays, when she most often made the potatoes. I don’t think she used a recipe, it was just something she made for all of us. Thanks, again for sharing. I think it’s a close match!
Hi all,
Has anyone experimented with this recipe beyond potatoes/sweet potatoes? I have an overabundance of turnips from my farm share and all of the usual turnip preparations seem too wintry for this time of year. I’d love to use up my turnips with this recipe but I don’t know if the extra sugar/lack of starch will doom them to burning.
This was so good! This was pretty easy to make vegan, thank you!
To anyone who loves animals, consider going plant-based :) check out the Joaquin Pheonix move Earthlings!
My family is obsessed with this recipe!! Used russet/baking potatoes and they were perfect. Thank you for posting, 100% made our Easter weekend.
These are delicious! Fixed them with a spiral sliced ham for a non-vegetarian along with oven roasted asparagus. Will fix them again and again with almost anything!
I made with russets, as I had them on hand and they were DELISH! Will definitely be making these often.
Made these with all butter, skins on, and rather large Yukon Golds. They were fantastic! I managed to NOT set off my smoke detector, but I did discover that my oven has several spots where it spews hot air/steam out at such high temperatures. I almost burnt my hand on the steam going to turn on the oven light. Yipes!
Both my parents died within a year of each other, not long ago. The circle of life seems trite but is no joke. You and your siblings made SantaDad a father…Jacob and Anna did the same for Alex…in some of your photos, Jacob and your father look so alike…and so the wheel keeps turning. Blessed be in your time of sorrow and change. You are loved, by so many such as myself that you have not met. Rejoice in the goodness of what was, and will be. And thank you for yet another wonderful recipe. I too just ate potatoes tonight and want these! They are grounding, such a comfort food. Allow the comfort to seep into your soul.
I made these potatoes on Friday night in Melbourne, Australia, and wow – they’re INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS!
Made this with russets and it was absolutely delicious!! Also I bought the spatula you recommended and don’t know how I have managed so long without it!!
Does anyone know if it’s possible to pre-cook these up to the last cooking in the broth? I’m taking them to a dinner and would prefer to get some of the cooking done first. Thanks
I made these today – we LOVED. I didn’t peel my Yukon Gold potatoes and definitely didn’t need to. Used clarified butter and thyme. So crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside… A big hit! THANKS!
Your recipes have never led me astray and this one certainly was not the exception to that rule. I even broke a golden rule of cooking and made it for the very first time for a big family Easter luncheon. Everyone raved and the potatoes were absolutely delicious. I followed the recipe exactly, only doubling it and using fresh thyme (which we have readily available in 85 degree Alabama). Thank you, thank you for NEVER letting me down.
Mmmmmmmm. Made these today for Easter and they are amazing. And leftovers will be enjoyed tomorrow! (this is the inlaws year for Easter, so just my husband and me) Will make these as often as I can!! Thanks!
I made these tonight for dinner. Hands down, these are the best potatoes I’ve ever made. If we hadn’t had company and I was on my best behavior, I would’ve crammed the leftover ones into my mouth instead of keeping them as leftovers.
I followed the recipe exactly. Cooked them in two cast iron pans. They were PERFECT. Not too brown. Did not smoke. Just unbelievably melty, delectable potatoes. Can’t wait to make them again. Thank you for this recipe.
These were unbelievably good! We’re already planning all of our holiday meals to include them. Two notes, my husband was keeping an eye on them and took them out of the oven right before they switched over from delicious to burned – a few minutes before the recipe suggests they’ll be done. Different ovens, but it’s good to watch them carefully. Also we used beef broth instead because that’s what was in the house. Yummy!!!
Made them tonight! Using small russets with left over beef broth. Potatoes! Oh! What’s not to like about anything potato? I took a pic but can’t upload. Maybe I’ll tag you on IG. And yes I also made the brisket, which is cooling in the fridge! Big thanks and hugs from a fan. Thinking of you during this time. So sorry to hear about your father. May he Rest In Peace.
Do you put the pan in the middle of the oven? Or do you put it closer to the broiler?
I made these 2x since reading and they were great! Excellent indulgent vegetarian side. Mine didn’t caramelize as much, next time will preheat oven longer.
Meant to add to my comment above: I used baby whites and didn’t peel. Worked well.
We made these just as the recipe instructs, and they were a HUGE hit at Easter with roast pork stuffed with parsley, garlic, and lemon zest and charred garlicky green beans. Everyone was at the table planning what to make to go with the potatoes for Christmas dinner. Thanks for another great one!
That oven temp is way to high and a fire risk! While many oven are designed to go to the temp, it should rarely be done as you do not know if most home ovens can actually stand that without starting a fire. Especially cheaper ovens and apartment ovens
These are phenomenal. To those who’ve had trouble with burning, I’d suggest checking the potatoes halfway between each 15-minute interval, and not being afraid of using your judgment to cut short the recommended cooking time. Also, using a pan that *just* fits the potatoes in one layer (I had to use two 8×8 brownie pans — non-stick) will help keep the broth from evaporating too quickly. Another option would be to add the broth in the middle step, instead of at the end.
Made this over the weekend and oh. my. gawd. Why don’t I cook with butter more often (oh yeah, my high cholesterol, that’s right)?! Health food this may not be, but it’s one of the simplest yet most delicious recipes I’ve tried of late. My husband barely said a word about the fried chicken breast I served with this (Usually his fave. And yes it was a strictly meat and potatoes, full on comfort food kind of a night ) because he couldn’t stop raving about these darn potatoes. We’re both in love… with melting potatoes.
Update: I just made these using red potatoes and they were not at all dry… creamy & DELICIOUS!!!! I left some skin on … crispy on the outside and really creamy on the inside. Winner!! Enjoy !
I’m confused by this in the recipe: then carefully pour stock or broth into pan and add the garlic cloves. Roast for 15 minutes more, until potatoes are fully tender.
Do you not put the broth in with the potatoes for the first half hour? Thanks
I made these with a bit of variation –
used smallish purple potatoes which I
didn’t peel & ital. parsley &
basil for the herbs. Roasted at
410 in a toaster oven.
Came out great, thanks!
Could you leave the skins on the Yukon Gold potatoes?
Soooo good. Gonna be just as good under a poached egg tomorrow morning. :)
by visiting this site I found cool stuff here keep it up.
These were the hit of our Easter dinner. Such a great outcome for a recipe that was pretty easy to execute. I’m only sorry I didn’t make more.
I made these today and they were incredible! I live alone and while I’m happy I don’t have to share these with anybody, I had to force myself to save some instead of eating the whole batch in one sitting! (My mouth would have been thrilled, but my stomach would not be comfortable with two pounds of potatoes all at one go.) Will definitely be making these frequently.
This is our new passover recipe. Yum!
Made these tonight and I wanted to eat half the pan! Potatoes were crispy on the outside but buttery and soft on the inside. I went with the Yukon golds. Next time, I’ll shave a few minutes off the last 15min roast time as all of the broth evaporated. But delish!!
curious…I know the first time you had zero leftover…but wondering how they reheat?
No leftovers the second time either! They reheat fine but the texture is less nuanced, of course.
High temp cooking with potatoes or any starchy food like this causes excess Acrylamide formation. 500 degrees for a cumulative 30 minutes …… really *(O_O)* ? Feel free to research Acrylamide formation in foods at high temperatures, don’t take my word for it. Here’s just a few sites of thousands looking at this sort of thing. The good news is the food industry has known for years and have ways of reducing Acrylamide easily. Just lower the temperature and blanch them (removes chemical precursors). You can make these much healthier and they can still be crispy. Just don’t cook starches at high temp and fast like this. I truly hate to be a stick in the mud and I love food. I only mention it because I want you to have a long healthy life. 500 degrees at 30 mins will give you a heck of a dose of Acrylamide.
Cancer Society-
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/acrylamide-fact-sheet
Canadian Government –
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/chemical-contaminants/food-processing-induced-chemicals/acrylamide/acrylamide-food-food-safety.html
FDA – USA Food and Drug Administration- Acrylamide Report-
https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm374855.htm
Good tips to reduce Acrylamide formation in your food.
https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/easy-ways-avoid-acrylamide-home-cooking/
I did read all the comments, but have you ever tried “Smashed Potatoes” it is similar to the recipe and it is in a book “Oh! She Glows.” It is cooked basically the same except you cook potatoes (skin on) in water until just cooked enough to firmly mash with the bottom of a glass – lots of garlic, olive oil and butter. They are so good!!! and of course Yukon Gold potatoes.
Jo
Not questioning the recipe, which sounds delicious, but I’m curious as to how or why one doesn’t end up with a kitchen full of smoke from burnt butter (which has a quoted smoke point of just 350F).
I don’t think the butter actually reaches 500 just because it’s in a 500 degree oven. (But absolutely not a food scientist here, just didn’t smell any smoke.)
Boy we’re these potatoes ever good! I had several folks ask for the recipe after serving them at Easter. I used red potatoes, and while I peeled them, next time I’ll try leaving the skins on.
Sounds yummy! I’ll have to try them. Or give the recipe to my daughter in law & let her make them, & then I’ll go eat them at HER house. LOL!
These turned out perfectly. My minor changes:
I used dried herbs, and I added a quartered small onion after the first 15 minutes instead of the garlic.
I kept the oven around 450–475 because mine tends to set off the smoke detector (it happened anyway), and I cut the slices slightly smaller than an inch, and 45 minutes of baking was perfect.
And I left the skin on. Gotta get those nutrients!
We’re having people over for brunch tomorrow–sob! What does one serve people during Passover? Anyway, I was wondering whether I could make these tonight and if they’d still be good tomorrow, or if this is more of a serve right away dish. Thank you!
These look sooo good! I am definitely going to have to give these a go this week! I hope mine turn out as good as yours! I will let you know how they turn out! Might do half sweet potatoes..
If I’m halfing the recipe, should I use the butter etc as instructed or half that as well? Thanks!
Halve everything, including the pan size, if you can!
Tried this and topped with sauteed leeks. Really good! Also, left skins on the sides of each piece and turned out fine.
I made these last night for dinner and they were great (though yes, my smoke detector did go off). Also, this morning I cubed up the handful of leftover pieces and fried them up to eat with my Eggs Benedict and <>.
My comment got cut off! And they were freaking amazing.
I made this last night, with yellow potatoes (whole foods didn’t have yukon) and follow your direction exactly what you mentioned and it was fantastic!!!.
My husband who typically doesn’t like potato had 2nd serving and told me that it was the best potato dish. Thank you very much!
These are fantastic! I used large, thin-skinned yukons and did not peel them. I also baked at 450F for 45 min and felt they were perfectly browned and tender. And the leftovers make a fabulous breakfast the next morning with a fried egg on top!
I made these melting potatoes just as the recipe directed. They were absolutely delicious! I roasted a lemon garlic pork tenderloin alongside of them, and what a meal! Since I was using the oven, I also roasted and glazed a bunch of baby carrots. My husband declared the meal fit for a king. Thank you so much, Deb!
These potatoes are the best I’ve ever had! And even better, my picky kids ate them, no fuss, no drama, just gobbled them up. I had upped the recipe for our family of four, thinking I would have leftovers… ha, silly me!
Your blog is hands-down the best cooking blog I’ve ever come across! It’s incredibly versatile, everything turns out just perfectly, well seasoned and delicious. You make my weekly meal planning a breeze. Thank you so very much for that, you’re awesome!
I want to make sure I’m not missing anything!
Thank you for this recipe! I made it with unpeeled russets, and they were unreal! To serve 9, I doubled all ingredients except the broth, and cooked it on a half sheet pan; 1 c broth was the perfect amount to get soaked up by the potatoes and/or evaporated. Next time, I better make 2 pans worth; nobody wanted to eat pork chops or veggies with such deliciosity on the table!
Ack! Forgot to say that I did 1 T bacon fat, 3T canola oil, and 4 T butter for a double recipe. Wish I had had more bacon fat on hand, because it is truly my fave for roasting just about anything, but especially potatoes. Downside is the smell makes the fam think I’m making actual bacon, and I hate to disappoint.
Deb – I’m always looking for an easy way to get super crisp browned potatoes on the table! Can’t wait to try this method out. Probably will use some clarified butter to finish for that extra deep nutty flavor.
How does anyone do the stock step without smoking out the kitchen and setting the fire alarm off? Asking for a friend.
These potatoes are such a lovely revelation! I made them as directed but substituted fresh tarragon for the rosemary/thyme because I made too many pans of rosemary roasted potatoes this winter and I love tarragon – It reminds me of summer. They were perfectly delicious and the (few) leftovers were wonderful with eggs the next morning.
This is my first post here and I want to tell you how grateful I am to you for sharing. I have made many dishes from your pages over the years and am convinced they have helped anchor my relationship with my slightly fussy French in-laws at our midwestern US dining table. And there have been so many other dishes we have loved, including the first birthday monkey cake that my daughter babbled at and refused to eat because it was so cute..until she tasted how yummy it was! Thank you for the generosity of your time and perspective.
I really love sweet potatoes but I do usually only eat them around the holidays. I have tried different recipes and style.but this recipe is different.
Tried to make this and followed all the directions you gave. Potatoes were crispy but very dry and bland and there was no liquid remaining at the end. Not sure what went wrong. :(
I am totally trying this recipe! I cannot get enough of potatoes now and I must try making them this way!
I made the dish tonight, and it was delicious. As advertised—-beautiful browning, crispy outsides, and velvety insides. I know what you mean about the high temp, though–it’s hot! I lowered the baking rack for the last 15 mins because it looked like the broth would steam and sputter all over the broiler (this is not a cook’s oven, but it came with the place so what can ya do?). I did not have good results with fresh herbs (I used thyme that I had chopped and frozen in oil several weeks ago, so they were not technically freshhhhhhhh, but they became burned right away—though it did not affect the flavor at all). I suspect the oven is just too hot for the fresh herbs. Other than that, the seasoning is spot-on.
My oven must not be accurate. My potatoes were delicious, but they definitely weren’t almost burned, which I feel like everyone else’s were. Also, I used just olive oil for a portion for my dairy allergic daughter and they turned out great. The worst part was burning the roof of my mouth tasting then to quickly. Paired with the braised beef with tomatoes for dinner and I’m so glad there’s leftovers for lunch tomorrow!!!
Made this a couple times. Absolutely delicious. Just had a problem with them sticking to the pan. (We actually covered the pan in tin foil.) Worked great for just cooking at home. Is there a better way to do this though if we’re wanting them to present well?
Do you think one could do the first two stages ahead of time and do the last stage with the broth later? Hard to cook a roast at 500, but if could do the last stage while the roast rests, would work out perfect
I came across a recipe here I cannot find now–it called or whole potatos on about 250 degrees for 3 hours. Can you help me find it? it had an oil/garlic brush.
We make something similar that we call Auntie Anne’s Potatoes (named for my Auntie Anne, nothing to do with the mall pretzel company). However, first we boil the potatoes, then put them into the hot oil in the oven until crispy on both sides. They are amazingly wonderful, especially if the fat you use happens to be a roast, although just plain olive oil works well too.
thank you article beautiful
obat ejakulasi dini permanen paling ampuh terbaik
I made this in a cast-iron pan and but subbed half duck fat / half clarified butter. Completely delicious! The broth evaporated / was absorbed completely – possibly from the higher retained heat of the pan? I’ve also been munching on it cold from the fridge. Winner of a recipe
melting potatoes is the food i like most
These meals look beautiful! I recently got a cookbook that features 3 of these meals/snacks! It also has a variety of amazing recipes! Here’s the link to it: https://bit.ly/2KeGo7E
These are delicious! Yukon Golds or similar waxy, more structured potatoes are the way to go, though. I tried them with Russet potatoes on my second batch, and they soaked up all the butter and all the broth, so there was no sauce left! It left me with flavorful (but a bit dry and mealy) potatoes, though, so I just need to make some browned butter with herbs to drizzle on top of the leftovers.
Thanks for the recipe!
Made these with added oregano and lemon juice to go with Greek lamb dish.
Made these nummy potatoes for supper tonight. I made browned butter and added some olive oil to brown all of the potato barrels. I roasted them in the same oven proof fry pan in a 500 degree oven as you suggested and added chicken stock, garlic cloves, thyme and sea salt. I served them with salmon steaks with a mango salsa and green beans.
This was delicious! Deb, you’re always introducing me to new exciting recipes. I added leftover parmesan broth and it made a perfect sauce. I baked half in my cast iron pan and half in a white corelle baking dish, the cast iron pan ones browned more evenly and quickly.
We wanted to try a bit of them all, so we used a mixture of yellows, reds, and russet potatoes. We left the skin on the yellows and reds, and peeled the russets. I didn’t have any garlic cloves or fresh herbs, and we don’t like a lot of pepper, so I used Jane’s Krazy Mixed-Up Salt [which includes some black pepper] instead of straight pepper, and added some garlic powder and Mrs Dash Onion & Herb seasoning to the vegetable broth. I was worried about the heat so I started at 475. But the slices didn’t look very brown/crispy when I turned them so I raised it to 500 for the second 15 minutes. I turned the pieces back over for the last 15 minutes. It started to smoke with 8 minutes left so I lowered it back down to 475. At the end the potatoes looked like those in the pictures here, but there wasn’t any liquid leftover; the pan was sticky with partially burnt glaze [I used a non-stick roasting pan]. We liked all three types of potatoes but I preferred the creaminess of the yellows, my husband preferred the reds. Overall I didn’t feel these were very different from just roasting potatoes in the same pan along with a pot roast; but we’re vegetarian now so I suppose this is what we’d have to do in order to get that pot roast taste. [Honestly, my mom’s pot roast with potatoes and carrots is one of only three meat dishes I miss in the 12 years since I stopped eating meat.]
Looked beautiful until I used the chicken broth. Would not use it again since it made the beautiful crispy side turn mushy.
Absolutely delicious! I’ll be making tomorrow (for 3rd time in 2 weeks!?) Again. Thanks for sharing! Last time I “browned” my butter during melting it…outstanding.
Deb, these popped into my head tonight and I simply HAD to make them for dinner. Oh my, was that the right choice. You never steer me wrong – thank you!!
These are wonderful! Mine didn’t brown like your photos (possibly because I use a toaster oven – it has a 500 degree setting but it might not get that hot) but they were still terrific.
I live in Colombia and they know how to do potatoes. These were a big hit. Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve made these several times now, and they’re great every time! The only tweak I make is adding about ten garlic cloves instead, three just isn’t enough to give the potatoes more flavor (plus roasted garlic is yummy).
I am never sure when to use the convection on a recipe or not?? Would one use it for these??
Can you use russet potatoes for this recipe
I mention them in the headnotes — haven’t tried but it seems others use them.
I made these tonight and they were delicious! I used Yukon golds at 500. It did get a little smokey, but definitely worth it.
I made these with apparently other things on my mind as I forgot to turn them and added the broth after 15 minutes instead of 30. The were amazing. I can’t even imagine them getting better if I did them properly.
I used a fingerling mix and fresh rosemary. Served with salmon. It was quite the hit for dinner. Thank you.
Made these with Kennebec potatoes from the farmers market, and at 475 because my oven hates being at 500. Still set off the smoke alarm at the very end, but I think it’s because almost all of my stock had evaporated, so I’ll try adding a little more next time. Because there will be a next time, yummm.
I followed the recipe except i used purple potatoes and dried rosemary. I didn’t bother to peel them. Absolutely delicious.
I made these last night with my own spice blend, and they were EV.ER.Y.THINGGG!!! We served them along with thick ribeyes with an herbed butter, and garlicky kale with caramelized onions. My children and my boyfriends ate not only every last potato, but they poured the drippings on their plate and ate that too. So darn good!
This is heaven on a cookie sheet. i can’t make them if i am home alone. No one will see any evidence of them ever existing.
i like this melting potatoes recipe, i’ll try to make it
No one mentions the smoke from this recipe. I used my convection (forced air) oven at a slightly lower heat – 225 Celsius. Butter started burning, smoke pouring out ov oven, and when I added the liquid steam added to the smoke. I’ll stick with my parboiled potatoes, fluffed and the oven cooked
Make fondant potatoes instead. It’s the real thing. These melting potatoes as she called them are cheap interpretation of those.
This is a generic quick imitation of fondant potatoes. Spend the extra time and make those instead. You’ll be glad you did.
I find that putting the pan in the oven during the heating to 500F and putting the potatoes in the very hot pan will prevent them from sticking. Give them a shake after 5-10 minutes!
ok i did not know that thingy was called a fish spatula but they are fantastic. So I am telling you about my favorite kitchen thing a spurtle…..I use it for stirring everything awesome. Hard to find here in the middle of the prairies but well worth the search I now have 2 just in case. Debbie dbstef@shaw.ca
The roasting time and method sort of reminds me of British roast potatoes with duck fat. Do you think this would work with duck fat instead of butter?
Smartpoints?
I made this for Christmas dinner. It was a hit!!! I did try to make it at a lower temperature ,that did not work. It needs the 500 degrees. Thank you so much for a new item to add to our Christmas dinners.
I made these to accompany our family’s Christmas celebration, this year. Menu included a standing rib roast, salad with sweet wine vinaigrette and peppermint ice cream pie.
I doubled the recipe and used a half sheet pan. And . . . Oh. Mah. Gah. Perfection! They didn’t get as brown as the ones pictured. (Perhaps I need my oven re-calibrated?) And I omitted the herbs (this time), as the same herbs were added to the roasts “crust,” and I’m not a fan of too much redundancy in such a decadent meal.
Still, they were perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside, melty on the inside. My 9yo daughter was requesting I make more, before we were even through with the ones on the table!
These will definitely become a holiday tradition. But, I have a feeling we’ll be working them into the “regular rotation.”
Thank you so much!
I made this for Christmas dinner since I knew smitten kitchen never leads me wrong. Baked at 475 because of the warnings some had about smokiness. Mine didn’t smoke at all but took longer to cook through and didn’t brown too much—I’d probably do 500 next time. They were also delicious right out of the oven but fairly common and nothing exciting by the time I brought them over for serving. Keep that in mind if you want to make them ahead!
I made these with beef stock, because I had one open in the fridge, and regular russet potatoes and they were so good.
I made these again on Christmas at 425F because I was roasting a chicken at the same time, and they turned out great AND they didn’t set off the smoke alarm this time! They were even more delicious (even though we accidentally melted the frozen broth in the same bowl as the butter. It was late at night!!). So it seems like a whole range of temperatures work!
Fantastic! I’ve started riffing on this idea for other roasted root veggies too, to great effect. An addition worth mentioning when I did this with a root veggie mix like beets, celeriac, turnips is that I added cracked stale bread bits, they added a delightful crunch while being just softened by the soaking up of the broth. Yum!
Looks so yummy! Will definitely try soon.
These were outstanding ! I used russets, worked really well. I added about 2 T olive oil in addition to the butter, I had 3lbs so could have upped the stock, they absorbed it all. Went with 500 degrees, no problem. Thanks Deb!
Can you make ahead and rewarm with success?
I made these today and they were insanely good. I had leftover garlic sauce from a dimsum order, so I used that instead of slicing garlic for the stock and it worked perfectly, turning these into a vaguely Asian hybrid. Here in India, we have a similar recipe: chilli potato, which is french fries tossed in garlic sauce. This was better. The texture of the potatoes, crunchy on top and melting on the inside, was the best I’ve ever had. The family has told me they would like all their potatoes melted for the foreseeable future.
Amazing. I read this recipe here a year ago when it was posted and JUST NOW made them – can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner! They were perfectly crisp on the outside and meltingly soft on the inside, and so flavorful. We loved them with our pork loin dinner tonight and, while eating, were already discussing how great they’d be for breakfast or brunch!
Melting potatoes! That’s amazing!
Delicious recipe everybody loved it, I believe I will make this really often from now on,
Can these be made ahead of time and reheated? I’m cooking a roast at 350 I would like to put the potatoes back in the oven while I make the gravy. Do they reheat well? I have shared this recipe many times. Thank you for all your deliciousness.
These were amazing! I had to crank my oven up to 550 to get them to brown, but my 11 year old insisted we have to make these again soon:)
Any tips for making these ahead of time and then reheating? I have one oven and also need to cook a roast at low temp. Thanks!
I’d just add them in and hope for the best. Reheat them uncovered. They probably won’t have the same texture but they should still taste good.
looks really great! Definitely gonna try it
Wow! Superb potato dish! Followed the recipe closely, but watched the potatoes during the last 10 minutes and felt they were dark enough and almost tender enough at about 8 minutes into the last 15 so I turned off the oven and let them rest in the heat for the final 7 minutes..wow! Unbelievably creamy inside, crisp and roasted outside. Will definitely make again and again. Might try them in the cast iron pan next time.
Ok, made this recipe again three days later, couldn’t get enough! First time was on a sheet pan that is a little warped, in my slightly off-kilter oven, which resulted in the broth burning off at the thin edge of the broth pool, so to speak….smoke detector went off, etc, but potatoes were truly meltingly delicious! This time we used our 10 inch cast iron pan and, perfection! Used a rich homemade vegetable broth, fresh herb blend, and was out of garlic so used cut shallot with the broth finish…excellent! These potatoes remind me of my grandmothers pot roast potatoes (texture) but with the crisp roasted exterior….I’m definitely keeping this recipe in frequent rotation. Deb, thank you for the reassurances about feeling nervous about the heat, the butter, etc….your confidence is correct, this recipe is a winner! And, for me, this is not an excessive amount of butter but the results are decadent. (Four tablespoons of butter is just slightly less than I would put on a large baked potato, but is enough for all of this potato goodness!)
Hello! I’ve made this before following the recipe and the potatoes were AMAZING. I’ve been wanting to make this again for a vegetarian friend, but I’m having a hard time figuring out what to make to go with these (my head immediately goes to steak/pork chops/roasted chicken and cannot get out of the meat-loop). While I’d be happy just eating the potatoes as a meal (which of course I did do when I made these before…) I feel like I *should* at least put in some effort to make a legitimate meal and round it out a little. I have thought about just rocking a simple salad so the focus can be ALL on the potatoes but I still feel like maybe that would still be missing something. Any suggestions on what vegetarian main would work well with these amazing potatoes?
We had vegetarian sausages with ours. The bratwurst from Beyond Meat are amazing and almost exactly what I remember real bratwurst being like. We also like the “chicken breasts” from Quorn, but they’re pretty plain on their own [we eat them as-is most of the time, but they’re super easy to dice and throw into something else since they only take a couple of minutes to nuke from frozen]. Maybe meatballs? You could get premade ones but Beyond Meat also has fake ground beef so you could mix up your own. Honestly, there are so many decent fake meat options now that it’s usually easy to find a substitute so you don’t *have* to come up with something from the bean/tofu/wheat gluten area of the veg world.
Great ideas! Somewhat considering just doing portobello “steaks” but I’m intrigued by the veggie bratwurst. Definitely sounds like they’re worth investigating. Thanks!
Do you put the smashed garlic in the 500 degree oven with the potatoes?
I left the garlic cloves primarily intact but slightly smashed with the side of my knife, as shown in Deb’s photo, and the cloves roasted beautifully, while flavoring the broth/potatoes. One of my guests scooped the roasted garlic cloves onto his plate and ate along with the potatoes!
Just made these, and they’re good. They have the rendered-fat taste of roasted chicken!
I must have sliced them thinner than one inch (more like 3/4 inch), so they cooked faster on each side. I don’t have regular 9×13 metal pan, so I made them in two round cake pans.
I left one potato unpeeled, and it didn’t seem to hurt anything.
We do these all the time, but their called smashed potatoes.
8 New Potatoes
Boil for 15 minute.
Smash with a fork or the heel of your hand. (Use a towel)
Mix 1t salt.
1/2 t pepper
two pats butter
1/4t Rosemary
1/2 t garlic
1/4 t pepper
Bake for 20 min @ 375
DONT EAT THEM ALL BEFORE ANYONE ELSE GETS A CHANCE.
Absolutely the best potatoes I’ve made or eaten!!!!!
Made recipe as indicated and my family requested that these potatoes should replace any potatoes I ever make even holiday mashed potatoes! Thank you for an heirloom recipe!
These are amazing! Every time I make them, my guests ask for the recipe. They’re crispy and taste perfect exactly as the recipe specifies (I’ve only used rosemary for the herb).
I use locally grown pinkish heirloom potatoes for this, but they were a bit on the small side, so I, too, was afraid the temperature would be too high. I trusted Deb’s confidence though, and they turned out great. Meltingly beautiful – just as written.
I had them for dinner with apple-red-cabbage and it was delicious!
These are so good! How do you think they would fare if I made them ahead of time and froze them?
Thank you!
Laura
I haven’t done it but my hunch is that they’re not ideal for freezing, they just won’t have the right texture.
This is my favorite potato recipe for guests because they’re so easy to make and incredibly delicious and crispy on the outside. I always get asked for the recipe. No need to deviate from the recipe … they’re perfect as is.
I, too, love these potatoes as does my family. My only problem is the smoke that developed in the oven and ultimately filled the house. Is the solution to reduce oven temperature? Anyone else had this problem?
If you use more potatoes and don’t allow too much space between them in the 9×13 pan, it helps with smoke. They won’t get as brown but if you use enough potatoes to have ½-¾” space between the slices, you won’t have as much surface space in the pan and the butter won’t burn.
I have made this dish many times – one thing I do for more garlic flavor is that I crush the garlic and then soak the cloves in the chicken broth while the potatoes roast for the first 30 min. So yummy!
Made this tonight (at 500 degrees)! These are great, even my husband agrees ;)
Is a non-stick pan or regular pan better?
I prefer regular pans for roasting — it’s actually all I have though.
I tried this last night. No changes, followed the recipe exactly. Wow. Just wow. The potatoes were creamy in the inside and the toasted outside was beyond great. My family loved them. I plan on trying some of the commenters recommendations. I can’t wait to try adding sweet potatoes and onions. This recipe has been added to my usual rotation. Easy and delicious, my two favorite things.
The potatoes taste amazing, but I am not sure they taste so good that I will risk my smoke detector going off 3 times. We only did the first 15 minutes, and then after the flip put in the broth. After a half hour (second alarm going off), it was time to take them out. If your smoke detector is sensitive, make sure a window is open.
These were delicious. My husband loved them, but he said they looked more like scallops than potatoes – perfectly cooked scallops. And that gave me an idea. So when I made them tonight I used clam juice instead of chicken broth (we live in Maine – you can get it in a bottle at the grocery store). They were great! Poor man’s scallops!
When you’re sheltering at home, russets will do! And they turned out fine
Leftovers make thee best smashed potatoes, wow
Just made these tonight! They were every bit as incredible as the recipe reads. We ended up sprinkling parmesan on top and putting back in the oven for a minute or two as well. Delicious! Thank you!!!
I just made this and they are delicious! I had some smoke problems toward the end, after adding the broth + garlic, so next time I’ll either use high smoke-point oil or try turning down the temperature at that stage. Despite having to wave the smoke away from the fire alarms, my husband has already requested these be made again.
These are amazing, even in the middle of summer. I mean, wow. And easy. I used Yukon Golds and thyme, but I don’t think herbs are even necessary – but the garlic definitely! Going into our regular rotation.
SO GOOD. I’ve made them twice – first time split between two cast iron pans and with Yukon/sweet potato/onion, and the second time only Yukon in an All-Clad roasting pan. I think the All-Clad worked better but they came out amazing both times. I also did 450 degrees for both times because 500 makes me nervous… but it still came out great! Will absolutely make this again and again.
Made this today using sweet potatoes. It turned out great! The only two adjustments were the oven was only 475 – and that the last 15 minute cook was half the time. Delicious!
For a smaller baking pan that can take 500º F, I used a cast iron skillet. Mixed Carola and sweet potatoes per other people’s recommendations, and will definitely make again.
I love starting my Mondays with your email! Obviously, this has been a tough year for just about everyone, but you truly make me smile — your food, your comments! My house burned to the ground 2 months ago and the thing that keeps my mind off all of issues that have to do with this “one more thing in this year of years” is cooking. I want to make almost everything you publish! You are my soulmate cooking friend. Thank you so much!
Oh my goodness — how devastating to lose your home. What a terrible time to be displaced. I hope you can rebuild or resettle. Thank you for your comment.
Can you use sweet potatoes with this recipe?
I haven’t but several other commenters have and love it:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/03/melting-potatoes/#comment-1690877
https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/03/melting-potatoes/#comment-1044085
https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/03/melting-potatoes/#comment-1044184
https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/03/melting-potatoes/#comment-1044262
https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/03/melting-potatoes/#comment-1044382
Made these last night. My oven is brand new, so I turned the temp down to 475, other than that, I followed directions to a tee.
Sad, sad, sad.. they were burnt to a crisp. And the butter was literally ash.
I think I’ll try these again, but try cooking only ten minutes each section.
Tried these out to pair with a roast. I started these at 500 degrees for the first 15 min, then took them down to 350 degrees for the additional steps since the meat needed to be cooked at a lower temp. They came out beautifully. Instead of adding the garlic to the sheet pan, I infused the butter as I melted it.
I tried these yummy sounding potatoes and was disappointed. They were not all that soft and not much flavor. I used Harvest Gold potatoes directly from the farm in Corinth Maine; I used 475 degrees as oven temp; I extended the cooking time to 18 minutes each segment bc of the lower temperature. This is a new electric oven with digital controls so I am presuming the temp is accurate. Based on your picture of beautifully browned lumps of happiness on the plate, mine were colorless islands in a sea of beef broth. I used a little less broth bc I was cooking for two so I used 4 medium sized potatoes. What went wrong?
If they didn’t get the right color, definitely cook them longer next time. From most people I’ve heard that they were getting too dark too quickly; ovens and pans can cause a range in times for high heat like this. As they dry out/cook they should absorb some liquid.
Is there a dairy free alternative to butter that will also brown? I have a lactose intolerant, but tater-loving, daughter who would enjoy this recipe. Thanks.
Wondering if safflower would work here if this needed to be butter free.
Yes, absolutely.
Tonight, we made melting potatoes with a mixture of baby golds and russets. First, let me say that we will never eat potatoes any other way again! Actually, we agreed that we prefer the russets for their ability to soak up that yummy juice. Thank you for this great recipe!
My family loves these so much. When I visit my parents, these are high on the request list
Can a ceramic pan be used instead of metal?
Thanks!
Helena
I find that it can stick a lot more, but otherwise, yes.
I made these last night to have with quiche and salad and they were terrific. A nice step up from basic roasted potatoes. I baked them at 450 convect (so 475) and that worked fine. I just have two notes I made: Melt and add the butter to the potatoes immediately prior to putting them in the oven and to buy larger potatoes so it will be easier to cut one inch slices and not have mostly end pieces — although those were yummy too. Thank you.
Can these be made in advance and then heated in oven?
Yes, but it can be nice to reheat them with more broth as it will drink it all as it cools and may not seem as melty.
Easy recipe with a delicious pay off! Used yukon golds that I didn’t bother to peel and baked at 500 degrees without a problem.
What kind of pan would you recommend?
A small sheet pan or a 9×13 that’s metal is best.
This is quite possibly the best potato recipe on the planet ! Absolutely fantastic results. I used a cast iron pan and did on the kamado grill outside for Easter since the weather was so perfect here upstate! A real winner. Thank you!
These potatoes are soooo delicious but I would be very careful pouring in the broth and make sure it’s room temp. I pulled a quart out of the fridge and one of my glass pans exploded/cracked verrrrry dramatically in the oven when I poured it in 😬
Oh I am a super dummy actually. Second time making this and I knew there were specific pan rules based on the oven time but I certain it was metal that shouldn’t be used. It’s glass people. Deb is right, avoid glass. 🙈
Hi – Made these last night … way overcooked. Ate them – anything with that much butter will taste OK. Suggest you cook fondant potatoes (pommes de terres fondantes) instead I like them much better.
I made these tonight with red potatoes because it’s what I had and OMG they are delicious! Probably the best potatoes I’ve ever made. Thank you!
I’ve made this three times in the past three weeks 🤤
Russetts ✅
Peeled new ✅
Semi-peeled baby with smoked paprika and rosemary ✅
Definite hit at spring celebration brunch!