Fondant Potatoes
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If you’ve ever ordered fondant potatoes in a restaurant, you know they have an air of sophistication about them. That perfect golden-brown crust, that creamy center. Only a professional chef could whip this up, right?
The secret is fondant potatoes are actually easy to make at home! All you need is a few pantry staples and a little time. It’s as simple as frying the potatoes in a pan and then finishing them in a flavorful butter, broth, and seasoning bath. This side dish will fool your guests into thinking you’re a kitchen genius.
You might be surprised to learn that fondant potatoes don’t contain any of that sweet icing called fondant. Instead, the name comes from the French word “fondant,” which means “melting.” Instead, the word describes the potatoes perfectly – they get incredibly tender inside while developing a beautiful crispy-golden crust.
Why You’ll Love These
Texture: Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside – it’s the best of both worlds!
Rich Flavor: Butter, chicken broth, thyme, and a hint of garlic come together into a flavor that’s so much tastier than a simple baked potato.
Easier To Make Than You Think: Yes, they look fancy, but the recipe is simple.
Versatile Side Dish: These potatoes pair with so many main courses, from beef to chicken or even grilled fish.
Ingredients
Baking potatoes – Russet potatoes work the best, but you can use any potato you have on hand. You may need to adjust the baking time to accommodate smaller or larger potatoes. If you use really big potatoes, they might need to be baked longer. Adjust cooking time and amount of chicken broth accordingly. The longer they take in the oven, the more broth you will need to add to keep them from burning on the bottoms.
Oil – We use vegetable oil or light olive oil.
Butter – Salted butter is normally what we have in our kitchens. If you choose to use unsalted, you may want to add a pinch of salt before baking.
Chicken broth – If you have been here long enough, you know that there is always pre-made chicken broth in the pantry, so that’s what we use. You can always substitute with homemade chicken stock or broth.
Fresh thyme – Dried thyme is fine, but fresh is a whole different ballgame. They make the potatoes much more flavorful. You can also try using fresh rosemary, it’s also amazing in this recipe.
Directions
1 – Preheat your oven to 425°F.
2 – Peel the potatoes and remove the ends (you can save those for another use!). Cut the potatoes into thick rounds, about 2 inches each, and place them in a bowl of cold water to keep them from discoloring.
3 – Heat your cast iron skillet (or another oven-safe skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the oil and allow the pan to get nice and hot.
4 – Drain the potatoes and pat them dry with a kitchen towel or paper towels. Carefully place the potatoes in the hot skillet with the cut side facing down.
5 – Let the potatoes cook for 4-7 minutes, or until they’ve developed a golden brown to deep golden-brown crust on the bottom, it depends on your preference.
6 – Carefully flip the potatoes and add the butter, thyme, and garlic (if desired). Spoon the melted butter mixture over the potatoes to coat them.
7 – Add enough chicken broth to partially cover the potatoes. You may not need to use the entire amount depending on your pan size.
8 – Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. Larger potatoes (like jumbo russets) might need a bit longer to become fully tender.
9 – When the potatoes are fork-tender, remove them from the oven.
10 – Transfer the potatoes to a serving plate and generously spoon the remaining pan juices over them.
11 – Garnish with a few fresh thyme sprigs for an extra touch, if desired.
Leftovers
Fondant potatoes actually keep pretty well! Pop them in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days and they’ll still be tasty.
Reheating Options
There’s no wrong way to reheat these potatoes, and it depends on how you like them! Here are a few ideas:
Oven: Preheat to around 350°F and bake them for a bit until they’re hot. A little extra butter or broth keeps them from drying out.
Pan-frying: Get those edges nice and crispy with some butter or oil in a skillet. Flip them as needed and toss in some fresh herbs or spices if you’re feeling fancy.
Air Fryer: Preheat to around 375°F. Toss the potatoes in for a few minutes, checking often. If they seem dry, give them a light spray of oil.
Broiler: Want just the tops super crispy? Stick them under the broiler for a minute or two – but don’t walk away, they can burn fast!
Freezing
Unfortunately, fondant potatoes don’t freeze well.
Freezing and thawing will alter the texture. They won’t have a crispy exterior and creamy interior after thawing and reheating.
The flavors from the butter, broth, and herbs can become less pronounced after freezing and can even absorb other flavors from the freezer.
Bottom Line: Fondant potatoes are best enjoyed fresh or as leftovers within a few days of making them.
Pro Tips
Choose the right potato: Russet potatoes are ideal for their starchiness, helping to achieve that creamy interior. We use the jumbo-sized when we can get them.
Use plenty of butter: It’s what gives you the crispy outside but a tender inside.
Fresh thyme: Thyme adds a subtle depth. You can even experiment with rosemary. Be sure to use fresh though, it really does make a difference.
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Fondant Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large baking potatoes jumbo russets preferred
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme use more if thyme stalks are small
- 2 to 4 cloves garlic optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 425°F.
- Peel potatoes, cut off the ends of the potatoes and discard or save for another use.
- Cut each potato into 2 inch thick rounds and place into a bowl of cold water to prevent browning.
- Add the oil to an ovenproof skillet, cast iron preferable, and place over medium-high heat and allow the pan to get hot.
- While the pan is heating up, drain the potatoes and dry with a kitchen towel or paper towels.
- Carefully place the potatoes, cut side down, into the hot skillet and leave undisturbed until the bottoms have turned brown. 4 to 7 minutes depending on the moisture content of the potatoes.
- Flip the potatoes over and add the butter, thyme, and garlic if using.
- When the butter has melted, spoon the butter, oil, and thyme over the potatoes.
- Add enough chicken broth to the pan to cover the bottom 1/4 of the potatoes. You may not use all of the broth depending on pan size.
- Place the skillet into the preheated oven.
- Bake until potatoes are tender, 30 to 40 minutes, larger potatoes like jumbo russets will take a bit longer to cook.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven when tender.
- Place the potatoes onto a serving plate and spoon any remaining liquid over the potatoes and garnish with additional fresh thyme sprigs if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and may vary based on exact ingredients used. For accuracy, consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
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This recipe was written and tested by a human.
Editor: Oliver Baysinger
Elizabeth (Beth) Mueller
Elizabeth (Beth) Mueller is a food journalist, CEO of Pear Tree Kitchen, and co-creator of Food Blogger Help. She also has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a registered nurse licensed in the State of Oklahoma. When she has free time between writing, blogging, and cooking, she can be found volunteering as an RN with the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps.