There are a million ways to use potatoes out there, but trust us, this should be your go-to million and one version. Melting potatoes are the perfect treat to add to an easy weeknight dinner turning any old meal into something special.
Melting potatoes is, in some ways, a riff on fondant potatoes, a traditional French dish that involves cutting potatoes into cylinders and roasting them with thyme sprigs and garlic cloves in butter and stock. Most fondant potatoes recipes start off with a skillet on the stove where you brown the ends of the potatoes, then put them in the oven.
Melting potatoes, on the other hand, require fewer steps and aren't quite as involved in the prep stage. Instead of a perfect cylinder, you simply cut the potatoes into 1-inch slices, toss them in melted butter, salt, and thyme or rosemary, then put them in a metal baking dish (don't use glass because these roast at a high temp and you're going to add chicken stock later on - a combo that can result in an exploding glass dish).
When you add the stock, the potatoes absorb most of it, creating a creamy, decadent texture. The rest of the stock reduces down to form a lovely sauce that you'll want to spoon up all on its own. The potatoes are a perfect accompaniment to steak, fish, or roasted chicken, but we promise not to tell anyone if you just want to eat them all by themselves.
Here are three different recipes that have you covered for the more involved fondant potatoes, the easier and just as tasty melted potatoes, and a fun variation using sweet potatoes.
1. Fondant Potatoes
If you want to look like you spent time learning how to cook at Le Cordon Bleu, this is the recipe you want to make. It's impressive and it's not difficult, just involved.
2. Melting Potatoes
Some of the easiest roasted potatoes you'll ever make, these are also absolute winners next to any main dish.
3. Melting Sweet Potatoes
Because the only thing better than a roasted potato is a roasted sweet potato, here's a twist on melted potatoes that's just as easy to make. For sweet potato fans, this one's a must try.
