Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, fondant potatoes are a restaurant-worthy, classic French side dish that is easy to make at home. Serve over sweet potato mash to make them extra rich and comforting.
Are you looking for a way to up your potato game this holiday season? I’ve got just the recipe for you – fondant potatoes. This elegant potato side dish looks and tastes pretty fancy, but it’s actually easier than you think!
This recipe requires a watchful eye, but trust me when I say it’s worth it. Fondant potatoes are rich, tender, and seriously impressive. They are perfect for a special date night or as part of your Thanksgiving spread!
I paired these fondant potatoes with a flavorful sweet potato mash that’s not necessary for the recipe, but is a nice way to avoid food waste and improve the presentation.
Ingredients
For the fondant potatoes
- Yukon gold potatoes
- Grapeseed oil
- Butter
- Garlic
- Fresh thyme
- Vegetable stock
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
For the sweet potato mash
- Sweet potato
- Heavy cream
- Butter
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
How to make fondant potatoes
- Wash and peel the potatoes. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut the potatoes into identical cylinders. If making the sweet potato mash, set your potato scraps aside and save them for later.
- Heat the grapeseed oil in a large, oven safe skillet.
- Once hot, add the potatoes, standing them up on a flat end. Allow them to cook for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown.
- Using tongs, turn the potatoes over to the other flat side and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat for 2 minutes to allow it to cool slightly. Reduce the heat, then return the pan to the heat.
- Add the butter, garlic, and thyme. Once the butter is melted, use a spoon to baste the potatoes with the butter until well covered.
- Add the stock to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the pan to the oven and bake at 400ºF until the potatoes are tender all the way through when pierced with a knife or fork.
- Serve fondant potatoes on top of a few spoonfuls of sweet potato mash, spooning extra butter from the pan over the top.
How to make sweet potato mash
- While the fondant potatoes are cooking, add your potato scraps and sweet potato to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender.
- Drain the potatoes, then return to the pot and turn the heat to medium. Stir the potatoes until most of the water has evaporated from the pot.
- Remove the potatoes from the heat and mash along with the butter, cream, salt, and pepper.
Top tips
How to cut potatoes for potatoes fondant
You’ll want to make sure you’re using potatoes that are all roughly the same size to allow them to cook evenly. Start by cutting the ends off the potatoes so they are about the same height when they stand up.
Next, cut down the sides of the potato in increasingly smaller slices to create a smooth, rounded outside.
Use your potato scraps instead of throwing them away
Times are tough right now, and a lot of people want to make the most of their food with as little waste as possible. I didn’t like the idea of throwing away all those potato scraps, so I turned it into a flavorful mash to go with the fondant potatoes.
If you don’t mind food waste or you don’t have the time or resources to make the mash, you can skip this step.
Because these are scraps, they can be difficult to cook evenly. Try to get most of your potato and sweet potato pieces to roughly the same size before boiling.
How to baste the potatoes
I use a regular, large cereal spoon to baste the potatoes with butter. It may help to hold the pan with a hand covered with an oven mitt so you can tip it a little to the side, allowing the butter to pool, and making it easier to spoon up.
Once you have the butter on the spoon, simply pour it over the top of the potatoes. I do this 3-4 times per potato to make sure they’re completely coated in butter.
How to ensure the best fondant potatoes
Potato sizes and oven temperatures will vary, so check your potatoes frequently towards the end to avoid burning.
Don’t crowd the pan – you can cook 6-8 potatoes in a large pan but give them space to allow proper cooking.
How to store fondant potatoes
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing fondant potatoes because they won’t hold their shape and texture very well.
How to reheat fondant potatoes
You can reheat this recipe in the microwave or in a 400ºF oven until warm.
Tips for customizing this fondant potato recipe
- Skip the sweet potato mash and serve the fondant potatoes by themselves
- Add a head of roasted garlic to the sweet potato mash
- Meat eaters can use chicken stock in place of the vegetable stock
- For a dairy free version, I recommend swapping the butter for an equal amount of grapeseed oil or a high quality dairy free butter
FAQ
Fondant potatoes are a classic French technique of cooking potatoes, with the word ‘fondant’ meaning “melting”. They are named “fondant potatoes” because they are crisp on the outside and practically melting in the middle.
Grapeseed oil is an all-natural oil extracted from the seeds of grapes. It usually comes from the seeds leftover from grapes used in the winemaking process. Grapeseed oil should be easy to find near the other oils in the grocery store.
Heavy cleaning with soap is rarely necessary for a well seasoned cast iron skillet. Instead, wipe out any excessive oil and food particles with a paper towel.
Next, add a couple tablespoons of coarse salt to the skillet and rub it around with a paper towel. Dump out the salt, rinse with water, and repeat as needed until the surface is smooth and shiny.
Wipe the skillet with a paper towel and place on the stove over low heat until gently warmed and any excess water has evaporated. Rub a small amount of vegetable oil over the surface of the skillet, allow to cool, and store.
More potato side dish recipes
- Mashed Potatoes without Milk
- Mashed Potatoes with Boursin
- Mashed Potato Bake
- Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
- Cheesy Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Oven Baked Potato Wedges
- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions
- Crispy Roasted Potatoes with Thai Tofu Sauce
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Fondant Potatoes
Ingredients
Fondant Potatoes
- 6-8 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes, all roughly the same size
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, papery skins removed and sliced in half
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 ¼ cups hot vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Sweet Potato Mash
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into slices or chunks similar in size to your other potato scraps
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons butter
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Fondant Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Wash and peel the potatoes. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut the potatoes into identical cylinders. I do this by cutting off the ends, then standing the potato on one end and cutting down all around until it resembles a cylinder. If making the sweet potato mash, set your potato scraps aside and save them for later.
- Heat the grapeseed oil in a large, oven safe skillet (I used cast iron) over medium heat.
- Once hot, add the potatoes, standing them up on a flat end. Allow them to cook for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown.
- Using tongs, turn the potatoes over to the other flat side and cook another 5-6 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat for 2 minutes to allow it to cool slightly. Reduce the heat to medium low, then return the pan to the heat.
- Add the butter, garlic, and thyme. Once the butter is melted, use a spoon to baste the potatoes with the butter until well covered.
- Add the stock to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender all the way through when pierced with a knife or fork. If the garlic starts to get very brown, remove it while the potatoes continue cooking.
- Serve fondant potatoes on top of a few spoonfuls of sweet potato mash, spooning extra butter from the pan over the top.
Sweet Potato Mash
- While the fondant potatoes are cooking, add your potato scraps and sweet potato to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook 15-20 minutes or until tender.
- Drain the potatoes, then return to the pot and turn the heat to medium. Stir the potatoes until most of the water has evaporated from the pot.
- Remove the potatoes from the heat and mash along with the butter, cream, salt, and pepper.
Notes
Tips for customizing this fondant potato recipe
- Skip the sweet potato mash and serve the fondant potatoes by themselves
- Add a head of roasted garlic to the sweet potato mash
- Meat eaters can use chicken stock in place of the vegetable stock
- For a dairy free version, I recommend swapping the butter for an equal amount of grapeseed oil or a high quality dairy free butter
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