Easy fondant potatoes, a gloriously soft, melt in the mouth potato side dish that's flavoured with butter, garlic and thyme.
Easy fondant potatoes are one of my go to potato side dishes. Golden and crisp on the outside, fluffy in the inside and they taste amazing. The flavour of the butter, garlic and thyme are absorbed into the potato while cooking and really elevate the finished dish.
These buttery potatoes, soft and fluffy in the centre and flavoured with fresh herbs make an easy potato side dish that can be served with a whole host of main dishes. Ideal with the Sunday roast or for a make ahead potato side for a dinner party. Impressive in flavour, whilst simple to cook.
However, despite being a really straight forward cook, many people shy away from cooking fondant potatoes, believing them to be a complex cook, but that simply isn't the case. In this recipe we show you how to cook fondant potatoes with minimum fuss.
What are fondant potatoes?
Fondant is a word more often associated with sweet treats, rather than the humble potato. However, this is a recipe that originated in France where "pommes fondant" translates as "melting potato". One taste of this simple potato side dish and you will understand why as the potatoes are soft and melt in your mouth!
The potatoes are cut into cylinders, with a flat top and bottom, before being cooked with butter, herbs and a splash of water. You can also replace the water with vegetable or chicken stock.
Why you'll love this recipe:
- Minimal preparation makes this easy potato side dish a really straight forward cook.
- Make ahead earlier in the day then warm through just before serving.
- Feeding a crowd? No problem, this recipe is easily adapted to suit larger numbers.
- Uses only 4 inexpensive ingredients, this is tasty cooking on a budget.
- A great gluten free and vegetarian potato side dish.
How to make fondant potatoes:
- Look out and prepare the ingredients.
- Prepare the potatoes by first peeling them, then cutting off the top and bottom of the potatoes to form cylinder shapes.
- The flat top and bottom helps the potato to sit in the pan and crisp up.
- Add the butter to a non-stick frying pan and melt over a medium heat.
- Add the bruised garlic clove and fresh thyme springs to the pan.
- Place the potatoes into the pan and move them around to cover in the butter.
- Then place the potatoes flat side down in the butter and add a splash of cold water.
- The cold water stops the butter from burning and give you time to cook the potatoes through.
- Now turn the heat down low and continue cooking the potatoes for a 40 minutes, turning the potatoes from top to bottom every 5 minutes or so throughout the cook. Add a splash of water when the dish looks to be drying out.
- Check the potatoes are cooked and soft in the centre by inserting a sharp knife into the centre. If they are still a little hard continue to cook, checking every 5 minutes until soft. The length of cook will depend largely on the size of the potatoes being cooked.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from the pan onto some kitchen paper to drain a little. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately while piping hot.
What potatoes are best for fondant potatoes?
I like to use a floury/starchy potato like a Maris Piper or King Edward (a Yukon Gold or Russet potato if you are in the US). Floury potatoes have a lovely fluffy centre that really absorb the flavours of the herb butter whilst cooking. Waxy potatoes simply don't absorb flavour the way that a starchy potatoes does.
What to serve with fondant potatoes:
Once you've mastered how to cook fondant potatoes you will find you cook them often. They are great with a Sunday roast, leave them bubbling away while the Chicken is roasting in the oven. Or try them with our Stuffed Roast Leg of Pork or our Roast Pork Fillet with Bacon & Sage.
The ideal make ahead dinner party side dish, great to warm up just before your guests arrive, saving you that last minute panic in the kitchen. Try them with our Creamy Tarragon Chicken with Asparagus & Peas, our Pan Roasted Guinea Fowl Supremes, or our Sirloin Steak with Mushroom & Madiera Sauce.
Recipe substitutions and variations:
- Potatoes - choose a floury/starchy potato variety like Maris Piper or King Edwards (a Yukon Gold or Russet if you are in the US). Starchy potatoes have a fluffy centre and naturally absorb the flavours of the herbs and butter better than a waxy potato.
- Butter - use salted butter as it naturally seasons the potatoes while they cook. You can use unsalted butter if you prefer or even some olive oil.
- Garlic - flavours the potatoes, no need to mince the garlic either, simply crush with your knife and place it in the butter.
- Thyme - is the perfect fresh herb to pair with potato and garlic. You can also use rosemary or even some fresh sage depending on what you are serving the potatoes with.
- Water - water stops the butter from burning and gives you time to cook the potatoes, nothing more. If you want to add vegetable or chicken stock then you can use that too. However, I don't like to dilute the flavour of the butter and fresh herbs.
Can I make ahead fondant potatoes?
This is a great make ahead dish. Prepare and cook the potatoes earlier in the day, or even the day before. Then allow the potatoes to cool, cover the pan with kitchen foil and place in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
Remove the pan from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Place the pan on the stove over a medium/low heat and cook gently until the potatoes are warmed through. Add a splash of water if you think the potatoes look like they are drying out too much.
Useful hints and tips:
- Equipment - no special equipment required, just a sharp kitchen knife to prepare the potatoes and a non stick frying pan or skillet.
- Feeding a crowd? No problem, simply double up the recipe.
- Water is added to the pan while the potatoes are cooking. The water doesn't do much, it simply gives you time to cook the potatoes and stops the butter from burning. The trick in making good fondant potatoes is not to allow them to dry out.
- The length of cook will depend largely on the size of potatoes that you are cooking. Check after a total cook time of 40 minutes, then work up in 5 minute intervals until the potato is soft in the centre.
- To cook dairy free or vegan fondant potatoes cook the potatoes first in olive oil and add a splash of vegetable stock rather than water during the cook to add flavour.
- Allergy advice: gluten free, egg free, soya free peanut free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.
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Additional recipe suggestions:
If you like this recipe then try some of our other great tasting potato side dishes:
- Best Crispy Roast Potatoes
- Garlic & Thyme Roast Potatoes
- Fried Potatoes with Garlic & Thyme
- Easy Hasselback Potatoes
- Potato Pave
- Creamy Mustard Mashed Potato
- Easy Dauphinoise Potatoes
- Easy Boulangere Potatoes
If you are looking to change things up a bit, have a look at our 12 Best Potato Side Dishes post. It's full of useful hints and tips, along with all our favourite potato sides.
Easy Fondant Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 medium potatoes (peeled)
- 50 g salted butter
- 1 clove garlic (bruised)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
- salt & black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the potatoes by first peeling them, then cutting off the top and bottom of the potatoes to form cylinder shapes. The flat top and bottom helps the potato to sit in the pan and crisp up.
- Add the butter to a non-stick frying pan and melt over a medium heat. Now add the bruised garlic clove and fresh thyme springs to the pan.
- Place the potatoes into the pan and move them around to cover in the butter. Then place the potatoes flat side down in the butter and add a splash of cold water. The cold water stops the butter from burning and give you time to cook the potatoes through.
- Now turn the heat down low and continue cooking the potatoes for a 40 minutes, turning the potatoes from top to bottom every 5 minutes or so throughout the cook. Add a splash of water when the dish looks to be drying out.
- Check the potatoes are cooked and soft in the centre by inserting a sharp knife into the centre. If they are still a little hard continue to cook, checking every 5 minutes until soft. The length of cook will depend largely on the size of the potatoes being cooked.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from the pan onto some kitchen paper to drain a little. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately while piping hot.
Notes
• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •
This recipe has been shared to CookBlogShare, click on the link to find recipes by fellow food bloggers.
Chloe says
I just licked my screen. Twice. They look so good!
Lesley says
Oh Chloe that has made me laugh. They are the best and do easy to cook.
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
Love fondant potatoes - they are the best!
Lesley says
Thank you Eb, they are indeed.
Rebecca - Glutarama says
I have always seen people make fondant potatoes on things like Masterchef and thought it was too fiddly but this recipe explains it perfectly and I'm going to be trying this out on the family to see what they think.
Lesley says
Thank you Rebecca, funnily enough I've only just discovered the joy of fondant potatoes, like you I always thought they were too fiddly. Only once I'd actually cooked them did I realise how simple they are to cook.
Cat says
Absolutely delicious. Love their soft fluffiness in the middle and the delicious flavours from the garlic and thyme.
Lesley says
Thank you Cat, they are such a tasty potato side and so simple to make.
Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist says
Fondant Potatoes is one of those recipes I've been meaning to try for years. They always seem to be a favourite on Masterchef, but still I haven't tried them.
These look absolutely perfect... Bookmarked to remind me where I saw them xxx
Lesley says
Thank you Kate. Fondant potatoes are one of those dishes that appear a lot more complicated that they actually are. Once you've made them they are definitely a dish you will keep coming back to as they are so simple to cook.
Devy says
I'm so glad I landed in this recipe. Because I love the idea of making roast potatoes on a pan as my oven is not big enough to cook all the roasties. I will definitely try this out. In the past, I tried using Maris potatoes to pan roast, but the spud tend to break and become mushy. Not crispy on the outside like yours. Thank you for sharing.
Lesley says
Thank you Devy, this is the ideal potato dish when you are short of oven space - particularly over the holidays. This method give you lovely flavoured potatoes, but done on the stove top instead.
Janice says
I have never made fondant potatoes before but your straightforward instructions make this 'Masterchef' dish seem absolutely possible for me to master. Thanks.
Lesley says
Thank you Janice, this is one of those dishes that until you've made it you don't realise how easy they are to cook.
Choclette says
Oh my! Why have I never come across fondant potatoes before. I thought your dauphinoise post was my favourite, but now there might be another contender. Will have to try them and see.
Lesley says
Thank you Choclette, these are really a favourite potato dish with the both of us. Very simple to make and they taste amazing, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.