You’ll melt for these scrumptious, Southern-style spuds.
Meet your new favorite potato side dish.
The first time I heard about a Southern dish called “melting potatoes,” I didn’t quite get it. I mean, potatoes are just a starchy vegetable. They get soft when you cook them, but they don’t melt.
Then I tasted them, and I had to change my tune. These gorgeous, golden, oven-roasted potatoes soaked in chicken stock are so tender, they really do melt in your mouth. And so yummy, they pretty nearly melt your heart as well.
Creating this melting consistency requires several steps, all of them crucial. First, slice your potatoes into thick rounds and coat them thoroughly with melted butter. Second, roast them a good long time at very high heat. Third, 15 minutes before taking them out, douse them in a garlicky chicken broth, so they’re sort of roasting and boiling at the same time. And finally, serve them with the remaining, reduced broth drizzled over the top.
Leave out any one of these steps, and you’ll have good potatoes, but not melting potatoes. But follow them all to the letter, and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful potatoes, caramelized on the outside and creamy on the inside. You will not regret one minute of the work that went into them.
How to Make Melting Potatoes
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
In a small bowl, bowl whisk together butter, salt, pepper and thyme.
- Slice your potatoes into about 1″ rounds and place in large bowl. Pour butter mixture over potatoes and mix to coat.
- On baking sheet (we used a 9″x13″1″ baking sheet) layer potatoes in single layer.
Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes. Flip potatoes and then roast for another 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile mix together your chicken broth and garlic. Remove potatoes from oven, flip one more time and pour broth mixture over potatoes. Place back in oven and roast for another 15 minutes.
- Remove and drizzle with sauce and top with more fresh thyme if desired.
TOOLS I USED FOR THIS MELTING POTATOES RECIPE
Baking Dish: These Cookie Sheets comes with small, medium, and large sizes that provide the perfect option for any of your baking needs.
Whisk: This trusty whisk is great for many of my recipes!
Glass Mixing Bowls: Not only can you use these as mixing bowls, they are also pre-heated oven, microwave, fridge and freezer safe, and dishwasher safe!
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How to Make Melting Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium Yukon gold or russet potatoes peeled (about 2.5 lbs)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 4 Tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1 cup chicken broth you can use veggie broth to make vegetarian
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, bowl whisk together butter, salt, pepper and thyme.
- Slice your potatoes into about 1" rounds and place in large bowl. Pour butter mixture over potatoes and mix to coat.
- On baking sheet (we used a 9"x13"1" baking sheelayer potatoes in single layer.
- Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes. Flip potatoes and then roast for another 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile mix together your chicken broth and garlic. Remove potatoes from oven, flip one more time and pour broth mixture over potatoes. Place back in oven and roast for another 15 minutes.
- Remove and drizzle with sauce and top with more fresh thyme if desired.
Video
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Nutrition Information:
Nutrition Disclaimer
Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Annette Shavchuk says
I’m confused about the end of the recipe. Are you supposed to save some of the broth mixture to drizzle at the end or is that supposed to be the butter mixture? The recipe just says “sauce.”
Corey says
Sorry for the confusion Annette. I will clarify better in the recipe. The sauce you drizzle with at the end is just the broth mix that is already in the pan with the potatoes.
Charlene A Witkowicz says
I’ll try this recipe for the holidays – but the video says use Rosemary and the rest of the recipes indicate the herb is Thyme. Please advise. Thanks!
Lola says
You can use any herb you like.
Tracey Hudson says
Huge hit!!! Everyone loved them!
Terri says
These were delicious! My grandson, who in general does not like anything, gobbled these up. Will definitely be making these again!
Corey says
So happy you loved it Terri! This is one of our favorites for sure!
Renie Contento says
I made these and they were AMAZING! My family is begging me to make them again, so I will! FYI, your cooking time says 35 minutes, but your instructions say 20, then flip for 15 more, and then add stock and flip for 15 more. That’s 50 minutes. Might want to adjust the cooking time so people don’t plan poorly for their main course. Thanks for the great recipe!
Christine says
Can you leave the skin on?
Corey says
yes, if you would like to you can 🙂
Natalie Yang says
Not only great, but easy as well!! Nice and moist with lots of flavor. I added an additional 15 mins to mine because my potatoes were not brown. Most likely due to my stove being old. But thank you for great recipes.
Tara W says
I only had 1/2 cup of chicken broth and no thyme, but these were still delicious. Looking forward to trying them again with the full ingredients!
Cjr says
This recipe is awesome using sweet potatoes
Corey says
I have been developing a recipe using sweet potatoes recently! So yummy!
April says
This recipe sounds amazing, but I was wondering how well it traveled as a potluck side dish
Moonstar says
I followed the recipe almost exactly (except using Kerrygold butter). The recipe was spot on for cooking and these were tasty, but not spectacular wow…not really sure why so many people are raving about melting potatoes. These would be good as a breakfast side, or dressed up more for dinner (different spices, herbs…like Indian or Mexican style perhaps). I needed more flavor.
Suzette says
We are raving about them because we love them! We find them absolutely delicious. You don’t, and that’s okay, but it’s also okay that many of us do love them so much. I mean, I don’t like pickles, but I know many people who just love them and I don’t ask them why just because I don’t care for them. I understand that we all have our own individual tastes and preferences and it’s all good.
Katy says
I always have to use more butter, salt, pepper, spices and herbs than specified otherwise the food seems bland. Maybe that is the issue here as well.
thom says
Corey, hello ! i really enjoy your recipes. i went from 5 people to just myself. so i don’t cook alot n ow. if your melting pots are as good as your pix looks, great! i’m trying weight loss and got a air fryer. do you have conversions of your cookings ?
Corey says
I don’t have conversions on all my recipes but some do if I have tested them out using another kitchen devise. I do have a few air fryer recipes on the site, with many more ot come! Just search air fryer in the search bar 🙂
Jeanette says
I loved this easy recipe. I used my air fryer, max temp it goes up to is 400 F. I did it total for ~32 mins, including flipping the potatoes every 5 mins for the first 15 mins, then added the broth + garlic, flipped once after 15 more mins, kept it for another 2 mins, and then done to perfection.
Lisa Lachance says
Hi I just realized that the recipe calls for thyme and the video says Rosemary! Which one should it be? Thanks!
Btw make a lot of your recipe! Love them!
Corey says
You can use any herb you like for these Lisa. This recipe does use thyme. It appears there was a mistake in the video wording. I hope you love them!
Lynette says
Can you use dried thyme ?
Kara says
Can you use bone broth?
Corey says
Sure!
Ellen C. says
I’d like to try this tonight but wondering whether I can do the first steps earlier in the day and then finish step 6 while my roast is resting?
Linda says
I made these tonight and they were great!
The only change I made was to use beef broth instead of chicken, since I had beef broth left from last night.That, and we had London broil, which paired so well with the beef broth in the potatoes. Love your site!
Corey says
So happy you loved the recipe Linda! London broil!! YUMMMY!
Jennifer Yates says
I have made this recipe and love it. I want to make it for Xmas Dinner. Can I freeze it before hand to make life easier please
Corey says
Potatoes can be picky when frozen. I would suggest making it the day of instead. So happy you love it!
Veronique says
These turned out really good. I had seconds and thirds, how could you! This is my new holy grail. I didn’t have thyme but I had dried-mixed herbs and it was a ten outta ten. 👌
JM says
Best potatoes of my life!!!!
EC says
Excellent recipe! Thank you so much! I added Smoked Paprika, Ground Red Cayenne and Italian Seasonings to the mix. Also I will sprinkle some shredded sharp cheddar at the end, on the next batch. I also cut and boiled the potatoes in a pre-existing boiling pot for 4 minutes, to get that fluffy texture I like. This is a GREAT recipe. 5 star. 👍
Kelly Knight says
Amazing! I was still dishing up for everyone else when my son shouted ‘these are the best potatoes I’ve ever had!’. Now I’m basing my meals around what will go with these potatoes (they’re in the oven again as I type this. Thanks so much!
Cal Abriola says
Fantastic.! The potatoes were so good and my guests really enjoyed them too.. Next time I may add more chicken broth or butter because they became a little dry. at the end of baking, Cooking time was perfect, recipe was easy to put together and bake and they were pleasing to the eye. I will be making this again. Thank you for a great recipe.
Corey says
So happy you loved them Cal!
Coleen says
I made this recipe 2x and it is very good. I didn’t use Thyme or Rosemary as my kids don’t like it. I used Onion and garlic powders. Also, mine didn’t come out crispy the first time, so the second time I used 1/2 cup of chicken broth instead of 1 whole cup. They still didn’t come out real crispy. I am making them again tonight and for the last 15 min. I am going to put my oven on broil and see if that gets them crispy at the end. Fingers crossed.
Janie says
I loved these potatoes. I’ve made them several times. Because of arthritis I don’t peel my taters. I used white sweet potatoes and they were fabulous. I also use extra fresh thyme,rosemary or chives. They are delicious!
Corey says
Yay! So happy you loved the recipe Janie!
judyloo says
this is my favorite recipe. I use smaller yukon gold potatoes. If I have leftovers I put them on a piece of foil in my airfryer and reheat them. They are even crispier that way. They are so good, everyone loves them in my family!!!
kj says
I’m eating it now!! Yum! I soaked potatoes overnight with skins on in vinegar water, then rinsed. Cut into 1”slices, coated with butter mixture, and followed recipe. Used garlic powder. Great way to make crispy potatoes for a crowd!
kj says
I’m replying to my own review! I put a couple of rounds in my air fryer for 5 min and then dip in sour cream! Great for a snack. Great for an hors d’hourve! My favorite potatoes…
Katy says
Was that after they cooked completely or did you take them out 5 minutes early? Thanks in advance!
Katy says
I’m curious as to why you soaked the potatoes in vinegar? I love the taste of vinegar especially on potatoes. Thanks so much!
Susan. says
The recipe says to pour “sauce” over the potatoes after they finish roasting what “sauce”? All the butter and broth was already poured on during the cooking process.
Corey says
You’ll just spoon some of the sauce that is still in the pan after the cooking is done
Katy says
She commented the following regarding the “sauce”:
“The sauce you drizzle with at the end is just the broth mix that is already in the pan with the potatoes.”
I hope this helps.
Elayne C. Nelson says
How thick are the rounds sliced?
Corey says
about 1 inch think as stated in step 3. I hope that helps