These classic Fondant Potatoes may look like a lot of work, but the French method of cooking potatoes is surprisingly easy! Once mastered this will yield the most perfectly tender, creamy, and flavorful fondant potatoes ever!
Take your potato side to a whole new level with these buttery, crusty elegant looking fondant potatoes (aka pommes fondant) for holiday meals, special occasions, or simply because they are so darn good!
These addictive fondant potatoes are the best potato side dish ever!
You wouldn't think that a potato could taste of absolute potato, and yet then some. The stock flavor slowly cooks into the center as the fondant potatoes are roasted in the oven, heightening the perfection of these simple potatoes.
Everyone (friends and family alike) is thoroughly hooked on my fondant potatoes! As those of you that read the website probably know, my husband and I tend to binge-watch Gordon Ramsay shows. We love to make copycats or variations to his recipes together!
This is one of those foods that was commonly made in the Hell's Kitchen television series, and therefore we decided to try it using a few different methods.
My round-cut (so amazing!) version is our favorite, but for simplicity, I also make fondant potatoes by using russet potatoes cut in half lengthwise.
🥘 Ingredients
I use just a few base ingredients with this recipe, and these are all staple ingredients in my kitchen. Some of your favorite fresh herbs and cloves of garlic are wonderful additions for flavor variety!
- Russet Potatoes - This potato variety will cook up the best with this method. They will yield a super tender, fluffy potato texture on the inside while delightfully crisp on the outside.
- Olive Oil - Use extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for searing the potatoes.
- Chicken Stock - You can also use vegetable broth.
- Butter - Salted butter is best, and a good European butter adds even more richness.
- Salt & Pepper - Just a touch for seasoning while cooking. You can add more to taste when serving.
- Chives (optional) - Fresh chives are a wonderful addition to your fondant potatoes!
- Garlic (optional) - A few cloves in the pan juices adds that unique garlic flavor.
- Parlsey (optional) - A bit of bright green to garnish your cooked potatoes with when serving.
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
My fondant potatoes are stunning when I take the time to cut them into these beautiful barrel-shaped cylinders, which is surprisingly easy when using a round metal biscuit cutter.
Prepare the Russet Potatoes
- Rinse and halve. Rinse and cut 4 large russet potatoes into halves, then cut the rounded ends off.
- Shape. Cut your potatoes into barrel shaped cylinders using a metal biscuit cutter (or carefully shape, using a knife)
- Soak. Return the cut potato rounds to a bowl of cold water. Allow the potatoes to soak in cold water for about 5 minutes.
- Dry and season. Pat the potato rounds dry, then season with salt and pepper.
Make Your Fondant Potatoes
- Preheat. Set your oven to 425°F (218°C) and bring your cast iron skillet (or other heavy bottomed oven safe skillet) with 2 tablespoons of olive oil to medium heat on the stove top.
- Sear both sides. Place the cut potato rounds in your heated pan, and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook the second side until also golden brown. Add butter and melt in the skillet, spooning over the first browned side of the potatoes. Add chives (and optional garlic cloves) if desired.
- Add the broth. Pour the chicken (or vegetable) stock into the skillet with the potato rounds and then transfer the skillet into your preheated oven.
- Cook until tender. Cook the fondant potatoes for about 30 minutes, or until the 'white' portion of the middle has become more white and the potatoes are tender inside.
*If too much stock has evaporated during cooking, add more as needed. You will want only a couple of tablespoons of the stock left over to serve with the fondant potatoes.
**If there is too much stock left over when the potatoes are done cooking, remove the fondant potatoes to a plate and return the pan with stock to the oven to allow more stock to evaporate off. - Serve. Garnish with chopped parsley (or fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme) and serve with 2-3 tablespoons of the remaining chicken stock.
Fondant potatoes are a tasty potato side dish to serve with any roast, but I usually reserve them for special occasions and holiday meals. They're so yummy that I should indulge in them much more often! Enjoy!
🥡 Storing
Store any leftover fondant potatoes in an airtight storage container. They will store wonderfully in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
The interior won't be quite as fluffy and creamy, but the taste is still amazing.
I don't suggest freezing fondant potatoes as the consistency just turns to mush once thawed and reheated. 🙁
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📋 Recipe
Classic Creamy Fondant Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 2 c chicken stock (or vegetable stock - ½ a 32 oz carton)
- 2 tablespoon butter (salted)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- ½ tablespoon fresh or dried chives (cut)
- 4 cloves garlic (optional)
- ½ tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped - optional garnish)
Instructions
Preparing The Potatoes
- Before beginning, please see my recipe notes for a quick suggestion on the preparation of your russet potatoes.
- To cut your potatoes, rinse potatoes and fill a medium bowl with cold water. Cut potatoes into your barrel shaped rounds (I used a round metal biscuit cutter and trimmed as needed to smooth out all sides) and place into the bowl of water.
- Once all of the potato rounds are cut, allow the potatoes to soak in the bowl of water for about 5 minutes to remove the starch. Rinse again in cold water and pat the rounds dry. Then season with salt & pepper (I used white pepper) before transferring into your heated pan.
Classic Creamy Fondant Potatoes
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) and bring your cast iron skillet (or other heavy bottomed oven safe skillet) with olive oil to medium heat on the stove top.
- Place cut potato rounds in your heated pan, and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook the second side until also golden brown. Add butter and melt in the skillet, spooning over the first browned side of the potatoes. Add chives (and optional garlic cloves).
- Pour the chicken (or vegetable) stock into the skillet with the potato rounds and transfer skillet to your preheated oven.
- Cook the fondant potatoes for about 30 minutes, or until the 'white' portion of the middle has become more white and the potatoes are tender inside. *If too much stock has evaporated during cooking, add more as needed. You will want only a couple of tablespoons of the stock left over to serve with the fondant potatoes. **If there is too much stock left over when the potatoes are done cooking, remove the fondant potatoes to a plate and return the pan with stock to the oven to allow more stock to evaporate off.
- Garnish with chopped parsley (or fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme) and serve with 2-3 tablespoons of the remaining chicken stock.
Notes
However, the height of the rounds as shown here adds amazing texture with the crispy top and bottom and the super creamy inside portion of the potato.
*If too much stock has evaporated during cooking, add more as needed. You will want only a couple of tablespoons of the stock left over to serve with the fondant potatoes. **If there is too much stock left over when the potatoes are done cooking, remove the fondant potatoes to a plate and return the pan with stock to the oven to allow more stock to evaporate off.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
John Semon says
Angela, thanks for the recipe for fondant potatoes. I wish to prepare the day ahead by cutting the potatoes and stopping before sauteing and baking. Is that possible?
That's a great question! And the answer is yes, you can most definitely make the fondant potatoes in advance! However, I would suggest following the recipe through step 2 (cut, soak, and saute) then allow your potatoes to cool to room temperature and refrigerate overnight. Once ready to prepare, allow the potatoes to warm to room temperature, add the stock, and continue as directed in step 3 and beyond to finish.
The fondant potatoes won't have the same crispness on the top and bottom but will have that tender consistency and rich flavor.
*The issue with not cooking them at least through the saute is that the potatoes would need to be soaked to prevent browning, in which case they would take on too much moisture for a great sear.
Thanks for asking and let me know if you have any other questions!