Fondant Potatoes

Have you been searching for a way to spice up your potato game? If so, this unique recipe for fondant potatoes is the one for you. In this highly rated Chef John recipe, you’ll have crispy (yet creamy) potatoes that look and taste incredibly fancy — but are ready to serve in a little over an hour.

Trust us, this will be your new favorite potato side dish!

What Are Fondant Potatoes?

Fondant potatoes, also called pommes de terre fondantes, is a French side dish. In this dish, potatoes are cut into cylinders, then pan-fried on both sides, then roasted in the oven in a stock and butter sauce. The result is a flavorful potato that is crispy and brown on the outside, but creamy and tender on the inside.

How to Make Fondant Potatoes

Admittedly, these potatoes are a little time-consuming to make — but they aren't difficult. You'll find the full step-by-step recipe below, but here's what you can expect when making these unique potatoes:

Cut the Potatoes

Peel and cut the potatoes into cylinders. Place the potato cylinders into a bowl of cold water to remove the starch.

Pan-Fry the Potatoes

Pan-fry the potato cylinders in vegetable oil until well-browned on both sides. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the Sauce

Add the butter and thyme to the skillet and cook until the butter begins to foam. Then add the stock to the skillet.

Bake

Transfer the skillet to a preheated oven and cook until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the oven and spoon the thyme-butter mixture over the potatoes.

What to Serve With Fondant Potatoes

Fondant potatoes make a great side dish for meat or seafood meals. If you need some main dish inspiration, try one of these mouthwatering options:

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Plus, browse our entire collection of dinner recipes.

Can You Make Fondant Potatoes Ahead of Time?

Sort of. You can pan-fry the potatoes ahead of time as well as baste them with butter and thyme. But you should stop after the butter begins to foam. Let the skillet cool completely, cover it, and store it in the refrigerator for up to a day.

When you're ready to serve: Just add the stock and roast the potatoes in the oven as directed.

How to Store Fondant Potatoes

Fondant potatoes are best enjoyed the day-of. But, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for three days. Reheat them in the oven with more stock — but be prepared for less crispy and creamy potatoes.

Can You Freeze Fondant Potatoes

We don't recommend freezing fondant potatoes because they won't freeze or reheat well. They're best eaten the day-of.

Cookdap Community Tips and Praise

“Have made these twice now and can honestly say that Fondants are my favorite way to have potatoes! So many ways to tweak and adjust these to suit whatever you’re serving them with. Very impressive as a special side for dinner with friends and family. Almost as though someone found a way to make mashed potatoes that can hold a shape,” according to dejavoodoo.

“Love! Love! Love it! I made these potatoes two days ago, and now as we speak I am baking them. My husband said that from now on he will only eat potatoes fondant. The recipe is perfect as is, just be careful not to over salt them,” raves julia92.

“Please try this! It’s worth the tiny extra bit of preparation and you end up with a 5-star presentation and a wonderfully flavorful side dish. I didn’t have fresh thyme so I used fresh rosemary and it was stellar. We’ll definitely be doing this one again. A plus: the parts you trim off of the potatoes can be used for hash browns the following morning. What a great recipe,” says Peri.