Fondant potatoes are a classic French dish that is perfect for entertaining or a special meal at home.
The potatoes are cut into even cylinders. Then, they are fried in oil until crisp, basted in lashings of butter, garlic and herbs, then braised in stock.
So easy to make and you can forget about them while they braise too.
The result is a potato with a crisp, buttery crust on the outside, with a meltingly tender potato inside.
So creamy and delicious!
They might just be your new favourite potato.
Bon appétit!
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This recipe originated in France as pommes fondant, which literally translates into melting potatoes.
They used to appear on restaurant menus in France but are often made by chefs in the UK as an elegant side dish.
These potatoes are creamy and infused with garlic and herbs on the inside whilst being crispy on the outside. I can only describe the process, if you’re British, as a reverse posh roast potato, that doesn't require turning.
It’s simple recipe to do and the braising can be done on the hob or in the oven.
❤️ Why you will love this dish
- Creamy on the inside and crinchy on the outside.
- Easy portion control.
- Simple to make.
- Finish cooking on the hob or oven.
- Perfect for entertaining or a special meal.
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🥘 Ingredients
- Potatoes - As a good all round potato I prefer to use Maris Piper whick is a floury potato. Many classic recipes call for waxy potatoes, to stop them from breaking up while cooking, but I haven't seen this happening. The potatoes need to be a similar medium size.
- Oil - vegetable, rapeseed or sunflower oil for frying.
- Butter - salted or unsalted butter. Omit the additional salt if using salted.
- Garlic - garlic cloves, rather than powder or granules.
- Stock - vegetable or chicken stock.
- Thyme - fresh thyme sprigs on the stem.
- Rosemary - fresh rosemary sprigs on the stem.
- Salt - cooking or kosher salt.
- Pepper - freshly ground black pepper.
The printable recipe card with full ingredient quantities and instructions can be found at the bottom of the article.
🍽 Equipment
- sharp knife
- cutting board
- medium frying pan / skillet with lid
🔪 Instructions
If you are familiar with roast potatoes then the very basic version is to par boil potato pieces for about 10 minutes then drain, chuff them up, so that their edges break away then roast them in oil, better still duck fat for about 40 minutes until they are crispy.
The method for fondant potatoes is rather in reverse.
Start by peeling similar sized potatoes then cut off the short ends until you have 4 cylinder pieces of the same height.
This will stop them rolling around in the pan.
Next, heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat until hot.
Add add the potatoes with the flat cut side down.
Fry them for about 5 minutes until well coloured, then turn them over for another 5 minutes.
When the potatoes are well coloured on both sides, add the butter to the pan to melt, then baste the potatoes well.
With a large knife, bruise the garlic cloves by pressing the flat edge of the knife over the garlic.
Add the garlic to the butter along with the herbs.
Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
Pour the hot stock around the potatoes.
⏲️ Cooking Time
Bring the stock to a simmer then cover with a lid.
Simmer over a low to medium heat for about 40 minutes until cooked through.
Alternatively, place the pan in a preheated oven at 180 C / 350 F / 160 FAN / Gas 4.
The potatoes will be infused with the garlic and herbs and be absolutely delicious.
🥗 Side Dishes
These melting potatoes go best with roast or grilled meat dishes and go particularly well with game and beef dishes.
- Bavette Steak
- Côte de Boeuf
- Jacob's Ladder Beef
- Pheasant with Wild Mushroom Sauce
- Pork Confit
- Pigeon with Blackberry Sauce
- Roast Partridge
- Chicken en Croûte
- Duck with Orange Sauce
- Chicken Supreme
- Chateaubriand
- Cannon of Lamb
🥙 Substitutions
- Potatoes - use any variety of old potato you have.
📖 Variations
- Butter - use duck or goose fat for a richer flavour.
- Herby - use sprigs of oregano, tree celery or savoury for a different flavour.
🍣 Storage
- Refrigerator - cool, cover and store up to 5 days.
- Freezer - place cooked pommes fondant in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
- To reheat - place on a tray in the oven at 180 C / 350 F / 160 FAN / Gas 4
🍱 Prepare in Advance
- These potatoes are best eaten immediately. If you need to make them in advance then remove them from the remaining oil and cool and refrigerate. Reheat the potatoes in a 180 C oven for 20 minutes or until piping hot.
Let me know what you think in the comments or you can post a picture and tag me on Twitter @chezlereve, Instagram @chezlerevefrancais, or Facebook @chezlerevefrancais
More French potato dishes
- Confit Potatoes Pavé
- Chateau Potatoes
- Potatoes Sarladaise
- Parisienne Potatoes
- Parmentier Potatoes
- Potatoes Pavé
- Boulangère potatoes
- Dauphinoise potatoes
- Individual Dauphinoise potatoes
- Tartiflette
- Duchesse Potatoes
- Truffade
- Potatoes Rissolé
- Aligot Potatoes
📋 Recipe
Fondant Potatoes
Equipment
- sharp knife
- cutting board
- medium frying pan / skillet with lid
Ingredients
- 700 g potatoes 4 medium maris piper potatoes of similar size
- 1 tbsp oil vegetable
- 150 g butter
- 4 garlic cloves
- 200 ml vegetable stock
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut a little of both ends to get a cylinder shape.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the potatoes cut side down for about 5 minutes or until well coloured. Turn the potatoes over and repeat.
- Add the butter to the pan to melt and baste the potatoes.
- Crush the garlic with the side of a knife and add to the pan with the herbs and season the potatoes.
- Add the stock to the pan, bring to the boil and cover and simmer for about 40 minutes until the potatoes are cooked.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Detailed instructions for this recipe, including step by step photographs, hints and tips, can be found in the main article.
Charla
Yes, French fondant potatoes are extremely popular here in the UK. I remember working in catering and having to prepare them, they are delicious though!
Andrea
These remind me of potatoes my aunt used to make. Never knew what they were called or how she made them. Brings back so many great memories. I can't wait to make these.
Janessa
Wow, these French Fondant Potatoes turned out absolutely delicious! I can't wait to have them again.
Tara
These potatoes look absolutely fantastic with such a wonderful texture. Definitely perfect for entertaining. Yum!
Amanda
Thanks so much Paula!
Amanda
Thanks Dannii
Amanda
Thanks Nart.
Amanda
Thanks Carissa. It's difficult to be believe that they stay so crispy!
Amanda
Thanks so much Kacey
Kacey Perez
What a unique way to cook potatoes! I have never tried cooking them this way but it looks so delicious and easy! Two of the best parts about a recipe.
Carissa
Potatoes are my favorite food, and these are perfect! I love the combo of creamy potato inside and crispy outside.
Nart | Cooking with Nart
These potatoes look absolutely delicious. Love that they seem easy to make and pair well with many things!
Dannii
These potatoes look so deliciously crispy. I can't wait to try them.
Paula Montenegro
I had completely forgotten these existed and now all I want is to make them for lunch. Thanks for bringing back such a great potato recipe! I don't know if I'll get duck fat but I'll certainly try. Thanks for sharing!