Simple Braised Potatoes

By Mark Bittman

Simple Braised Potatoes
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
About 1 hour
Rating
4(894)
Comments
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One doesn't usually think of braising as a technique for cooking potatoes, but one should. It's so easy, and yields the same comfort quotient of the mashed sort without all of the peeling, boiling and mashing. Onion, garlic and your choice of thyme or rosemary give them a little oomph. As with all potato dishes, don't forget to season well with salt.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2pounds potatoes (roughly 4 medium to large spuds)
  • 3tablespoons butter
  • 1diced onion
  • 1teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1sprig of thyme or rosemary, more for garnish
  • Salt and pepper
  • About 2 cups chicken, turkey or vegetable stock
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

269 calories; 9 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 44 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 895 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Scrub the potatoes, then cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks.

  2. Step 2

    Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a deep skillet or broad pot over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, onions, garlic, a sprig of thyme or rosemary, and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until potatoes begin to turn golden, 10 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Add good stock to barely cover the potatoes (about 2 cups). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and liquid is reduced, about 30 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve garnished with thyme or rosemary.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
894 user ratings
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Comments

SonomaSMB

These great potatoes have become a staple at our house. The basic recipe is really good (I do add more garlic.)

But it's a fun one to play with, too. I've used leeks or red onions for some color. Duck fat makes it heavenly. It works well with so many other seasonings: paprika, lemon pepper, cumin, Moroccan spices, endless possibilities.

And always make more than you need for dinner. Leftovers are for breakfast with poached or fried eggs. Breakfast doesn't get better than that!

Rina

This resulted in too much liquid. I suggest using only 2/3 of what's used here.

cfwagner@gilanet.com

My dear mother and her mother who grew up in Southwest Louisiana cooked these (without garlic or suggested herbs) but called them "parsley potatoes" as they added plenty of fresh chopped parsley. Do not cover and add water (or broth) only as needed. Type of broth gives different taste - all good.

chrishpl

Easy and good. I cut up sausage and cooked it along with the potatoes - made for an easy dinner. Served with an egg on top - Friday night easy cooking at its best!

Adrienne

To those saying there was too much liquid, I just scooped out the potatoes, added some butter, and cooked it down into a reduction. Wonderful!

JenG

Used peeled russets in a cast iron Dutch oven. The flavor was good thought but most of the potatoes became too soft and mushy after 30 minutes. I also had the experience of ending up with too much liquid, which resulted in something resembling a potato soup at the bottom.

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