Our Most Saved Holiday Side Dish Last Year

Allrecipes has a never-ending amount of recipes for delicious side dishes. No matter what occasion you’re cooking for or what kind of side you’re hoping to serve, there are recipes on-site that fit the bill. Out of all those recipes, one was saved more than any other around the holidays last year.

This side dish is a home run around the holidays for many reasons. It’s low prep, doesn’t feature many complex steps, and is easy to make at the same time as your main dish. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that it’s downright delicious. If you haven’t already saved the recipe, meet roasted melting potatoes. 

Potatoes are essential when serving a main dish, such as a classic roasted chicken or a showstopping rib roast. And while you can make something like decadent twice-baked potatoes or luscious au gratin potatoes, this side dish doesn’t lose any points on flavor or texture despite its simplicity. 

Why People Love Roasted Melting Potatoes

This dish's low effort and high reward make it a winner for Allrecipes members. According to Allrecipes member Sassy, “These are scrumptious! Not a lot of effort for a very rewarding side dish. Kudos to the recipe author.” Home cook For2natemom said, “UN-BE-LIEVABLE!! These are my go-to absolute showstopper potatoes! I add a little parsley and oregano and garlic to the melted butter. But these potatoes are AMAZING. This is my permanent favorite.”

As that member suggests, the recipe is flexible in terms of how you flavor your potatoes. You can add spices and herbs, adjust the quantity of the spices and herbs, add more garlic, and so on. 

One note from those who have cooked the potatoes: Because this dish cooks at a high temperature in the oven, it can get splattery. Some users recommend lining your pan with aluminum foil before starting to make cleanup easier after cooking.

How to Make Roasted Melting Potatoes

While these potatoes will cook in the oven for 45 minutes, prepping them takes only five minutes. Start by gathering your ingredients: butter, fresh thyme, salt, ground black pepper, Yukon Gold potatoes, vegetable broth, and garlic. Before combining ingredients, you’ll melt the butter, chop your thyme, cut your potatoes into 1-inch slices, and mince your garlic. 

You’ll toss the potatoes in the butter mixture before baking them at a high temperature until golden brown. The final step involves adding vegetable broth and garlic to the pan and roasting until the potatoes are tender. 

The result is potatoes with a creamy interior and lightly crisp exterior that perfectly complement any main dish (though they’re impressive on their own, too). You can garnish them with fresh herbs before serving, but they may disappear so quickly that you won’t even have time to admire the decorative result. 

With one holiday side dish taken care of, you can turn your attention to finding the perfect holiday appetizer and a new-to-you cookie recipe to try this year.