Stovetop Rosemary Potatoes

With our recipe for stovetop rosemary potatoes, don’t let this kitchen nightmare ever happen to you again!

Keep the preparation of your starchy side dish completely out of the oven to free up the precious space you need to roast your chicken, prime rib, or pork tenderloin.

This is also a smart card to play when you know you’ll be cooking something with a low and slow braise, like braised chuck or short ribs, that requires a significantly lower temperature than you would typically apply for roasting spuds in the oven.

These spuds are first boiled in a pot until tender, then pan-seared in a skillet on high heat with butter and oil to develop a crisp, caramelized crust.

For the ultimate aromatic finish, we toss in some minced garlic and a hefty tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary towards the end of the cooking process.

You don’t want to add the garlic and rosemary any earlier than just a minute or so before removing the pan off the heat, or else you’ll get mouthfuls of unappetizing burnt bits!

As long as you are paying attention during these final stages of cooking, you’ll end up with one of the easiest and tastiest sides ever!

Breathe a sigh of relief with this recipe – your oven space is free for your culinary creativity to frolic and roam with plenty of room.

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Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep

Set out the spuds, and give them a brief wash and scrub under cold, running water.

Measure out the unsalted butter, olive oil, salt, and black pepper – we prefer freshly cracked peppercorns for the freshest seasoning.

Chop rosemary leaves from two large sprigs – this will be about one heaping tablespoon. Mince the garlic, or use a garlic press.

Step 2 – Boil and Drain Potatoes

Place the potatoes in a large pot, and cover with cold water until it reaches about 1 inch above the spuds – this amount of water ensures there will be enough liquid to evenly cook the vegetables.

Mix in one tablespoon of salt to season the water.

Transfer the pot to the stovetop and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the water is at a rolling boil, continue boiling to cook them until you can easily pierce through their flesh with a fork or knife. This will take 15 to 20 minutes.

Because you will only cook the potatoes for just a few additional minutes in a skillet, you want to ensure the spuds are thoroughly cooked in this step.

Step 3 – Drain and Slice

When they are tender, carefully remove the pot from the heat. Pour out all the contents over a large, heatproof colander in the sink to drain the water.

Allow them to cool and dry slightly in the colander until they are cool enough to handle, about five minutes. They will still be warm.

Transfer them to a cutting board. Slice each one in half lengthwise, using a sharp chef’s knife.

Step 4 – Brown in Skillet

As you are slicing, melt and heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Once the butter has melted and starts to bubble, mix the fats together briefly using a heatproof spoon or spatula.

Place the sliced spuds with the cut sides facing down in a single layer in the hot skillet. Cook undisturbed until the cut sides are lightly browned, three to five minutes. You can check at three minutes by using tongs to pick up one of the sliced vegetables.

Toss the vegetables once and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until they are more deeply caramelized, another 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 5 – Mix in Seasonings

Mix in the rosemary, garlic, remaining 1/2 tablespoon salt, and pepper.

Stirring constantly, continue cooking until the garlic and rosemary are aromatic but not completely browned.

You’ll only need to cook the seasonings for an additional minute to prevent burning – so watch the skillet carefully!

Step 6 – Serve

Immediately remove the skillet from the heat. You can check for seasonings at this point – decide if you want to add in any more salt or pepper.

Serve warm alongside your chosen main course.

Herbal Variations

It’s easy to customize the aromatics in this recipe!

You can either add to the rosemary that’s already included, or replace it entirely with your favorite herbs and spices.

Our advice is to choose heartier fresh herbs that can withstand a quick flash of the plan at high heat. Consider options like coarsely chopped thyme, oregano, or sage.