This baby potatoes recipe is made with tender small potatoes, butter, fresh dill, chives, parsley, salt, and black pepper. It is ready in about 25 minutes and makes an easy side dish for chicken, steak, fish, or a simple family dinner.
Small baby potatoes do not need much to taste good. A little butter, black pepper, salt, and plenty of fresh herbs give them a fresh, comforting flavor without making the dish heavy.
The key is to drain the potatoes well and let them steam dry for a minute before tossing them with butter. This helps the butter coat each potato instead of sliding off with extra water.
These buttery herb potatoes are especially good with Garlic Butter Steak Bites for an easy dinner with tender steak, fresh herbs, and comforting potatoes.
Table of contents
- Why You’ll Love This Baby Potatoes Recipe
- Ingredients
- Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- How to Make This Baby Potatoes Recipe
- Expert Tips for the Best Baby Potatoes
- Storage and Freezing
- How Long to Boil Baby Potatoes?
- Variations
- Common Mistakes To Avoid
- What to Serve With Baby Potatoes
- FAQs
- More Potato Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love
Why You’ll Love This Baby Potatoes Recipe
- Made with simple everyday ingredients.
- Ready in about 25 minutes.
- No oven needed.
- Lightly buttery, fresh, and full of herbs.
- Easy to serve with meat, chicken, seafood, or vegetarian mains.
Ingredients
For the Potatoes
- 2 lb baby potatoes or new potatoes (1 kg), preferably similar in size
- 1 tablespoon fine salt, for boiling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Fresh Herbs
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped (about 8 g)
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped (about 3 g)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped (about 4 g)
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Choose small baby potatoes or new potatoes that are close in size so they cook evenly. Yellow baby potatoes work especially well because they stay creamy inside while keeping their shape.
Use unsalted butter so you can control the seasoning. Salted butter can work too, but reduce the added salt slightly.
Fresh dill gives the potatoes their main fresh flavor. Chives add a mild onion flavor, while parsley keeps everything bright without being too strong.
You can replace the chives with thinly sliced green onions. Thyme, basil, or rosemary can also be used, but add rosemary sparingly because it has a stronger flavor.
How to Make This Baby Potatoes Recipe
- Wash the baby potatoes well. Leave the skins on and place them in a large pot.
- Cover the potatoes with cold water and add the salt before bringing the pot to a boil. Starting with cold water helps the potatoes cook more evenly from the center outward, while a gentle simmer helps keep the skins from splitting. For more helpful tips, see Serious Eats’ guide to boiling potatoes.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a small knife slides easily into the center of a potato.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them sit for 1 minute so excess moisture can evaporate before adding the butter. Drier potato skins help the melted butter cling to the potatoes instead of sliding off with water. For more detail, see Bon Appétit’s guide to avoiding soggy potatoes.
- Transfer the hot potatoes to a large bowl. Add the butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper.
- Toss gently until the butter melts and coats the potatoes.
- Add the dill, chives, and parsley. Toss once more, then serve warm. For a complete family dinner, serve these baby potatoes with Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breast. The creamy mozzarella filling and sun-dried tomatoes pair well with the fresh dill and buttery potatoes.
Expert Tips for the Best Baby Potatoes
- Start the potatoes in cold water so they cook evenly from the center.
- Use potatoes that are close in size to avoid some becoming too soft.
- Keep the water at a gentle simmer instead of a strong boil to help prevent split skins.
- Test the potatoes early because very small potatoes may cook faster.
- Let the potatoes steam dry after draining so the butter coats them properly.
- Toss the potatoes while they are hot so the butter melts evenly.
- Add the herbs at the end to keep their fresh color and flavor.
- Do not overmix after adding herbs, or the potatoes may break apart.
Storage and Freezing
Store leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F (32°C). For more storage guidance, see FoodSafety.gov’s leftovers safety tips.
Reheat them in a skillet over medium-low heat with a small piece of butter and a splash of water. You can also reheat them in the microwave until warm.
Freezing is not recommended because boiled potatoes can become soft and watery after thawing. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking for best food safety.
How Long to Boil Baby Potatoes?
Baby potatoes usually take 12 to 15 minutes to boil, depending on their size. They are ready when a small knife slides easily into the center without resistance. Very small potatoes may cook faster, while larger baby potatoes may need a few extra minutes.
Variations
Garlic Butter Baby Potatoes
Add 1 minced garlic clove to the warm potatoes with the butter. Toss quickly, then add the fresh herbs.
Lemon Herb Potatoes
Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice just before serving.
Parmesan Herb Potatoes
Toss the finished potatoes with 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese.
Spicy Herb Potatoes
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper with the black pepper.
Rosemary Butter Potatoes
Replace the dill with 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary for a deeper herb flavor.
Baby Potatoes with Butter and Fresh Herbs
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Wash the baby potatoes and place them in a large pot. Cover with cold water and add 1 tablespoon salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the potatoes.
- Drain well and leave the potatoes in the colander for 1 minute to steam dry.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Add butter, salt, and black pepper.
- Toss gently until the butter melts and coats the potatoes.
- Add dill, chives, and parsley. Toss lightly and serve warm.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Choose potatoes that are similar in size for even cooking.
- Do not overcook the potatoes or they may split.
- Steam-drying after boiling helps the butter stick to the potatoes.
- Add fresh herbs right before serving for the best flavor.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Using potatoes in very different sizes, so they do not cook evenly.
- Overcooking the potatoes until they start to fall apart.
- Skipping the salt in the boiling water.
- Not draining the potatoes well after cooking.
- Skipping the steam-dry step before adding the butter.
- Adding the fresh herbs too early, which can make them lose their bright flavor.
What to Serve With Baby Potatoes
These potatoes go especially well with grilled chicken, roast chicken, baked salmon, steak bites, shrimp, or roasted vegetables.
For a simple dinner plate, serve these potatoes with a protein and a fresh vegetable side dish. They pair especially well with Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic for a quick, colorful meal.
FAQs
No. The skins are thin and tender, so they add texture and save preparation time.
Yes. Steam them until fork-tender, then let them dry slightly before tossing with butter and herbs.
You can boil the potatoes a few hours ahead. Keep them covered at room temperature, then warm them gently and toss with butter and herbs just before serving.
Fresh herbs are best for this recipe. If needed, use one-third of the amount of dried herbs, but add them with the butter so they soften slightly.
The water may have boiled too strongly, or the potatoes may have cooked too long. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer.
Yes. Cut Yukon Gold or other waxy potatoes into bite-size pieces, then boil them until tender.
Baby potatoes usually take 12 to 15 minutes to boil. They are done when they feel tender in the center when pierced with a small knife.
One of the easiest ways is to boil them until tender, let them steam dry, then toss them with butter, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs while they are still hot.
More Potato Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
