Dutch Oven Potatoes

Name: Dutch Oven Potatoes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup unsalted butter; 2 lbs baby potatoes; 1 tbsp garlic powder; 2 tsp minced, fresh rosemary; 1 tsp onion powder; ¾ tsp salt

Buttery, tender, and deliciously comforting, this simple recipe for Dutch Oven Potatoes is a must-have for cooler weather. Adorable baby potatoes are given a seasonal treatment of garlic and rosemary for the easiest, tastiest carb-y side you can imagine!

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oven roasted baby potatoes in the dutch oven after roasting.

I may be a dietician, but make no mistake: I LOVE POTATOES. While they often get a bad rap from the anti-carbohydrate lobby (I’m lookin’ at you, Keto converts), humble spuds can easily be integrated into a healthy diet.

In fact, despite what you think, potatoes aren’t just carb bombs. They’re actually an excellent source of fiber (4 grams per serving!) as well as vitamins B6 & C, potassium, and manganese. And, since these easy oven-roasted potatoes keep their skins, you get all the nutritional benefits they have to offer!

So, next time you’re in the market for a cozy, comforting side, give this 6-ingredient baby potato recipe a shot. It’s perfect for pairing with all your favorite fall and winter dishes like my Dutch Oven Beef Stew, Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken, or Tender Slow Cooker Rump Roast. YUM!

Jump to:

What do Dutch oven potatoes taste like?
Ingredients
Substitutions
How to make roasted potatoes in the Dutch oven
Tips & FAQ
Nutritional Info
Pricing Info
What to serve with roasted potatoes
Other Dutch Oven recipes
Recipe

What do Dutch oven potatoes taste like?

Something magical happens when baby potatoes are roasted. Their thin, waxy skins absorb all the flavor around them and their insides become impossibly light and fluffy. Split them open with a knife to expose those creamy interiors; they’re just waiting to sop up whatever juicy, gravy goodness you serve with them.

Since my Dutch oven potatoes recipe calls for butter, garlic, and rosemary, that soft and tender roasted potato interior is wrapped in a cloak of nutty brown butter scented with two of my favorite cool weather aromatics. In short, they taste like a gift from the epicurean gods.

Ingredients

Perhaps one of my favorite things about this roasted potato recipe is how short the ingredient list is. You only need 6! Here’s what to grab:

Unsalted Butter – For added richness.
Baby Potatoes – Adorably tiny spuds mean less prep work for you; just wash and go!
Garlic Powder – For garlicky goodness, no sticky fingers are required.
Fresh Rosemary – For herby, woodsy, autumnal flavor.
Onion Powder – All the sweet flavor of onions without any tears!
Salt – For seasoning.

ingredients for making dutch oven roasted potatoes measured out into bowls on a white table.

Substitutions

I love this simple and delicious potato recipe just the way it is, but there is always room for customization depending on what you have on hand and your dietary preferences. Here are a few easy swaps you can make:

Unsalted Butter & Salt – Feel free to swap in salted butter if you prefer, but make sure to dial back the added salt. You can also make these dairy-free by opting for plant-based butter or opting for heart-healthy olive oil.
Baby Potatoes – You can easily use even smaller fingerling potatoes or full-sized wax potatoes that you cut into smaller cubes instead.
Garlic Powder & Onion Powder – I love using granulated alliums because you get tons of flavor without any fuss. Feel free to go the extra mile and swap in fresh minced garlic and minced onion or shallot instead. You can also try using onion salt and/or garlic salt, but make sure you stick to unsalted butter and omit the added salt if you do.
Fresh Rosemary – Use about half as much dried rosemary instead of fresh. You can also opt to switch up your seasoning by trading in another herb (or herb mixture) like delicate thyme, spicy oregano, or earthy sage.

How to make roasted potatoes in the Dutch oven

Dutch oven-baked potatoes are a snap to make. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Prep. Preheat the oven and melt your butter over medium heat.

Step 2: Toss. Add the remaining ingredients to the Dutch oven and stir until the potatoes are well coated.

Step 3: Roast & Serve. Cover the Dutch oven, and place in the oven for 35-40 minutes until potatoes are fork tender. Serve hot and enjoy!

Tips & FAQ

What are the best kind of potatoes for oven roasting?

I personally love baby wax potatoes when making these because they require almost zero prep. The skins are nice and thin so you don’t have to peel them, and they’re small enough that you don’t have to chop them up. Simply wash them, dry them, and get on with the recipe!

Alternatively, you can use any kind of wax-skinned potatoes like itty bitty fingerlings or larger Yukon Golds. Just remember that for larger potatoes, you’ll need to break them down into smaller bites so they will cook quickly enough.

Save the starchy, thick-skinned varieties like Idaho and russets for baked jacket potatoes. Their skins will end up steaming in this Dutch oven method, leaving you with an unpleasant texture.

How do you get crispy roast potatoes?

If you’d like for the skin to get crispy, remove the Dutch oven lid after the potatoes are fork tender and place the bottom of the pot back in the 400-425F oven for 5-6 minutes until golden and crispy.

Do you have to boil potatoes before roasting them?

It depends on which of the many Dutch oven potato recipes you’re using. For this simple method you don’t! The baby potatoes will steam in the Dutch oven until they’re perfectly fork tender, making it a 1-pot recipe. Genius!

Invest in an oven thermometer. You’d be surprised how much oven temperatures can vary from oven to oven, and the only way to *really* know how hot yours gets is by using an oven thermometer. This won’t only improve your roasting, but it’ll also make a huge difference in your baking! Best of all, you can snag one for under $10.
Use a mixed bag for the best optics. Baby potatoes come in yellow, red, and even purple varieties. If possible, get a mixed bag for a prettier presentation.
Storage: Roasted baby potatoes will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, bake or microwave until heated through. Alternatively, turn any leftovers into smashed potatoes by crushing them with the bottom of a glass and either baking or air frying them until crispy.

Optional Variations:

While this recipe for oven-roasted baby potatoes is simply delightful, there’s always room for customization. Here are a few variations to consider:

Dairy-Free/Vegan – Make your spuds vegan-friendly by swapping in dairy-free butter or heart-healthy olive oil in place of the butter.
Spicy – Add up to a teaspoon of crushed red chili flakes and/or the chili powder of your choice to give these roasted potatoes some heat.
Dutch Oven Cheesy Potatoes – After the potatoes are nearly cooked, add a few handfuls of shredded melting cheese (e.g. cheddar, gouda, colby, or jack) over the top of them, replace the lid, and bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and gooey.
Loaded-Style – Follow the instructions above for cheesy potatoes. To serve, add a dollop of whole-fat plain Greek yogurt, plant-based bacon bits, and thinly sliced scallions or chives. Yum!

Nutritional Info

Aside from being a rich source of vitamins C & B6, manganese, potassium, and fiber, potatoes also have another secret, healthy compound known as resistant starch. Resistant starch has been shown to significantly reduce insulin resistance, which, in turn, helps your body regulate blood sugar.

Resistant starch can also help improve digestive health. When it reaches the large intestine, gut bacteria digest the resistant starch and turn it into a beneficial short-chain fatty acid known as butyrate, which has been shown to decrease colon inflammation and possibly decrease the incidence of colorectal cancer.

In addition, these Dutch oven potatoes also boast 3 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and 8 grams of fat per serving, meaning they’re well-balanced and satiating. The presence of a particular protein known as potato proteinase inhibitor 2 (PI2), has also been shown to curb appetite, so this tasty, healthy side will help to fill you up before dessert!

Total nutritional content per serving is:

Calories: 171 calories
Total Fat: 8 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Sodium: 297 mg
Carbohydrates: 22 grams
Fiber: 3 grams

*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.

Pricing Info

This is what I personally paid to make this recipe:

¼ cup unsalted butter: $0.49
2 lbs baby potatoes: $2.67
1 tbsp garlic powder: $0.19
2 tsp minced, fresh rosemary: $0.17
1 tsp onion powder: $0.04
¾ tsp salt: $0.01

The total to make this recipe is around $3.57 or about $0.60 per serving!

What to serve with roasted potatoes

These tender Dutch oven-roasted baby potatoes are the perfect side for just about any meaty main you can think of. Serve them alongside roasts, stews, or pan-fried chicken breasts for a meal any midwesterner would approve of.

They’re also excellent served with fish like roasted salmon or swordfish, especially if you have a little tartar sauce on the side! These tasty little balls of carby goodness are also excellent as a replacement for french fries with your favorite sandwiches or served alongside eggs and turkey sausage for a breakfast bonanza.

Here are some of my favorite recipes to pair with these garlicky rosemary potatoes:

Other Dutch Oven recipes

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Recipe

overhead shot of roasted baby potatoes in an enameled white dutch oven on a wooden cutting board.

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5 from 5 votes