This little pan of Amish-style broth potatoes is the kind of no-fuss comfort food I grew up with in the rural Midwest. You simply pour chicken broth over raw cubed Yukon Gold potatoes, tuck in a pat of good butter, and slide the ceramic dish into the oven. The potatoes drink up the broth as they bake, turning soft, golden, and richly flavored without a lot of stirring or fuss. It’s the first side dish I suggest when someone wants something cozy, simple, and dependable—just three ingredients and a warm oven, the way farm kitchens have done it for generations.
Serve these broth potatoes right in the baking dish, with a big spoon for scooping. They’re wonderful alongside roast chicken, pork chops, or a simple meatloaf, and they soak up gravy or pan drippings beautifully. Add a green vegetable—like buttered peas, green beans, or a tossed salad—to round out the plate. They also pair nicely with ham at holiday dinners, or with sausages and a pan of roasted carrots for an easy Sunday supper.
Oven-Baked 3-Ingredient Amish Broth PotatoesServings: 4
Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups chicken broth (low-sodium if possible)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a medium ceramic baking dish (about 2-quart size) on the counter so it’s ready.
Scrub the Yukon Gold potatoes well and cut them into roughly 1-inch cubes, leaving the skins on for flavor and texture.
Spread the raw cubed potatoes evenly in the ceramic baking dish, making sure they’re in a fairly even layer so they cook at the same rate.
Dot the potatoes with the small pieces of butter, tucking some down between the cubes so it melts and mingles with the broth.
Slowly pour the chicken broth over the raw cubed Yukon Gold potatoes in the ceramic baking dish, letting it run down between the pieces so most of the potatoes are surrounded by liquid. The broth should come just to the top of the potatoes or barely below.
Cover the ceramic dish tightly with foil to keep the moisture in, then place it on the center rack of the preheated oven.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, covered, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork and have absorbed much of the broth.
Carefully remove the foil (watch for steam), give the potatoes a gentle stir, and if you’d like a bit of color on top, return the dish to the oven uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges of some potatoes turn lightly golden.
Remove from the oven and let the potatoes rest for 5 minutes so the remaining broth thickens slightly around them. Taste and add a light sprinkle of salt and black pepper at the table if you like, then serve warm straight from the ceramic dish.
Variations & Tips
If you’d like a little extra richness, you can replace 1/2 cup of the chicken broth with heavy cream, keeping the total liquid the same. For more color and a farmhouse feel, stir in a handful of chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions after baking. To make this recipe with what you have on hand, russet or red potatoes can stand in for Yukon Golds; just keep the cubes similar in size and watch the baking time. For a heartier take, scatter a cup of cooked, crumbled bacon or diced ham over the potatoes during the last 10 minutes of baking. You can also prepare the dish a few hours ahead by cubing the potatoes and covering them with cold water in the fridge; when ready to bake, drain well, then proceed with the butter and broth. If your oven runs hot or the broth evaporates too quickly, simply cover the dish again and splash in an extra 1/4 cup of broth to keep the potatoes moist while they finish cooking.
