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The Melting Pot
Boiled Potatoes with Butter hero image coming soon
1800s-present - European immigrants and American farm cooks finishing boiled potatoes with butter and herbs
Buttered boiled potatoes turn the plain potato pot into a finished side dish. The method is common across European and American tables: boil small potatoes until tender, drain well, and coat them with butter and herbs while they are still steaming.
Difficulty
Easy
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
20 minutes
Total time
30 minutes
Servings
4 servings
Region
United States family tables
Era introduced
1800s-present
Introduced by
European immigrants and American farm cooks finishing boiled potatoes with butter and herbs
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Boiled potatoes with butter are a small but important upgrade from a plain starch to a table-ready side. Immigrant traditions from Ireland, Germany, Austria, and other potato-eating regions all have versions of buttered or parsley potatoes, and American cooks made the same move at farm tables, diners, and Sunday suppers. The key is to drain the potatoes well so the butter clings instead of sliding into water.
Drafted with buttery parsley potato method from FoodieCrush (https://www.foodiecrush.com/buttery-parsley-potatoes/), Irish parsley-potato context from Irish American Mom (https://www.irishamericanmom.com/the-sweet-and-healthy-taste-of-parsley-buttered-potatoes/), and Central European parsley potato context from Masala Herb (https://www.masalaherb.com/buttered-parsley-potatoes/).
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