Creamy Garlic Baby Potatoes Recipe

I’m sharing my Creamy Garlic Potatoes recipe using baby potatoes, minced garlic, butter, and cream, plus a small pantry trick you’ll want to try.

I’m that person who ruins a perfectly good pan by licking the spoon, so these Creamy Garlic Sauce Potatoes came out of pure curiosity and a little impatience. I wanted baby potatoes that felt a bit fancy but didn’t need a ton of fuss, something you can toss on the table and watch disappear.

The texture is silly addicting, creamy where it counts and bright with garlic notes, not just another Baby Potato Recipes entry. I kept it simple on purpose, because sometimes the best dishes are the ones you almost didn’t bother making but are glad you did.

Ingredients

• Baby potatoes: Small, tender and starchy, good source of fiber and vitamin C, really filling.
• Heavy cream: Adds silkiness and fat, boosts calories and flavor, minimal protein or fiber.
• Garlic: Sharp, aromatic, gives savory bite, trace vitamins and antioxidants, not sweet.
• Butter: Rich, gives golden flavor and mouthfeel, mainly saturated fat so use sparingly.
• Parmesan: Salty, umami punch, adds depth and slight nuttiness, brings extra protein.
• Parsley: Fresh herb, brightens the dish with herbaceous notes, small vitamin boost.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups baby potatoes (about 1 lb)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese optional
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley optional

How to Make this

1. Rinse 2 cups baby potatoes and halve any that are larger so pieces are roughly the same size, then put them in a pot of salted water and boil until fork tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Drain the potatoes well and let them sit a minute to steam off excess water, pat dry with a towel if you can, this helps the sauce stick.

3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter melts and starts to foam.

4. Add the potatoes to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until they get a little golden on the edges, about 4 to 6 minutes.

5. Push potatoes to the side, add 2 cloves garlic minced to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, dont let it burn.

6. Pour in 1/2 cup heavy cream, stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, simmer until the cream thickens slightly and coats the potatoes, about 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Stir in 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, then add 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese if using and stir until melted and silky, taste and adjust seasoning.

8. Remove from heat, sprinkle 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley if you like, give everything a final toss and serve warm, savory, smooth and ultra comforting.

Equipment Needed

1. Medium pot with lid (3 to 4 qt) for boiling the potatoes
2. Colander or sieve to drain them well
3. Kitchen towel or paper towels to pat dry, get that steam off
4. Large skillet (12 in, nonstick or stainless) for finishing in cream
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to stir and scrape up brown bits
6. Chef knife to halve larger baby potatoes
7. Cutting board for prepping the potatoes and garlic
8. 1/2 cup measuring cup for the heavy cream (and eyeballing the potatoes)
9. Measuring spoons for the salt, pepper and butter amount

FAQ

Creamy Garlic Baby Potatoes Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Heavy cream: for a lighter sauce use 1/2 cup half and half, or mix 1/2 cup whole milk with 1 tbsp melted butter to mimic richness, or stir in 1/3 cup Greek yogurt thinned with 2 tbsp milk (add off heat so it won’t curdle).
• Butter: swap 1 tbsp butter for 1 tbsp ghee for a nuttier note, use 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to keep it dairy free, or use vegan butter in the same amount.
• Parmesan cheese (optional): replace 2 tbsp Parmesan with Pecorino Romano or Asiago in the same amount for similar sharpness, or use 2 tbsp nutritional yeast for a dairy free cheesy finish.
• Baby potatoes: if you don’t have baby potatoes use about 1 lb small Yukon Golds or fingerlings, or cut 2 medium russets into 1 inch cubes so they cook evenly.

Pro Tips

1) Dry the potatoes good after draining. Let them steam off a minute then pat with a towel or toss them back in the hot pot for 1 min so surface moisture evaporates. That little extra drying step is why the cream sticks and you still get crispy edges.

2) Salt the boiling water like you mean it and keep pieces even sized, dont crowd the pan when searing. A hot cast iron or stainless skillet gives way better browning, and browned bits are flavor gold.

3) Watch the garlic, its easy to burn. Add minced garlic only after the potatoes have color and keep it moving, or smash a clove and remove it if you want mellow garlic without little burned bits.

4) Make the sauce silky not grainy: simmer the cream just enough to thicken, then stir in the parmesan off the heat so it melts gently. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of the reserved potato cooking water or a little milk to loosen it.

5) Finish smart and reheat right. Brighten the dish with a squeeze of lemon or extra parsley at the end, and if you have leftovers re-crisp them in a skillet not the microwave for best texture.