Stewed Potatoes

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Are you ready to try my easy Southern stewed potatoes recipe? With a butter coating, these tender and soft stewed potatoes never last long on my supper table.

Fork picking up a piece of stewed potato.

I was tickled that so many people wanted to know how I made the potatoes that were pictured with last week’s meatloaf. Stewed potatoes are the ultimate old-time Southern comfort food and something I make fairly often for my family. They are so stinking easy to whip up and make a filling side dish to go with just about everything. I can also honestly say that there have never been any left, no matter how much I make. That’s right y’all, this one is a plate-licker.

The thing is, they are so easy that I found myself trying to come up with a more complicated recipe to bring you instead of mine because I was a little embarrassed at how simple this butter stewed potato recipe is. Don’t worry, I came to my senses. After all, the whole premise of Southern Plate is to bring you the recipes that folks in my family use every day. That’s the great thing about traditional Southern food: in its natural form, it is simple as can be and very inexpensive.

So here we go, my last-minute no-fuss side dish that everyone loves. All you need is potatoes, butter, salt, and water. Basically, all you need to do to make my easy stewed potatoes is to boil the potatoes and then stir in the butter before serving. That’s all there is to it. If you don’t already make stewed potatoes in your house I hope you’ll give these a try because until you taste them, you won’t believe something so easy could be so good. Serve these as a side to chicken fried steak, pork chops, meatloaf, or roast chicken and your family will be begging for these every week. 

Ingredients for stewed potatoes.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Potatoes
  • Unsalted butter
  • Salt
  • Water

Helpful Kitchen Tools

How to Make Stewed Potatoes

Boil water in large pot. 

Fill a large pot about 1/2 to 3/4 full. You basically just want enough to cover your potatoes.

I salt my water a little bit and then put it on to boil while I get my potatoes ready.

Peel and slice potatoes into thick slices.

Peel dem taters…

Some folks like to use vegetable peelers, but now I use my old trusty paring knife.

Then slice them into thick and chunky slices.

Place potatoes in boiling water.

Place potatoes in the boiling water and cover them.

Bring to a boil.

Boil potatoes until fork-tender.

You want to continue boiling the potato chunks until they are fork-tender (10 to 15 minutes or so).

Usually, I just stick a fork down into my water and see if it splits in half like this, then I know they are done.

Take potatoes off heat and drain well.

Once they’re done, take the boiled potatoes off the heat, pour them into a colander, and drain well.

Place potatoes back in pot with butter.

Now I just put them back into the pot and toss in a stick of butter or margarine.

Cut butter into little pats so it melts quicker.

Add more salt.

Add a little more salt.

A good rule of thumb is to start with about half a teaspoon.

Let butter melt and gently mix it into the potatoes.

Let the butter melt and stir them up well.

Bowl of stewed potatoes.

Spoon them out to serve.

Season with extra salt and black pepper to taste and enjoy your old-fashioned stewed potatoes.

Close-up of stewed potatoes.

Okay, just one more close-up because I couldn’t resist! How delicious do they look?!

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can easily reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Recipe Notes

  • For extra flavor, if you have any bacon drippings or bacon grease floating around, add a couple of tablespoons when you add the butter.
  • Another way to add more flavor is through dried herbs and spices. When you stir in the butter, add a teaspoon of garlic powder or onion powder.

Recipe FAQs

How many potatoes do you use?

I usually do one to two for each person, depending on the size of my potatoes. If they are small, I might do two or three per person. If you end up with leftovers (which I never do), these refrigerate and reheat well so if you’re in doubt, just make a few more. I promise they won’t go to waste!

What are the best potatoes to boil?

I recommend Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes, but any kind of white potatoes work.

What’s the difference between mashed potatoes and stewed potatoes?

The main difference is that you add cream or milk to your mashed potatoes or creamed potatoes, whereas all you add to your stewed potatoes is butter. You also don’t mash your stewed potatoes before serving (although if you want to, I’m not gonna stop you).

How do you serve Southern stewed potatoes?

The traditional Southern way to serve stewed potatoes is with cornbread and black-eyed peas. This was such a common supper growing up! But nowadays, you can serve them as a side dish with any kind of main meal. Here are some suggestions: chicken fried steak, pork chops, meatloaf, roast chicken, and a Southern Plate favorite… fried chicken. Add a side of vegetables like fresh green beans and you’re good to go.

Another option is to serve the Southern side dish with some toppings, like shredded cheddar cheese, hot sauce, chopped green onion, cooked crispy bacon bits, and/or sour cream.

Do I have to peel my potatoes?

Yes, I recommend peeling the potatoes for stewed potatoes as unpeeled potatoes take away from that creamy texture, which we definitely don’t want!

Here are more potato recipes:

Easy Roasted Potatoes

Mashed Potato Salad

Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes (Freezer Friendly)

2 Ways With Broasted Potatoes

Fried Potatoes Recipe

Homemade Mashed Potatoes With Evaporated Milk

Bowl of stewed potatoes.

Butter Stewed Potatoes

Are you ready to try my easy Southern stewed potatoes? With a butter coating, these tender and soft stewed potatoes never last long on my supper table.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: butter, potatoes
Servings: 4
Calories: 217kcal

Ingredients

  • enough potatoes for those you want to feed
  • 1 stick unsalted butter or margarine
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Fill a pot 1/2 or 3/4 full with water and add a teaspoon of salt. Put on to boil.
    1 teaspoon salt
  • Peel potatoes and cut them into thick slices. Place potatoes in boiling water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender.
    enough potatoes for those you want to feed
  • Drain boiled potatoes in a colander. Place back into the pot and add butter and salt. Stir and allow butter to melt.
    1 stick unsalted butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon salt
  • Serve warm.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal
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“Tell me who you go with and I’ll tell you who you are.”

Submitted by Sue Bankston, who heard it from her dear mother growing up.

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240 Comments

  1. These were a favorite of mine growing up! My Mom would cut the potatoes in quarters, boil, drain, and put back in the pot with butter, salt and pepper! I continued the tradition and made them for my family. My boys were always thrilled when I would announce that we were having “boiled potatoes”. The simplest things are very often the best! Thank you Christy!

    Bountiful Blessings!

    1. I start my potatoe salad like this and add mayo, boiled eggs, a little mustard and dill pickle relish… Everyone loves it.

  2. YUMMM! I love potatoes made all kinds of ways (I’m mostly Irish, so that makes sense)…but these sound great! And easy, which is even better. 😉

    I may try adding a touch of dill (dried, since it’s all I’ve got) to mine, too. Bet that will be tasty!

    Thanks for the recipe!!

    Diane in PA

  3. CHRISTY MY GRANDMA MADE THESE POTATOES EXCEPT SHE DID LIKE YOUR GRANDMA MADE THEM WITH FLOUR AND MILK AND SHE CALLED THEM POTATOES WITH A THICKENING. I MAKE THEM FOR MY FAMILY STILL TODAY. WE JUST LOVE THEM

    1. my great grandmother did the same thing. I make them but they don’t taste like my grandmothers but close.

      1. My family made them both ways with thickening we called it potato soup or loaded baked potato soup, and would add crumbled bacon shredded cheese, and green onions. Then we had buttered potato’s like yours. But my uncle who was one of the best cooks he learned from his older sisters also made stewed potato’s which were a little more liquid based but with more butter and milk instead of water and I loved it I called it potato soup til he made what he called potato soup lol they are all wonderful. Might I add potato’s are my favorite starch and vegy. I’m not a petite girl to say the least. Thank you for this it brought back memories.

    2. I just read a new diet book that excludes potatoes and just about every other food you can think of except kale and green apples,I’m exaggerating but it really is a very strict diet,but I read your recipe and just about cried. Butter! Salt! Potatoes! Sounds like Heaven. Sigh.Thank you for the recipe anyway lol

  4. My mom called them “buttered potatoes”. My husband refers to them as “slacker potatoes” because he likes them mashed and I told him to mash them his own self. Never knew they had a fancy name like ‘stewed potatoes’.

  5. my daughter is a cheese lover, i cook my potatoes and basically do like you, only sprinkle grated cheddar cheese on top and let it melt or put in oven just a bit and make it cheesy stewed potatoes, she can ‘eat her weight’ in them.

  6. I’ve made potatoes like yours for years but I didn’t know they were called stewed potatoes. When Mama made them with the flour, she added a little milk and we called it “taters and thickenin’.” We poured it over crumbled up cornbread to eat it with lots of black pepper on top.

    1. I make mine the same way you do. When my husband and I got married he tried to teach me how his mother did. He poured some raw flour in my potatoes! We didn’t eat potatoes that night.

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