3 Unique Easter Potatoes That Might Just One-Up the Ham

These Easter potatoes will steal the show! 

There’s only one thing your Easter dinner really needs: potatoes. But before you default to the usual mashed or roasted route, Studio 5 Food Editor Maddy Tolman shared three techniques to give the spud a serious glow-up.  

Potatoes may be humble, but in the right hands they can easily steal the show. These three show-stopping techniques—fancy piped duchess potatoes, melt-in-your-mouth fondants, and crispy, herby stacks—are guaranteed to elevate your Easter feast. They’ll have your guests ooh-ing, aah-ing, and maybe even skipping the ham for seconds (and thirds) of potatoes.  

Duchess Potatoes

These piped potato swirls are straight out of a fancy French bistro, but shockingly easy to pull off at home. They’re buttery, rich, and have just enough golden crisp on the outside to keep things interesting.   

INGREDIENTS

• 2½ lbs russet or Yukon gold potatoes   
• 4 Tbsp butter   
• ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream   
• 1½ tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)   
• 1 tsp black pepper   
• 4 large egg yolks   
• 1 whole egg + 1 Tbsp milk (for the egg wash)   

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  
2. Peel and quarter your potatoes, then toss them into a big pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender, about 10–15 minutes, then drain.  
3. For that signature duchess texture, use a potato ricer if you have one. Otherwise, mash thoroughly until smooth. 
4. While the potatoes are still warm, stir in butter until melted. Mix in the cream, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Let the mixture cool a bit, then stir in the egg yolks until fully incorporated.  
5. Scoop your mashed potatoes into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (work in batches if needed). Pipe swirls onto your baking sheets, about 3 inches wide.  
6. Whisk the egg and milk together, and lightly brush over the tops of your piped potatoes. A light touch is key here—you don’t want to press too hard and ruin the swirls. .
7. Bake for 20–25 minutes until beautifully golden on the ridges. Garnish with fresh parsley, chives, or thyme if you’re feeling extra.  

Fondant Potatoes

These are the steakhouse version of a potato side dish: golden brown on the outside, meltingly tender in the middle, and drenched in garlicky, herby pan juices.  

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium russet potatoes (about 1½ lbs)   
• 3 garlic cloves   
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter   
• ½ tsp kosher salt   
• ½ tsp black pepper   
• 2 Tbsp neutral oil (like canola or avocado)   
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish   
• ¾ cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth) 

METHOD

1. Peel the potatoes and trim off the ends. Slice each potato in half crosswise—you’ll end up with 8 thick, round pieces.  
2. Place them in a bowl of cold water and let them soak for 20 minutes to remove excess starch (this helps with that extra crispy finish).  
3. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Smash and peel the garlic. Cut butter into chunks so it melts quickly later.  
4. Drain and rinse the potatoes, then pat them dry—really dry. Season generously with salt and pepper.  
5. Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Once shimmering, place the potatoes cut-side down and cook until the bottoms are golden brown (about 6–7 minutes).  
6. Flip the potatoes with tongs, then add the garlic, butter, and thyme to the pan. Let everything sizzle until the butter is foamy and just turning golden, about 2–3 minutes more.  
7. Pour in the broth, then carefully transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the sides are bronzed and delicious.  
8. Spoon pan juices over the potatoes and garnish with extra thyme for a restaurant-level finish.  

Potato Stacks

Crispy, cheesy, herby stacks of golden potatoes, all baked in a muffin tin. These little towers of flavor are as cute as they are craveable. Think ruffled edges, buttery centers, and parmesan tucked into every layer. 

INGREDIENTS

For the Garlic Butter

• ½ cup unsalted butter   
• 3 garlic cloves, minced   
• 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley   
• 2 tsp finely chopped thyme   
• 1 tsp kosher salt   
• Black pepper to taste   

For the Potato Stacks

• 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced super thin (1/16″)   
• 12–18 small thyme sprigs   
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese   
• Neutral oil, for brushing tin   
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish (optional) 

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush a 12-cup muffin tin with neutral oil so nothing sticks.  
2. Melt the butter and stir in the garlic, parsley, chopped thyme, salt, and black pepper. Set aside to cool slightly.  
3. Slice the potatoes paper-thin—ideally with a mandolin slicer for uniform slices. Place them in a large bowl and toss with the garlic herb butter until fully coated.  
4. Assemble your stacks! Place a small thyme sprig in the bottom of each muffin cup, then layer the potato slices, starting small and working up to larger ones. Sprinkle in some parmesan about ⅓ and ⅔ of the way up each stack. Don’t worry if they stick up above the tin—they’ll shrink as they bake.  
5. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Remove the foil, crank the oven to 425°F, and bake another 13–15 minutes until the edges are crispy and golden brown.  
6. Let them cool slightly, then carefully lift each stack out. Flip them upside down so that pretty thyme sprig is on top. Finish with flaky sea salt if you’re feeling fancy.