My mother-in-law brought these over for a potluck last spring and the whole family begged for her secret. Just 4 ingredients and they melt in your mouth.

My mother-in-law showed up to a spring potluck with a glass casserole dish of these potatoes, all golden and caramelized on top and so soft inside you barely needed a fork. By the end of the night, everyone was hovering over the serving spoon, asking how on earth they could taste that rich and buttery with only a handful of ingredients. The secret is roasting thick slices of potatoes in the oven until they’re deeply browned, then finishing them with a quick splash of broth so the centers turn creamy and almost “melting.” This version keeps it truly simple with just 4 ingredients you probably already have, and everything bakes in one dish—perfect for busy weeknights or bringing to a family get-together.

These melting potatoes are rich and savory, so they’re perfect next to simple mains like roasted chicken, grilled pork chops, or a seared steak. I love serving them with a crisp green salad or steamed green beans to balance the creaminess. They’re also great on a holiday table with ham or turkey, and the extra broth in the bottom of the dish is amazing spooned over the potatoes or sopped up with crusty bread.

Servings: 4

2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Place a rack in the center of the oven so the potatoes brown evenly.

Peel the potatoes and slice them into thick rounds, about 3/4 inch to 1 inch thick. Try to keep the slices roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate.

Pour 2 tablespoons of the melted butter into the bottom of a glass 9x13-inch casserole dish. Tilt the dish so the butter coats the entire bottom in a thin layer.

Lay the potato slices in a single snug layer in the buttered dish. It’s fine if they touch, but avoid stacking them.

Brush or drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter over the tops of the potatoes, making sure each slice gets a little. Sprinkle evenly with the kosher salt.

Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the bottoms are deeply golden and the edges look caramelized. You should see some browning on the sides of the potatoes through the glass dish.

Carefully remove the dish from the oven. Use a thin spatula or tongs to flip each potato slice over so the browned side is now facing up. This helps both sides get that dark, caramelized crust.

Pour the chicken or vegetable broth gently around the potatoes in the dish, not directly on top of them if you can help it. You want the broth to come about halfway up the sides of the potato slices.

Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork and most of the broth has reduced to a glossy, flavorful sauce. The tops should look dark golden-brown and crisp, while the centers are soft and creamy.

Let the potatoes rest for 5 minutes out of the oven so they can settle and soak up a bit more of the broth. Serve straight from the glass casserole dish, spooning some of the pan juices over the potatoes for extra flavor.

If you want to switch things up without adding more ingredients, you can change the character of the dish just by swapping the broth: chicken broth gives a classic, cozy flavor, while vegetable broth keeps it vegetarian and a little lighter. For extra richness, you can use salted butter and slightly reduce the added salt, or mix a splash of broth with the melted butter before coating the potatoes so the flavor soaks in from the start. To help with weeknight prep, peel and slice the potatoes up to a few hours ahead and keep them submerged in cold water in the fridge, then drain and pat dry before baking so they still crisp nicely. If your oven runs cool and the tops aren’t browning enough, move the dish up one rack for the last 5 minutes, watching closely so the edges don’t burn. Leftovers reheat well in the oven at 375°F in the same glass dish; cover loosely with foil so they warm through while the tops re-crisp.