Brown Sugar Miso Glazed Potatoes
If you’re bringing potatoes to the holiday potluck, PLEASE make these Brown Sugar Miso Glazed Potatoes. These buttery potatoes are pan-fried golden, with lots of garlic, and a glossy brown sugar miso glaze. Made with simple ingredients, this is the kind of side dish that keeps holiday season stress free. Sweet, savory, and packed with flavor, these potatoes are an easy but delicious side dish for your next holiday dinner!
The Perfect Holiday Miso Glazed Potato Side Dish
This Miso Brown Sugar Glazed Potato is a classic Japanese home-cooking recipe that fits particularly well on the holiday dinner table. When it’s time for holiday hosting or potlucks, simple but delicious side dishes are best. This Miso Potato recipe is also called Jagaimo no Miso-Itame ジャガイモの味噌炒め. They’re crispy, buttery, sweet, savory, and SO easy to make. But, they’re so amazing for the holidays because it fits right into a holiday feast like my 6 Course Prime Rib Dinner as a starchy side dish. They’re vegetarian friendly, and super, super kid-friendly thanks to that deliciously savory-sweet glaze. And, it uses simple ingredients you can find in your pantry and fridge!
Ingredients For Glazed Miso Potatoes
Potatoes
- 1½ lb baby yellow potatoes 680 g, approximately 1–1½ inches wide
- Salt for boiling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter optional extra, but recommended
Brown Sugar Miso Glaze
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
Optional garnish
- green onion Thinly sliced
- Toasted sesame seeds
Crispy Golden Potatoes
The base of this tasty, filling side dish is the crispy golden potatoes. I’m using baby yellow potatoes, because of their size and buttery flavor. When halved, they are the perfect bite size. But, red potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams also work well for this recipe.
For a soft texture with crispiness, I first boil the potatoes to fully cook then, then pan-fry for the perfect crispiness. When frying, make sure to dry all sides of the potatoes to allow them to crisp up. These potatoes have their crispest edges before glazing, and the sauce will soften them slightly. So, make sure to serve right away!
Miso Brown Sugar Glaze
The potatoes are glazed in a yummy, savory-sweet Miso Brown Sugar Glaze. This is made with brown sugar, miso, mirin, and soy sauce. For this recipe, I’m using white miso. It has a milder flavor profile compared to red miso’s much more savory and fermented flavors. But, miso doesn’t just act as a tasty flavor boost in this dish. It also helps emulsify the liquids in the sauce so it can turn into a thick glaze easier. Since miso varies in saltiness by brand, make sure to taste a glazed potato before adding any extra soy sauce or salt! If you’re wondering what else you can cook with miso paste, you have to check out my beginner friendly miso paste recipe guide!
Brown sugar and miso can scorch quickly. So, heat is super important when it come to the perfect glaze. Keep the heat moderate once the sauce goes in and stop cooking as soon as it coats the potatoes!
Step By Step How To For Miso Glazed Potatoes
1. Boil the potatoes. Place the whole potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Salt the water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 12–18 minutes, depending on their size, until a fork slides into the center easily but the potatoes still hold their shape.
2. Drain and dry. Drain thoroughly and let the potatoes steam-dry for 5 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut them in half. Pat the cut surfaces dry if needed. Dry potatoes will brown more evenly.
3. Mix the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, white miso, mirin, soy sauce, and water until smooth.
4. Crisp the potatoes. Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes cut-side down in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 5–8 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and crisp, adjusting the heat if the butter starts to darken. Turn and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding.
5. Add the garlic. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Push the potatoes to the sides and add the garlic to the buttery center of the pan. Cook, stirring, for 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.
6. Glaze the potatoes. Pour in the sauce and gently toss to coat. Cook over medium-low heat for 1–2 minutes, until the glaze bubbles and clings to the potatoes. If it becomes too thick before the potatoes are evenly coated, add a splash of water.
7. Finish and serve. Turn off the heat and toss in the optional remaining tablespoon of butter for an extra glossy finish. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds, if using, and serve immediately.
Preparing Ahead For Hosting
If you’re hosting a big meal, or simply want to save some time before dinner, here’s how to prepare this dish up to one day ahead. First, boil, halve, and cool the potatoes. Store in a covered container in the fridge. In a separate, air-tight container, you can pre-mix the glaze as well and store in the fridge.
Once you’re ready to enjoy, dry the cooked potatoes well before pan-frying. Make sure to add a few extra minutes while frying, so the potatoes can heat through completely. Then, follow the rest of the recipe steps to finish the dish.
Holiday Hosting Sides You Need To Make This Season
Miso Brown Sugar Potatoes
By Tiffy Cooks
Equipment
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 1½ lb baby yellow potatoes 680 g, approximately 1–1½ inches wide
- Salt for boiling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter optional extra, but recommended
Brown Sugar Miso Glaze
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
Optional garnish
- green onion Thinly sliced
- Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes: Place the whole potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Salt the water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 12–18 minutes, depending on their size, until a fork slides into the center easily but the potatoes still hold their shape.
- Drain and dry: Drain thoroughly and let the potatoes steam-dry for 5 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut them in half. Pat the cut surfaces dry if needed. Dry potatoes will brown more evenly.
- Mix the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, white miso, mirin, soy sauce, and water until smooth.
- Crisp the potatoes: Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes cut-side down in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 5–8 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and crisp, adjusting the heat if the butter starts to darken. Turn and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding.
- Add the garlic: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Push the potatoes to the sides and add the garlic to the buttery center of the pan. Cook, stirring, for 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.
- Glaze the potatoes: Pour in the sauce and gently toss to coat. Cook over medium-low heat for 1–2 minutes, until the glaze bubbles and clings to the potatoes. If it becomes too thick before the potatoes are evenly coated, add a splash of water.
- Finish and serve: Turn off the heat and toss in the optional remaining tablespoon of butter for an extra glossy finish. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds, if using, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use white miso: Its milder flavor works well with the brown sugar and butter. Since miso varies in saltiness, taste a glazed potato before adding any extra soy sauce or salt.
- Watch the glaze: Brown sugar and miso can scorch quickly. Keep the heat moderate once the sauce goes in and stop cooking as soon as it coats the potatoes.
- Serve right away: The potatoes have their crispest edges before glazing; the sauce will soften them slightly.
- Holiday prep: Boil, halve, and cool the potatoes up to one day ahead, then refrigerate in a covered container. Dry them well before pan-frying and allow a few extra minutes to heat through
