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These braised potatoes taste just like I remember them from childhood; really good! This dish is common in most Russian and Ukrainian households. There’s a fun ingredient in here; diced pimiento peppers; something I’ve never worked with before (except for plucking them out of those yummy little green olives).
One of my readers, Yelena of California, graciously shared this recipe for braised potatoes with me. It was some time ago and I printed it and then it got buried in a folder. I make a lot of folders. It makes me feel organized, but things get lost anyway. I was so excited to find this recipe that I bought all the ingredients and made it the next day. It was so tasty. Thank you so much Yelena!
Ingredients for Braised Potatoes:
The Potatoes:
5 cups russet potatoes (about 4 medium/large potatoes)
1/2 tsp salt + 1/8 tsp pepper for potatoes
1/2 tsp Mrs Dash or your favorite seasoning such as Vegeta, (optional)
2 Tbsp dill, fresh or frozen (optional)
The onion/carrot mix:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, grated
1.5 Tbsp canola oil
The Meat:
1 lb pork (any kind; I used boneless pork sirloin chops)
2 large garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tsp salt + 1/8 tsp pepper
1.5 Tbsp canola oil
The Rest:
3 Tbsp tomato sauce or 1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 oz jar diced pimiento peppers, drained
2 1/2 cups water
How to Make Braised Potatoes:
1. Cut meat into bite size pieces (about 1/2″ thick pieces). Season with 2 pressed garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Stir, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes
2. When the meat is almost done marinating, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium/high heat; once the skillet is hot, add 1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil. Add grated carrots and chopped onion and saute until golden (5-7 min).
3. Cut potatoes into large chunks (for small potatoes; cut in 1/2 or quarters, for larger potatoes cut into 1/6 th’s) Sprinkle potatoes with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper, 2 Tbsp dill (fresh or frozen) and 1/2 tsp Mrs Dash.
4. Heat a dutch oven or a soup pot over medium/high heat. Add 1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil. Note: starting with a hot pan helps to sear the meat so it doesn’t juice out and become dry. Saute your marinated meat until almost fully cooked, stirring frequently (5 minutes). Stir in 3 Tbsp tomato sauce (or 1 Tbsp tomato paste) and stir to combine. Add sautéed carrots/onions, drained pimiento peppers and seasoned potatoes. Pour in 2 1/2 cups water. Stir lightly to combine and top with a bay leaf. cover and cook over medium heat 30-35 minutes (mine took 35 min) or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
It’s a very hearty one-pot meal and I hope you love it!
Braised Potatoes with Pork
Ingredients
The Potatoes:
- 5 cups russet potatoes, about 4 medium/large potatoes
- 1/2 tsp salt + 1/8 tsp pepper for potatoes
- 1/2 tsp Mrs Dash or your favorite seasoning such as Vegeta, (optional)
- 2 Tbsp dill, fresh or frozen (optional)
The onion/carrot mix:
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, grated
- 1.5 tbsp canola oil
The Meat:
- 1 lb pork, any kind; I used boneless pork sirloin chops
- 2 large garlic cloves, pressed
- 1/2 tsp salt + 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1.5 Tbsp canola oil
The Rest:
- 3 tbsp tomato sauce or 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 oz jar diced pimiento peppers, drained
- 2 1/2 cups water
Instructions
- Cut meat into bite size pieces (about 1/2" thick pieces). Season with 2 pressed garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Stir, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 min.
- When the meat is almost done marinating, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium/high heat; once the skillet is hot, add 1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil, grated carrots and chopped onion and saute until golden (5-7 min).
- Cut potatoes into large chunks (for small potatoes; cut in 1/2 or quarters, for larger potatoes cut into 1/6 th's) Sprinkle potatoes with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper, 2 Tbsp dill (fresh or frozen) and 1/2 tsp Mrs Dash.
- Heat a dutch oven or a soup pot over medium/high heat. Add 1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil. Note: preheating the pan helps to sear the meat so it doesn't lose it's juices. Saute your marinated meat until almost fully cooked, stirring frequently (5 min). Stir in 3 Tbsp tomato sauce (or 1 tbsp tomato paste) and stir to combine. Add sautéed carrots/onions, drained pimiento peppers and seasoned potatoes. Pour in 2 1/2 cups water. Stir lightly to combine and top with a bay leaf. cover and cook over medium heat 30-35 minutes (mine took 35 min) or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
This one is a keeper! Thank you so much for the recipe, Natasha, even my picky eater gave it a thumbs-up! I used pre-marinated pork tenderloin (peppercorn garlic) and it worked very well. I stumbled across your blog by chance and am now a frequent visitor. Enjoying your great food and awesome instructions! Keep up the good work.
You’re welcome Irina! I’m glad you are enjoying the recipes! Thanks for following and sharing your great review! 🙂
Can I make this recipe in a slow cooker?
Hi Helen, one of my readers reported great results in a crockpot but they didn’t share the details (cook time and temp). If you test it out, let me know how it goes! I’m so curious and now I really want to try it also! 😉
I made this last night, and my Ukrainian wife said it tastes like her mom used to make. Even our three-year-old son was a fan and ate a good-sized bowl of it. I went to two separate stores and neither had the pimentos, so I used a muffuletta olive salad (from Costco) that had pimentos in it instead. I also made a mistake by opening a can of diced tomatoes instead of tomato sauce, so I just added those in addition to the portion of sauce called for in the recipe. It still turned out very tasty, but next time I’ll pay more attention to what I’m opening from the pantry! Also, I cut the potatoes a bit smaller so that they were bit-sized for our little one to eat as well. Thank you for another delicious recipe, Natasha!
You’re welcome Scott! I’m glad to hear you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your tips and review!
Love this !!!!! So so so so good!!!!! So hearty and yummy !!!
Christina, thank you for another rave review, I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it 😬.
Would this recipe work with chicken thighs or breast? We don’t eat pork, so how can i sub it out with chicken or beef?
(The more details the better!)
Hi Julie, I think it would work with chicken but I would use thighs for more tender results. I would trim the extra fat from the chicken thighs because I prefer leaner meat that I don’t have to pick at :).
I just gotta say, from when the time I got married until now, this is my one and only go to recipe for braised potatoes, it is that good! Only changes I make is beef since my husband doesn’t like pork and it works great without any longer cooking, and I add more potatoes since it’s gone so fast! Thanks so much for sharing all your wonderful recipes!
Anna, awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me and you are welcome. I’m all smiles 😁.
Hey Natasha I want to make this dish but with beef stew meat is that possible? If so how long do you think I should cook in the Dutch before adding the rest of the ingredients as far as potatoes etc??
Thank you!!!
Hi Ange, I haven’t tried it that way but I think it could work if you browned the beef and then added everything except the potatoes and cooked it until the beef was tender (maybe an extra 45 minutes) then add potatoes but if you do that, you will probably need to add more water. I can’t say exactly how much without testing it that way though. If I were to experiment, that’s how I’d do it 🙂
do you know if roasted bell peppers would work for this dish instead of the pimiento? Not sure what those are so I don’t know how they compare in taste 😉
Hi Alina, I think diced roasted bell peppers would work in this recipe. This dish would still work without the pimiento but they do add a little pop of flavor and color, but again, you would get that with adding roasted bell peppers also 🙂
It’s cooking right now! My house smells so gooood! Can’t wait till my hubby and kids try it!
I hope you all love the recipe! I’m craving this dish all over again reading your comment. Mmm with pickles too! 😉
MM.. IT WAS SOO GOOD!!! 🙂 It def. reminded me of the good times when mom made this! We also had it with home-made pickles!! 🙂 Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so happy right now reading your comment and at the same time really craving the same thing! We both like the same things and we even have the same name! Ha ha that’s awesome! 🙂
Haha so funny how that works. Yes we Natasha’s stick together 😛 I love following your snapchat too you are so outgoing and awesome and your kiddos are sooooooo precious!!!
You’re so sweet! Thank you! What’s your snapchat username? 🙂
My snapchat username is natakr94 🙂
awesome! Thanks 🙂
Are the pimientos supposed to be sweet? I can only find sweet ones at the grocery store.
Yes they are not spicy
Hi natasha, I was wonder If I can substitute the tomato sauce for ketchup and if so how much ketchup should I use?
I haven’t tested that substitution to advise Julie. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
wow this is exactly what my aunts did when we came to visit them in Nizhin, Ukraine. For sure it is delicious. This braised potato was following me for years when we moved to USA.
I never get tired of the classics 🙂
Made this. It was fantastic! I only wish that I doubled the recicipie to make more… because it was gone with no left overs!!! Lol :))) thank you!
Thank you so much for the awesome review! 🙂
It’s on the stove, cooking. Excited to taste. Love all your ideas. On your website every day looking for recipes for the week. Keep them coming.
I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes on my site. Thank you for sharing that with me. I hope you love the braised potatoes!
Natasha, this dish is a blast from the past from my Soviet youth :)) in fact, it was my first dish I cooked for the family when I was 12 (23 years ago!)
We did not have Mexican pimiento, and used canned pork (тушенка), but the concept was the same. I just finished eating. My son and I are in heaven! Thank you, sunshine! Love your blog!
I sure wasn’t cooking fancy dishes like this when I was 12. I’m pretty sure I was playing with barbies. lol. I bet it was delicious with the тушенка (you’re making me hungry!). I’m so glad you both enjoyed it 🙂
Not so much with tenders. The cook immediately. But you need potato to be soft. I would use chicken tights instead. Also, Natasha, try rose potato (not red, rose!) It is soooo delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing your tips 🙂
Hi Natasha-
I would like to make this right now, but only have dry dill or fresh parsley? Which one do you think would be better?
Thanks
I would use 1 Tbsp of dry dill. I’m sorry for the late reply. What did you end up using?
No worries. I ended up using 1/2 Tbsp of dry dill and it came out fantastic! Toddler and husband approved = win win for me 🙂
That’s great! Thanks for sharing and I’m so glad your family enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Just wanted to say, I make this with lamb and it is The BOMB! By far the best recipe for braised potatoes, sorry mom:) Thank You for sharing it Natasha!!! God bless!
Let’s hope she doesn’t read that. lol. 🙂 I’m so glad you liked it. I bet it was amazing with lamb! P.S. Anna, where do you buy your lamb?
yes lamb is very delicious for this dish. i buy mine from Sams Club. they have it at raleys sometimes.
We get our lamb from a local farmer, my husband gets a whole lamb then I portion and freeze it and have lamb for like 6 months!
Thank you, Natasha. I was at WinCo today and I found it. “Кто ищет, тот всегда найдёт”…
I just have checked at Winco in the aisle where is Mexican food. Thank you! I will check there.
Natasha! Would you tell me where I can buy pimiento pepper?
I bought the little jar at Winco. I’d recommend asking when you get into the store. They are probably sold in most major grocery stores. Are you having trouble finding it? I think they were next to the canned artichokes.
Natasha, this was delicious! For some odd reason my braised potatoes turned into a runny mashed potato texture. I think I did not use enough potatoes (5 medium) for the 2 1/2 cups of water. Anyways, I will bump up the potatoes next time and see how that works. Great recipe!!! Definitely a keeper!! Also, do you have a recipe for Ragu?
That might happen if you didn’t have enough potatoes or if you mixed it too much. I don’t have a Ragu recipe posted yet 🙂
I think I had that problem once but it was because of the type of potatoes used, best is yellow potatoes in my experience.