Sometimes finding a side dish that everyone in the family agrees on after a long, exhausting day feels like a puzzle. We’ve totally been there! That’s why these Korean-Style Sweet & Savory Sticky Potatoes are such a weeknight lifesaver. We coat our tender Little Reds™ in a simple, irresistible soy and honey glaze that cooks down into a sticky, sweet, and savory masterpiece. It’s a super quick, high-quality side dish that will have the kids asking for seconds (and maybe even thirds!).

We love this recipe because it uses standard pantry staples, so it’s incredibly forgiving. If you don’t have honey, a splash of maple syrup or even a spoonful of brown sugar works beautifully to get that sticky glaze. Need to keep things gluten-free? Just swap out the regular soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. And if you don’t have sesame seeds for the garnish, thinly sliced green onions add a perfect pop of color and flavor.

On-the-Go Tips

These potatoes are an absolute lunchbox champion! Because they taste just as amazing at room temperature as they do warm, they are the perfect side to pack up for school lunches. They’re also a fantastic, energy-boosting snack to toss into a Tupperware container for the car ride to afternoon sports practices.

Kid-Friendly Fun

This is a brilliant recipe for getting your little helpers involved because the prep work is so simple!

  • The Sauce Boss: Hand them a whisk and let them mix together the soy sauce, honey, and seasonings in a small bowl. They love seeing the dark sauce come together!
  • The Sizzle Watcher: (From a safe distance!) Kids love watching the sauce bubble up and magically turn into a thick, sticky glaze in the pan.
  • The Decorator: Set aside a little bowl of sesame seeds and let them do the final sprinkle over the potatoes right before serving.
Prep
10 mins
Cook
10 mins
Serves
6
Ingredients
9
Keep screen awake while cooking

Equipment

  • Large saucepan

Ingredients

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  • 1.5 lbs Little Potatoes (this recipe uses Little Reds™, but you can use any variety you like!)
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil of choice
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp corn syrup
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp ketchup
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds, roasted

Instructions

  • Step 1

    Heat up the oil in a pan and fry the Little Potatoes (turning occasionally) on medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes until half cooked and lightly seared on all sides. Drain any excess oil.

  • Step 2

    Add the water, soy sauce, corn syrup, sugar, ketchup, and garlic and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until potatoes are cooked and the sauce thickens and is no longer runny.

  • Step 3

    Sprinkle with sesame seeds and toss to coat. Enjoy!