Roasted potatoes are a classic side for a reason. They are simple enough to be served on weeknights and flavorful enough to make it to holiday dinner. These enhance anything they are served with be it a classy steak meal or just some plain breakfast bowls.
This recipe transforms the humble potato into a crispy yet fluffy experience which you can master in no time. Read on to learn certain tips and tricks to make the best roast potatoes.
What Potatoes To Choose For Roasting
You can honestly use any type of potato to make roast potatoes, but if you want to get them as crispy as possible, then Yukon potatoes are the one to use. Here we use a mix of red and Yukon potatoes in the recipe; you can use any one of the two. Just use whatever you have on hand.
It's best if you avoid Russet potatoes for roasting, since they contain a greater amount of sugar and starch, making them more dry and fluffy than crispy. Save these potatoes for baked potatoes or even French fries.
Next comes size: opt for smaller potatoes and slice them in half for more surface area. You can also use large-sized potatoes, but make sure you cut them into chunks, 2 inches for the best results.
If you are using really tiny potatoes, you can roast them whole, but make sure to poke holes into them with a fork.
Ingredients For Roasted Potatoes
Now, on to the ingredients. This is a very simple recipe where all you will need are four ingredients and voilà. You shall be enjoying crispy and delicious roast potatoes in no time.
Potatoes: Small Yukon potatoes cut in half are the ideal ones to choose from. But realistically speaking, you can take any potato to make this recipe. Peel the potatoes if you like, but we suggest that you don't. It gets crispy during the roasting process, adding an additional textural element to the dish.
Garlic: We do things a little differently with garlic around here. We don't use minced or diced garlic, we use whole unpeeled ones. Just smash the garlic with a knife and bake them along with the potatoes. These impart so much more flavor and also do not get burnt like those minced or diced.
Dried Herbs: Some recipes would rather use fresh herbs to complement their potatoes. Not us! We encourage you to try using dried herbs, as they are much stronger in flavor. Thyme is an obvious choice, but you can't go wrong with something like rosemary. Make sure to add them to the baking sheet halfway through cooking, or else they might burn.
Olive Oil: Get your good old cooking oil to roast these potatoes. You can try fancy stuff like sesame oil or avocado oil, but extra virgin olive oil will work just great, too.
How To Make Roasted Potatoes
All oven-roasted potato recipes are pretty much the same. However, what distinguishes this from others are certain steps in the cooking process that make all the difference to the end result.
Here is how to make the best roast potatoes:
1. Prep and Slice The Potatoes
First, one needs to wash and get the potatoes ready. Scrub well and cut into 1" cubes.
If the potatoes are small, you can just cut the potatoes in half, and if they're tiny, leave them, but make sure you poke a few holes with a fork.
Once the potatoes are clean and cut, it is now time to toss and season. Start by drizzling the potatoes with olive oil. Go light-handed on the oil because usually, these require a lot less oil than one might think.
Toss the potatoes in oil so they coat each and every piece properly. Then, season with some salt and pepper.
Place the seasoned potatoes on a baking sheet. Arrange the potatoes in a way that there is breathing room. This way the potatoes will roast instead of steam.
Add your crushed garlic between the potatoes. As they cook in the oil, they will develop a rich garlicky flavor.
Roast the potatoes for 40-45 minutes in the oven preheated at 425ºF. This high heat is necessary if you want crispy edges.
After the potatoes have been cooking for 30 minutes, add some fresh or dried rosemary to the sheet. At the same time, flip the potatoes to see if their undersides have developed a crust.
Toss them once on the sheet and let them cook for another 10-15 minutes.
Freshly chopped parsley is the way to go to garnish these potatoes. Add the parsley immediately after the potatoes are out of the oven so that they can stick.
Roasting potatoes is much quicker than baking potatoes. The exact time depends on what temperature you choose to cook them. The following includes different temperatures you can use to roast potatoes and the cooking time required:
350°F for 50-60 minutes.
375°F for 45-50 minutes.
400°F for 40-45 minutes.
450°F for 25-30 minutes.
Oven Roasted Potatoes Tips
Don’t Overcrowd The Baking Sheet: The secret to achieving crispy potatoes is to arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet. If these potatoes are crowded against each other, it may steam them instead of roasting them.
Toss Only Once: Give potatoes some undisturbed time to crisp up in the oven. Toss them only once during the cooking time. Wait until the last 10-15 minutes of your oven time to flip and turn them around.
Cut Side Down: Place the potatoes cut side down to make them crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. Of course, you can put baking paper if you like; however, placing them directly on the metal lends them to be extra crispy. Don't worry if they are stuck at first; they will loosen naturally once well roasted.
Season While Warm: The other thing is seasoning your potatoes while they are still warm. With or without dressing, that is up to one's preference; the potatoes will soak all those flavors when they're just fresh out of the oven.
Higher Temperature Is Better: When it comes to crispy potatoes, we believe the higher the temperature, the better. Cook them at high first to get that crispy outside. You can then lower the temperature to properly cook the inside.
What To Serve With Roasted Potatoes
There are classic options like meatloaf, roast chicken and even baked salmon. But there is so much more that goes with roast potatoes. Here are some examples:
Salads: Serve these potatoes with a green salad to make it appropriate for weeknight dinner. You can also try other salads like classic Caesar salad or even a Grilled chicken salad.
Protein: The most common protein served with roasted potatoes are pork and chicken. But you cannot go wrong with salmon, steak or even some niche seafood options.
Veggies: Roasted Potatoes can be a part of the holiday side trifecta with green bean casserole and stuffing. You can also pair them with roasted Brussels sprouts and broccoli if you’d like.
Got Leftovers?
If you have some roasted potatoes for leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Simply store them in an air-tight container and into the fridge they go. You can reheat the potatoes either in a frying pan or in the oven. You can have the leftovers as they are or use them in recipes like frittata, as hashbrowns for breakfast or in casseroles.
Can You Freeze Roast Potatoes
Yes, you can indeed freeze roast potatoes. These freeze quite well if done properly. Spread them in a baking tray and freeze them for an hour. Once frozen, put them in a freezer-friendly bag and store them for up to 6 months.
This isn’t ideal and the potatoes will lose their crisp over time but it is an easy way to enjoy the potatoes for weeknight dinner throughout the year.
