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Crispy Oven-Roasted Potatoes

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These are the ultimate oven-roasted potatoes: full of flavor, extra crispy outside, and perfectly cooked inside. Plus, they pair well with just about any entrée!

How to Make Crispy Oven-Roasted Potatoes

The key to achieve this level of crunchy deliciousness is in the preparation. There are plenty of shortcuts to roast potatoes quickly, but those won’t get you the most flavorful and most crispy results. This method gives you the best way to make oven-roasted potatoes.

Ultimate crispiness relies on removing as much moisture from the outer layer of the potato pieces as possible. This involves:

What’s the Best Type of Potato for Roasting?

It’s easier to reduce water from your potatoes for extra crispiness if the potatoes have a lower water content to start. Russets and yellows fit the bill perfectly. Alternatively, reds and whites will crisp in the oven, but because they contain more water, they’re likely to get soggier after cooking.

The bottom line: use a russet or yellow potato for the most crunch.

Remove the Peels for Extra Crispy Roasted Potatoes

You can make delicious oven-roasted potatoes with the peel still on, but you’ll get crispier potatoes if you peel them. This exposes more of the starch on the outside of the potato while they’re cooking, which will get each piece extra crispy.

Should You Soak Potatoes Before Roasting Them? What about Partially Boiling?

Yes, soaking potatoes in water and then boiling them before roasting will lead to better results. These steps improve the texture of the final dish, while also ensuring your potatoes get cooked all the way through.

If diced potatoes go straight into the oven without being boiled first, the outside of the potatoes cook faster, and too much water stays trapped inside the pieces. That water will turn crispy potatoes soggy when they’re removed from the oven. Additionally, these steps prime the starch molecules in the potatoes to expand and burst, which gets the outside of each piece extra crispy.

We don’t recommend steaming or microwaving potatoes before roasting. While it may seem like these methods will speed up cooking time, there are more downsides than advantages. They don’t continuously remove starch from the potatoes the way that boiling does. Additionally, steaming won’t allow you to add baking soda to the potatoes, which is a key component to achieving a crispy crust.

Oven Temperature for Roasted Potatoes

The ideal oven temperature for roasting potatoes is 450°F. A very hot oven is essential for crispy outsides.

How Long Should You Roast Potatoes?

In a 450°F oven, it should take about 50-60 minutes for your potatoes to fully cook and crisp up. Be sure to give them a turn about halfway through cooking.

Including the soaking, simmering, and resting steps, this recipe should take you about an hour and half to make.

Note that cooking times can vary. The smaller the dice, the faster the potatoes will cook. Additionally, potatoes with a higher water content will take longer to get crisp. The best way to gauge doneness is to taste the potatoes and see how crispy they are or purchase an instant-read thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 205°F (96°C).

Crispy Oven-Roasted Potatoes

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Print Recipe

This is the best method to get the crispest oven-roasted potatoes.

Prep Time

30 Mins

Cook Time

45 Mins

Servings

Serves 7
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Ingredients

As Needed Kosher Salt

4 lbs. Yellow Potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-3-inch dice

½ teaspoon Baking Soda

5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary, chopped

3 each Garlic Cloves, minced

As Needed Freshly Ground Black Pepper

2 teaspoons Lemon Zest

¼ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped

Essential Equipment

Large Stock Pot

Fine Mesh Strainer

Colander

Large Bowl

Large Baking Sheet

Flexible Metal Spatula

Zester

1
1

Step 1

Peel and chop your potatoes into 2-3-inch pieces, ensuring that they are a uniform size, so they cook evenly. Set them in a bowl of water that’s full enough to cover the potatoes and let them soak for 15-20 minutes to draw out some of the starch. Drain the water and give the potatoes a rinse to remove additional starch.

Tip

While your potatoes soak, adjust your oven rack to the center—this will ensure even roasting. If the rack is too close to the top of oven, the tops of your potatoes will cook more quickly; similarly, if it’s too close to the bottom, the potatoes will burn on the bottom. Preheat to 450°F.

2
2

Step 2

Add the potatoes to a pot of cold, salted water, ensuring that they’re completely covered. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and then reduce to a simmer. This helps to guarantee that your final potatoes are cooked all the way through, and it brings more starch to the surface, so the potatoes get a crispier crust when roasted.

Tip

You can also add garlic, herbs, and other seasonings to the water at this time to infuse your potatoes with more flavor.

3
3

Step 3

After about five minutes, add baking soda. This will help break down the pectin in the potatoes and draw out additional starch.

Let the potatoes cook for about 10 minutes total, or until a knife meets a little resistance when inserted into a potato chunk (make sure you don’t overcook the potatoes; if they’re mushy and falling apart, you won’t get your desired texture after roasting).

4
4

Step 4

While the potatoes are simmering, prepare an infused oil to coat the potatoes for roasting. Combine olive oil with rosemary, garlic, and black pepper in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir the mixture continuously until the garlic just begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Strain the oil through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and set the remaining garlic and rosemary aside to use later.

Tip

Drain the boiled potatoes and let them rest for about 1-2 minutes at minimum to allow moisture to evaporate. Excess moisture will keep the potatoes from getting as crispy as possible.

5
5

Step 5

Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Cover it with a solid surface and gently shake the potatoes. Then, add the infused oil and add salt and pepper to suit your taste. Toss the potatoes again in the oil and seasoning to coat. You should see a thick layer of mashed potato-like paste form on the chunks of potatoes—this is starch, which will crisp up as you roast them.

Spread the potatoes evenly on a baking sheet (we recommend one with a lip since the oil will run off the sides of a flat sheet); make sure none of the pieces are touching so they can crisp up on all sides. Roast for 20 minutes and remove from the oven to give the pan shake. You can use a thin, flexible metal spatula to release any stuck potatoes. Return the potatoes to the oven for another 30-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are deep brown and crisp all over.

6
6

Step 6

Remove the fully roasted potatoes from the oven and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic and rosemary mixture you reserved earlier. Add lemon zest and minced parsley. Toss to coat, then transfer them to a dish and serve while warm.

Crispy Roasted Potatoes

Prep Time: 30 Mins Cook Time: 45 Mins Serves: 7
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • As Needed Kosher Salt
  • 4 lbs. Yellow Potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-3-inch dice
  • ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary, chopped
  • 3 each Garlic Cloves, minced
  • As Needed Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest
  • ¼ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Peel and chop your potatoes into 2-3-inch pieces, ensuring that they are a uniform size, so they cook evenly.
  2. Set them in a bowl of water that’s full enough to cover the potatoes and let them soak for 15-20 minutes to draw out some of the starch.
  3. Drain the water and give the potatoes a rinse to remove additional starch.
  4. While your potatoes soak, adjust your oven rack to the center—this will ensure even roasting. Preheat to 450°F.
  5. Add the potatoes to a pot of cold, salted water, ensuring that they’re completely covered. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and then reduce to a simmer.
    • Note: You can also add garlic, herbs, and other seasonings to the water at this time to infuse your potatoes with more flavor.
  6. After about five minutes, add baking soda to the simmering potatoes.
  7. Let the potatoes cook for about 10 minutes total, or until a knife meets a little resistance when inserted into a potato chunk.
  8. While the potatoes are simmering, prepare an infused oil to coat the potatoes for roasting. Combine olive oil with rosemary, garlic, and black pepper in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir the mixture continuously until the garlic just begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes.
  9. Strain the oil through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and set the remaining garlic and rosemary aside to use later.
  10. Drain the boiled potatoes and let them rest for about 1-2 minutes at minimum to allow moisture to evaporate.
  11. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Cover it with a solid surface and gently shake the potatoes. Then, add the infused oil and add salt and pepper to suit your taste. Toss the potatoes again in the oil and seasoning to coat.
  12. Spread the potatoes evenly on a baking sheet; make sure none of the pieces are touching so they can crisp up on all sides. Roast for 20 minutes and remove from the oven to give the pan shake. You can use a thin, flexible metal spatula to release any stuck potatoes.
  13. Return the potatoes to the oven for another 30-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are deep brown and crisp all over.
  14. Remove the fully roasted potatoes from the oven and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic and rosemary mixture you reserved earlier. Add lemon zest and minced parsley. Toss to coat.
  15. Transfer potatoes to a dish and serve while warm.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories

320

Fat

10g

Sodium

105mg

Vitamin C

46mg

Carbohydrates

60g

Fiber

3g

Protein

5g

Potassium

20mg

Sugar

2g

Culinary Tips

What can you serve with oven-roasted potatoes?

Roasted potatoes pair well with just about any meat—beef, chicken, lamb, pork, fish, shellfish, or game are all great options. What makes roasted potatoes delicious is their crispy exterior so try pairing roasted potatoes with tender and juicy cuts of meat or poultry for a contrast in textures. For best results, season your potatoes with ingredients that will complement the entrée. For example, rosemary and citrus are great with lamb; dill, tarragon, and mint with fish or shellfish; oregano, basil, or chilies with chicken; and sage or thyme with pork. Have fun experimenting.

 

Why are my roasted potatoes soggy?

There are several reasons why roasted potatoes can turn soggy. Here are some of the most common ones:

  • You used a type of potato—red or white, for example—that has a lot of internal moisture. We recommend a russet or yellow.
  • The potatoes didn’t rest long enough to release steam after they were boiled. Make sure they sit for at least 1-2 minutes.
  • The potatoes weren’t spread evenly on the pan when cooking, so they didn’t roast on all sides. Make sure your pieces aren’t clumped together or touching.
  • The oven wasn’t hot enough. Some can run cooler, so you’ll need to set it to a slightly higher temperature if this is true for your oven.
  • You served them in a bowl, which can trap heat and moisture in the potatoes. We recommend serving them on a flat dish.
  • You added liquid, like lemon juice, to the potatoes after they roasted. If you want to add any more flavor to your potatoes after they come out of the oven, stick to seasonings, herbs, and oils or fats (while these are liquid in form, they don’t add moisture).

 

Can I make roasted potatoes in the air fryer?

Following the same prep and boiling steps, the potatoes can be finished in the air fryer. However, the limited capacity of an air fryer makes this a bit of a chore and the exterior of the potatoes can clog up the fry basket on the air fryer. While the air fryer is great for other applications it is not recommended for this preparation method.

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