This recipe makes perfect Crispy Roast Potatoes that have a crisp exterior, and a delectable soft, fluffy center.
This delicious recipe goes great with anything from a holiday dinner to Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs served alongside Roasted Broccoli.
Perfect Oven Roasted Potatoes
This recipe is the perfect example of what roast potatoes should be! They are super crispy, and simply seasoned with fresh thyme and salt and pepper.
Sometimes simple is just better! This recipe is made using just 5 ingredients making it super easy to prepare. It’s the perfect side dish for a busy weeknight dinner or fancy holiday spread!
Why This Recipe Works
- Par Boiling the potatoes allows the outside to get soft enough to rough them up, creating the best surface for crisping.
- Just the right amount of olive oil makes the potatoes crisp without becoming greasy.
- Simply seasoning them with salt and pepper and a hint of fresh thyme allows the potatoes to remain the star of the show.
Which Potatoes For Roasting?
A good rule of thumb would be to choose a waxy potato. As they have enough starch to make the interior light and fluffy, they can hold their shape, and develop a nice golden exterior.
In the US, a good choice is Yukon Gold or Russet. In the UK, King Edward work well, In Australia, Dutch Cream are good all-round potatoes.
How To Parboil Potatoes For Roasting
Most recipes will tell you to start with cold water. This is because boiling potatoes in hot water will cook the outside of the potato faster than the inside resulting in an uneven cook.
That logic is great for boiled potatoes, but for roast potatoes, starting with potatoes that are cooked on the outside, and undercooked inside is perfect for achieving a crispy exterior.
Once drained and dry, gently shake them in the strainer to rough up the cooked exterior. This will result in a perfectly crisp roast potato.
What Oil Is Best
Oils with a mild flavor and a higher smoke point are best for roasting potatoes as they can be heated to the higher temperatures used in roasting. These oils include extra virgin olive oil, canola, and grapeseed oil.
How to Make Crispy Roast Potatoes
Add the potatoes to a large bowl. Add oil, salt, and pepper. Gently stir to coat and transfer to a baking sheet in one layer, and add the fresh thyme. Roast in the hot oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain off any excess oil and serve.
Step By Step Instructions
Start with peeling and cutting the potatoes. I cut mine into pieces smaller than a ping-pong ball.
Soak the cut potatoes in salted ice water for 20 minutes before starting. The salt adds flavor and soaking removes excess starch that can cause them to stick to the pan and creates a much crisper finish.
Add the potatoes to a large pot. Then boil enough water to cover the potatoes well (about 2 inches higher) pour it over, salt the water, and cook for 5-7 minutes.
To tell if the potatoes are parboiled enough, insert a fork into a potato. They are done if the fork slides in fairly easily, but meets some resistance in the center.
Be sure to use a fork not a knife as a knife is sharp and will always slide in easily.
Drain in a strainer and leave dry. Once dry, gently shake the strainer to rough up.
Add the potatoes into a large bowl. Add the oil. Add the salt and pepper, gently stir to coat.
Transfer to a baking sheet in one layer, and add the fresh thyme. Roast in the hot oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain off any excess oil and serve hot.
Erren’s Top Tips
- To safely add the potatoes to the boiling water, add the potatoes to the empty pot, boil the water in a kettle and then pour over the potatoes. This keeps you from having to drop them into the hot water and getting burned by the splash.
- Don’t overcrowd the potatoes on the pan. Overcrowding will cause heat from the pan to get trapped under the potatoes and cause them to steam instead of roast.
- For extra crispy potatoes, turn them in the pan halfway through the cooking time.
- For extra flavor and super crisp result, try using duck, or goose fat to roast your potatoes. You won’t be disappointed!
More Roasted Vegetables
FAQs
Yes, to parboil the day before roasting, parboil, drain, rough the outside, and coat with oil the day before. Then simply cover them with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until needed.
The best way is to cover them with cold water to keep them from turning brown. Don’t store them this way any longer than overnight as they will start to lose their structure.
To make ahead and freeze, parboil, drain, rough the outside and transfer them to a baking sheet or dish in a single layer. Loosely cover them with plastic wrap and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and return to the freezer.
To roast from frozen, heat the olive oil in a large roasting pan for five minutes in the oven. Carefully add the frozen potatoes to the hot oil and turn to coat. Cook for 45-50 minutes, turning in the oil halfway through until golden and crisp.
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Let’s Make Crispy Roasted Potatoes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF.
- Peel the potatoes, cutting any larger ones so they’re uniformly sized. I cut mine to be a little smaller than a ping-pong ball.
- Wash the potatoes in cold water to remove any extra starch then add them to a large empty pot. Boil water enough water to cover the potatoes well (about 2 inches higher than the potatoes) pour over the potatoes, salt the water, and parboil for 5-7 minutes, then drain in a strainer and leave dry.
- Once dry, gently shake the strainer to rough up.
- Add the potatoes into a large bowl. Add the oil, salt an pepper, gently stir to coat and transfer to a baking sheet in one layer, and add the fresh thyme.
- Roast in the hot oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.
- Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain off any excess oil and serve.
Tips + Notes
- Soak the cut potatoes in salted ice water for 20 minutes before starting. The salt adds flavor and soaking removes excess starch that can cause them to stick to the pan and creates a much crisper finish.
- To safely add the potatoes to the boiling water, add the potatoes to the empty pot, boil the water in a kettle and then pour over the potatoes. This keeps you from having to drop them into the hot water and getting burned by the splash.
- To tell if the potatoes are parboiled enough, insert a fork into a potato. They are done if the fork slides in fairly easily, but meets some resistance in the center.
- Don’t overcrowd the potatoes on the pan. Overcrowding will cause heat from the pan to get trapped under the potatoes and cause them to steam instead of roast.
- For extra crispy potatoes, turn them in the pan halfway through the cooking time.
Jane says
I am a Brit and we love our roast potatoes! I always parboil them first just as you describe, then rough them up in the pan so you get those edges that will crisp up in the oven. Only thing I do differently is use butter – just lots of butter and some salt, for some really rich, buttery, crispy roast potatoes!
Erren's Kitchen says
Roast potatoes really are the best aren’t they? Butter sounds amazing Jane 🙂
Kerry Russell says
These are delicious.
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Kerry 🙂
Ame says
This is by far the best recipe I’ve ever used to make crispy potatoes! I’m a very experienced home cook and have never made Or had any better. They are so good they would work for any occasion. Thanks for the recipe!
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Ame, I love to hear this! 🙂
Bernice Roberts says
My husband was blown away by the crunchiness of this dish! As simple as the ingredients are it turned out to be an amazing side to my honey garlic, lemon chicken.
I almost felt guilty about not mentioning that it was not my own creation…almost! But had I not followed it correctly it would not have turned out right, right?
For sure this will be a welcome addition to many meals to come. Thank you so much for sharing. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Erren's Kitchen says
Wow that’s fantastic! I’m so pleased you liked the recipe 🙂