Ultimate Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe

Get ready for the crispiest, most flavorful roast potatoes you’ve ever tasted. This recipe produces potatoes with a golden, crunchy exterior and a creamy, fluffy interior that will have everyone coming back for seconds. As an added bonus, they’re naturally gluten-free and vegan (if using oil instead of animal fat).
While British cuisine sometimes gets a bad rap, they absolutely nail roasted potatoes. This recipe uses their tried-and-true method of parboiling, roughing up the potatoes, and roasting at high heat to achieve potato perfection. The key is creating a thin layer of mashed potato on the surface that crisps up beautifully in the oven.
After extensive testing of every variable from potato type to cooking method, we’ve perfected this recipe to maximize that irresistible crisp-to-creamy contrast in every bite. Get ready for roast potatoes that will steal the show at any meal!
Choosing the Best Potatoes
For maximum crispiness and flavor, we recommend using large chunks of potato – about a quarter of a whole potato each. This allows for a substantial crispy exterior while maintaining a creamy center.
When it comes to potato varieties, stick with either russets or Yukon Golds:
Russets develop the crispiest crusts and have a light, fluffy interior. They turn a pale golden brown when roasted.
Yukon Golds roast up a bit darker and have a creamier, more flavorful interior. Their crust isn’t quite as crisp as russets but still develops a nice crunch.
Avoid red potatoes, as they have difficulty maintaining their crispiness after cooking.
The Secret to Ultra-Crispy Potatoes
The game-changing trick for achieving maximum crispiness is adding baking soda to the boiling water. This raises the pH level, causing the potato exterior to break down more and create extra starchy slurry on the surface. That slurry then becomes ultra-crispy and crunchy when roasted at high heat.
About 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda per 2 quarts of water is the ideal amount. After boiling, you’ll notice a paste-like coating on the potatoes – that’s exactly what you want for optimum crispiness.
Perfecting the Roasting Process
For best results, roast the potatoes at a high temperature of 450°F (230°C). If using convection, lower the temp to 400°F (200°C) to prevent burning.
Let the potatoes roast undisturbed for the first 20 minutes to develop a crispy bottom crust. Then use a thin spatula to flip them and continue roasting, flipping occasionally, until deeply golden brown all over – about 30-40 more minutes.
Keep in mind that exact roasting time can vary based on the potatoes’ starch and sugar content. Use visual cues like color and crispiness to determine when they’re done to perfection.
Adding Flavor Infusions
To pack in even more flavor without burning delicate ingredients, try this pro tip: Heat minced garlic and fresh rosemary in oil just until the garlic starts to turn golden. Strain out the solids and use the infused oil to coat the potatoes before roasting. Add the crisped garlic and herb bits back in at the end along with fresh parsley for the ultimate flavor boost.
Ultimate Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (4g) baking soda
- 4 pounds (about 2 kg) russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters, sixths, or eighths, depending on size (see note)
- 5 tablespoons (75ml) extra-virgin olive oil, duck fat, goose fat, or beef fat
- Small handful picked fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Small handful fresh parsley leaves, minced
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C), or 400°F (200°C) for convection. Position the rack in the center. In a large pot, bring 2 quarts (2L) of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt (about 1 ounce; 25g), baking soda, and potatoes. Return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until a knife easily pierces a potato chunk, about 10 minutes.
- While potatoes cook, combine olive oil (or chosen fat) with rosemary, garlic, and a few grinds of black pepper in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until garlic just starts to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Immediately strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, reserving the garlic and rosemary mixture separately.
- Drain the cooked potatoes and let them steam dry in the pot for 30 seconds. Transfer to the bowl with infused oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss roughly to coat. The goal is to create a layer of mashed potato-like paste on the exterior of each chunk.
- Spread potatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet, keeping them separated. Roast for 20 minutes undisturbed. Using a thin, flexible metal spatula, release any stuck potatoes and flip them over. Continue roasting, turning and shaking the pan a few times, until potatoes are deep brown and ultra crispy all over, about 30-40 minutes more.
- Transfer crispy potatoes to a large bowl. Add reserved garlic/rosemary mixture and minced parsley. Toss to coat evenly. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy the ultimate crispy roast potato experience!
Notes
Russet potatoes will yield the crispiest crusts and fluffiest centers. Yukon Golds will be slightly less crisp but have creamier centers with deeper flavor and darker color. Feel free to use a mix of both varieties.
Cut potatoes into very large chunks, at least 2 to 3 inches in size. For medium Yukon Golds, cut them in half crosswise, then split each half again into quarters. For larger Yukon Golds or russets, cut into chunky sixths or eighths.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
275 | Calories |
9g | Fat |
46g | Carbs |
5g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 6 to 8 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 275 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 9g | 11% |
Saturated Fat 1g | 6% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 346mg | 15% |
Total Carbohydrate 46g | 17% |
Dietary Fiber 5g | 17% |
Total Sugars 3g | |
Protein 5g | |
Vitamin C 21mg | 107% |
Calcium 37mg | 3% |
Iron 2mg | 14% |
Potassium 1150mg | 24% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |