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roasted potatoes with parsley garnish on plate.
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4.89 from 60 votes

Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes (Exceptional!)

Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes are soft and creamy inside, crispy and golden outside. The two step cooking method takes a bit longer, but it's worth it. They're that good!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Vegetarian
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings (change as needed): 3

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pound potatoes, Note 1, about 3-4 potatoes I prefer Yukon Gold/yellow potatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (optional) Note 2
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter (if using salted butter, cut down on salt)
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • cooking oil spray
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary or more (optional) or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or thyme

Instructions

  • HEAT OVEN TO 450F/232C. Line a large sheet pan with aluminum foil (sprayed will with oil) or parchment paper. Note that parchment paper may brown on edges at this high temperature.
  • CUT AND BOIL POTATOES: Peel potatoes if desired (Note 3) and cut potatoes into 1.5 - 2 inch (3.8-5 cm) pieces (Note 4). Place potatoes in a medium-large pot of cold water with a tablespoon salt. Heat to boiling, then lower to medium and gently boil, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes until tender, but not too soft. Drain well in a colander or sieve.
  • PREPARE POTATOES FOR ROASTING: Put potatoes back the pot on medium-high heat and give them a good shake. This will dry out the potatoes and rough them up, allowing them to absorb the oil and butter better - and avoid soggy potatoes. Turn off the heat. Add butter and oil (use any combination of butter and oil as preferred to equal 5-6 tablespoons), rosemary (if using), salt and pepper. Stir gently to coat the potatoes well. Taste and add more salt if needed.
  • ROAST POTATOES: Transfer potatoes to the prepared baking sheet, spreading them out in a single layer. Don't crowd the pan. Use two pans if needed. Roast for 20 minutes, turn them over, then roast for another 10-20 minutes until golden brown with crispy edges. Bake a little longer for extra crispy potatoes if you like. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  1. Which potatoes are best to use: Yukon Gold are my #1 choice. They have thin skins, creamy insides and they brown and crisp up beautifully.  Russet are good too (more fluffy than creamy). They don't get quite as crispy.  I often use creamy red potatoes too. Here's a good article on the different types of potatoes and how to cook them if you're interested.
  2. Baking Soda: Serious Eats chef Kenji Lopez-Alt adds a pinch of baking soda (in this case a 1 tsp)  to the water used for boiling the potatoes to create a rougher surface that increases browning. 
  3. Peel potatoes or not? If I use Yukon gold (yellow potatoes) or red, I don't bother peeling them. The skins are thin and there is extra nutrition in the skins. If using Russet potatoes, peel them first.
  4. Size of cut potatoes: Cutting your potatoes into bigger chunks (2-3 inches/5-7.6 cm) will give you creamier insides. Smaller chunks give you more crispy surfaces. I find 1 1/2- 2 inches (3.8-5 cm) perfect. Whatever you choose, try to cut the potatoes more or less the same size for even cooking.
  5. Make Ahead: Two options
    • Make the entire recipe, but roast the potatoes for slightly less time. Remove them from the oven and let them sit on the counter. Before serving, finish roasting at 450F/232C for the final 7-10 minutes.
    • Alternatively, make the recipe up to the point of putting them into the oven to roast. I do this all the time. About 45-50 minutes before serving, roast the potatoes
 
Nutrition values are estimates based on 1/2 lb/227 grams raw potatoes per person (typical portions are 1/3-1/2 lb/151-227 grams per person)
Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 402mg | Potassium: 955mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 233IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg