These Extra-Crispy Roasted Potatoes are an easy and delicious side dish that goes with just about anything and can be served with breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner!
There are a few simple tricks to making roasted potatoes that are creamy, light and fluffy on the inside and wonderfully crispy on the outside…and today I’m going to share them with you!
Roasting potatoes is one of my favorite ways to make potatoes. But, I’ll be honest. Sometimes they can be disappointingly lacking in crispiness.
Sure, they might be crispy when you first take them out of the oven. But it fades rather quickly and is often mostly gone by the time you serve everything up and sit down to eat.
Not the case with these roasted potatoes!
These, my friends, are a game-changer. The inside is very reminiscent of mashed potatoes while the outside has a definite crunch that has some excellent staying power.
They’re, hands down, the best roasted potatoes I’ve ever made. Once you try them, you may never want to make roasted potatoes any other way again!
I first came across this method while watching an episode of Guga Foods (love this show!). After doing a little more research, it turns out that the English have been roasting their potatoes this way for years.
Yes, it does take a few extra (but easy) steps and a little bit of extra time, but WOW, it’s totally worth it!
The key? Boil the potatoes first and then give them a few good shakes to rough up the edges before roasting. This gives them a light coating of potato that will turn into that glorious crispy and crunchy crust.
Let’s get to it!
Ingredients You Need:
Note: Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Cooking spray
- Yukon gold or Russet potatoes
- Olive oil (I recommend using olive oil – or another oil – that is intended for high-heat cooking)
- Salt
- Black pepper
Special Equipment Needed:
- Large rimmed baking sheet (I use a half sheet pan, which is about 18×13 inches)
Note: The above video is just a brief overview of the steps. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full printable recipe with detailed instructions.
Recipe Tips & Tidbits:
- You need a starchy potato like Yukon golds or Russets to get that crispy crust. Avoid waxy potatoes like reds or whites.
- Generously salt the cooking water so the potatoes will be flavorful (but not salty).
- Start the potatoes in cold water so they cook evenly.
- It’s important to use a large baking sheet that will hold all of the potatoes in a single layer without touching (I use a half sheet pan, which is about 18×13 inches). If the pan is overcrowded, the potatoes won’t get very crispy.
- I prefer to use a lighter-colored baking sheet so the potatoes don’t get too brown too quickly. If your pan is dark, they might cook faster, so keep an eye on them and adjust times as needed.
- Since the potatoes are roasted at 475°F, use olive oil that is meant for higher-heat cooking. You could also use avocado oil, vegetable oil, or any neutral-flavored oil with a higher smoke point.
- Easy variations:
- Boil the potatoes in chicken broth or stock for extra flavor (reduce the salt accordingly). So good!
- Add herbs and spices as soon as the potatoes come out of the oven (don’t add them before roasting, as the high heat could burn them).
Make-Ahead, Storing Leftovers and Freezing:
- Make-Ahead: These potatoes are at their absolute best when served fresh from the oven, so I don’t really recommend making them ahead of time.
- That being said, when reheated correctly (see “leftovers” below), the leftovers were much better than I expected, and the potatoes actually regained some crispiness. So, although they won’t be the same as when freshly made, you could make them ahead if you really wanted to.
- Leftovers: Once cooled, store the potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat on a baking sheet in a preheated 400°F oven until heated through and crisp (about 10 to 15 minutes), turning once halfway through. They will likely get a little darker in color.
- Don’t reheat them in the microwave because they will not get crispy at all (they will still taste good, though).
- Freezing: Not recommended.
Serve these potatoes any time of the day. They’re just as great alongside eggs for breakfast or brunch as they are next to beef, chicken, pork or seafood for lunch or dinner!
I hope you try this Extra-Crispy Roasted Potatoes recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
More Potato Recipes You Might Like…
- Air-Fryer Potatoes O’Brien
- The Best Stove-Top Mashed Potatoes
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Leftover Baked Potato Home Fries
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to know how it went! Please leave a star rating and comment below. Thanks!
Extra-Crispy Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 2 pounds Yukon gold or Russet potatoes
- ¼ cup olive oil, use olive oil (or other oil) that is intended for higher-heat cooking
- salt, to taste (I use kosher salt)
- black pepper, to taste
Special Equipment
- large rimmed baking sheet (I use a half sheet pan, which is about 18×13 inches)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475°F.
- Lightly spray the baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
- Place the potatoes into a pot (I use a 3-quart pot) and cover with cold water by about one inch.
- Add salt to taste and stir to combine.Generously salting the cooking water will help ensure that the potatoes are flavorful (not salty). I use a heaping half tablespoon of kosher salt, but you can adjust that amount to suit your own tastes (also, if you're using regular table salt, you might want to use less, as it can be saltier than kosher salt since the grains are much finer).
- Put the pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
- Once the water comes to a boil, continue boiling for about 8 to 10 minutes or just until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart.
- Drain the potatoes and immediately place them back into the hot pot on the stove (the heat should now be turned off). Allow them to sit for about 2 minutes or until the excess moisture evaporates off.
- Shake the pot several times to rough-up the edges of the potatoes (being careful not to break them up). It should look like there is a thin coating of potatoes on the potatoes. This is what will turn into the crispy crust!
- Add the olive oil, black pepper, and additional salt if needed (taste one of the potatoes and see); gently toss to coat the potatoes, being very careful not to break them up.
- Transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet and spread them out into a single layer, making sure the pieces are not touching.
- Place the pan in the oven on the center rack and roast for 20 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and flip the potatoes over.
- Return the pan to the oven and roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy on both sides.If you want them darker and even more crispy, you can cook them a little longer.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- It is important to use a large baking sheet that that can hold all of the potatoes in a single layer without touching. If the pan is overcrowded, the potatoes won’t get very crispy.
- I prefer to use a lighter-colored baking sheet so the potatoes don’t get too brown too quickly. If your pan is dark, they might cook faster, so keep an eye on them and adjust times as needed.
- Store leftovers, once cooled, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat on a baking sheet in a preheated 400°F oven until heated through and crisp (about 10 to 15 minutes), turning once halfway through. They will likely get a little darker in color.
- Don’t reheat them in the microwave because they will not get crispy at all (they will still taste good, though).
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