Crisp and crunchy outside, soft and fluffy inside, there’s nothing like really good roast potatoes. My easy hints and tips will make it easy for you to make the Best Roast Potatoes ever, for a meal that memories are made of!
For some reason, folks tend to save roast potatoes (or roasties as they are known at our house) for special occasions. They feature at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Sunday dinner but I’m on a mission to make them an everyday treat! They really are not complicated to make and they take a lot less time than you might think.
My two ingredient recipe is easy, and means that roast potatoes don’t have to just be for special occasions anymore. You can even make them to jazz up leftovers!
The Best Roast Potatoes Made Easy
For crispy, crunchy roast potatoes that everyone will love:-
Use Mild Olive Oil
I know a lot of people recommend goose fat for roast potatoes. Goose fat is not suitable for vegetarians and I honestly find that mild olive oil is the absolute best way to get the crisp, crunchy outside and and soft, yielding inside my family crave when they ask for roast potatoes. It’s healthier, and I also find it’s kinder than animal fats on tummies prone to indigestion.
Mild olive oil’s high anti-oxidant content means it can be heated safely. Don’t use extra virgin olive oil as it doesn’t heat as well and I find its flavour is too strong for roasties. You can use other vegetable oils, but they may not be as healthy or taste the same.
Start with good, fresh potatoes
Allow one large potato per person as a minimum. I generally make more as folks almost always ask for seconds.
Preheat the oven
If you haven’t already got a roast in there cooking, preheat the oven to 375°F, 190°C or 180° for a fan oven.
Prepare the potatoes carefully
Wash and peel your potatoes, cutting out any dark marks or eyes.
Cut the potatoes to create as many edges as possible
Cut each large potato into two or three pieces and cut smaller potatoes in half. Try to cut the potatoes on the diagonal so you get as many edges as possible. This gives maximum crunch.
Start with cold water
Put the cut pieces of potato in a saucepan and cover them with cold water. Bring the potatoes to the boil. As soon as the water is boiling, set a timer for exactly five minutes. Do not walk away or forget the potatoes. You need the potatoes to be just parboiled, not soft.
Preheat the oil
While you are waiting for the five minutes to be up, pour about 4 to 6 tablespoons of mild olive oil into a roasting pan or cookie sheet with sides. You want to just cover the bottom of the pan so you may need a little more or less oil. You do not want the potatoes swimming in oil nor do you want the fat to splash over the sides of the pan and burn you. Put the pan carefully in the oven to preheat. DO NOT let the oil heat to smoking point. You just want it hot, not smoking!
Drain the potatoes well
When the timer you set for five minutes goes off, carefully remove the saucepan from the heat and drain the potatoes well.
Gently Shake The Pan
Now put the lid back on the saucepan and gently shake the pan about a bit. Don’t shake too hard or you will end up with mush. You just want to rough up the edges of the potatoes a bit to help them cook to crisp perfection.
Safely First
Making sure you have a heat proof surface to sit it down on, remove the oil covered roasting pan or cookie sheet from the oven carefully. Hot fat is dangerous, wear long oven mitts and do be careful not to burn yourself. Keep the kids out of the kitchen when you are performing this manoeuvre! Gently move pick up each potato with tongs and sit them in the hot oil, turning them to cover the sides of the potato.
Carefully put the roasting pan or baking sheet with the potatoes on it back into the oven and set the timer for twenty minutes. When the timer goes off, carefully remove the pan from the oven once again, sit it somewhere safe and heat-proof, and turn the potatoes round a bit in the oil using tongs.
Roast the Potatoes Until Golden Brown with Crispy Edges and Serve Immediately
Return the potatoes to the oven for about fifteen more minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Serve hot straight away, alongside just about anything.
What About Seasoning the Potatoes?
I prefer to serve my roast potatoes plain and let people add salt or pepper at the table if they want to. Feel free to salt and pepper before serving if you prefer. You can also sprinkle them with paprika for a bit of spice or parsley for a bit of colour.
Best Roast Potatoes Recipe – Printable Version
My Best Roast Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes washed, peeled and cut into pieces
- 4 to 6 tablespoons mild olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C or 170°C for a fan oven).
- Put the potato pieces in a saucepan and cover them with cold water.
- With the lid on, bring the potatoes to the boil.
- As soon as the potatoes come to the boil, set the timer for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put the oil in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet with sides and heat in the oven.
- When the timer goes off, drain the potatoes well.
- Put the lid back on the saucepan and shake the potatoes gently to rough up the edges.
- Remove the roasting pan or baking sheet from the oven carefully (the oil will be very hot) and set it on a heat proof surface.
- Using tongs, transfer the potatoes to the roasting pan or baking sheet, turning them carefully in the oil.
- Cook the potatoes for 20 minutes before turning carefully using tongs.
- Cook for 15 minutes more or until lightly brown and crispy.
did you make this recipe?
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What Do I Do With Leftover Roast Potatoes?
Leftover Roast Potatoes can be stored in the fridge. Heat them up in a little oil in a frying pan and serve with a poached egg, or chop them up and incorporate them in a hash recipe. You can also freeze leftover roast potatoes. Reheat them from frozen on a baking sheet in a hot oven.
Is This Recipe Suitable for Vegetarians?
Yes, roast potatoes are suitable for vegetarians and vegans provided you use mild olive oil as recommended (or another vegetable oil).
Is this Recipe Gluten Free?
Yes, my Best Roast Potatoes are naturally gluten free.
Try my Best Roast Potatoes today for a treat the whole family will enjoy.
You don’t have to wait for a special occasion!
Comments & Reviews
Perfection! That’s all I have to say, April!
Thank you so much, Jean 🙂
These do sound yummy. I am with you, I would use olive oil or coconut oil. Have you tried coconut oil?
Thanks for stopping by Let’s Get Real Party.
Thank you, Karen 🙂 I’ve never tried them with coconut oil but I am sure they would work very well.
That is delicious I will add little spices
Thank you, Swathi 🙂 You could definitely add spices if you wanted to.
April, I love roasties, and yours are just the way they should be! Thank you for hosting #HearthAndSoul. Now I’m going to read your afternoon tea post next because … tea!
Thank you so much, Jean!
This Recipe sounds lovely. Thank you, April. I grow many potatoes organically in grow bags and look forward to making these roasties. I live in Galway Bay, on the west coast of Ireland and I can get fresh seaweed two minutes walk from my house. Seaweed is an excellent fertilizer for growing potatoes. I have grown six different varieties this year, and two of them are perfect for roasties. “British Queens” and “Arran Victory” are heritage potatoes, mealy and floury. I also have early potatoes that I start digging up in the middle of June. I was so delighted to see this proper recipe for roasties. I love roasties and can eat them on their own.
Beautiful Website April. Thank you. JJ Walsh, Galway Bay.
Thank you so much, JJ. How lovely to have homegrown potatoes – especially the early ones – to make the roasties with! Galway Bay is such a lovely part of the world. I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as my family and I do. Best wishes!