The BEST Roasted Potatoes

Let’s learn how to make the best roasted potatoes in the oven! They’re super crispy on the outside and perfectly fluffy on the inside – everything you want in a delicious potato.

Every time I go out to a brunch spot and order potatoes with my dish, they’re just never as good as I’d like them. They can always be a little more crispy so of course we have to make them at home and even better!

The longer you roast them, the more crispy they become but that’s not the only secret to getting the ultimate crunch.

The Science Behind It

The first step in this recipe which you either may or may not be familiar with is boiling the potatoes! Yes it’s a lot easier to just cut them and throw them right into the oven but the difference when you boil them first is incomparable. Sometimes potatoes can turn out a little dry when you roast them in the oven versus frying but if you boil them first, they won’t shrivel up.

Now we all know to add salt to the water we boil potatoes in just as making pasta but what about baking soda? Adding a little baking soda to the boiling water helps break down the potato’s pectin, a starch commonly found in a lot of fruits and vegetables. When this happens, starch is drawn to the surface and when baked, that starch on the surface can brown and crisp up beautifully.

When it comes to the type of potato, I like using Russet (also known as Idaho) potatoes because they turn out super crispy from the high starch content. However, if you want to use Yukon Gold or red potatoes feel free to do so. Just cut them into their appropriate sizes.

For the fats, the combination of ghee and light olive oil is perfect! Butter does not work in this scenario because it smokes and burns at high temperatures but ghee gives an even more rich flavor without burning. Also, make sure not to use extra virgin olive oil since it has a very low smoke point. Only use light olive oil or swap it for any oil that has a higher smoke point like vegetable oil or avocado oil.

How To Make Them

The process is super simple and after you make them the first time, you’ll be a pro! The best part is you can customize the flavor profile as you please or keep it simple and opt for just salt and black pepper.

To break it down, there are 4 different parts to this recipe.

Part 1 – Prepare the potatoes: Peel the potatoes completely and chop them into 8 equal pieces if the potatoes are very large and 6 if they’re smaller.

Part 2 – Boil the potatoes: Heavily salt a pot of boiling water and add baking soda as well. I add just enough water that would cover the potatoes and above by 2 inches. Then I add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Add the chopped potatoes and once the water is boiling again, cook them for 8 minutes just until tender when poked but not too soft. After boiling them, add them back to the pot for 1 minute so any excess moisture can evaporate from the surface. If you’d like them smaller, now cut them into smaller pieces or keep them larger.

Part 3 – Season the potatoes: Mix ghee, light olive oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Pour it over the potatoes and mix gently. You’ll notice a layer of crumbly starchy potatoes over each piece. That’s exactly what we want.

Part 4 – Bake the potatoes: Spread the potatoes on a large baking sheet making sure they’re not crowded. Pop in the oven and roast for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, use a spatula to flip them over and shake them around. Pop back in the oven for 10 minutes. Take out and repeat the flipping and shaking. Pop in the oven one last time for another 10 minutes and that’s it. Feel free to add anything on top like if you think it needs more salt or pepper. I like to sprinkle freshly grated parmesan and chopped parsley on top and serve it with ketchup!

Tips & Notes

• Russet potatoes work best for this recipe but you can also use Yukon Gold or red potatoes. Just cut into appropriate sizes depending which potatoes you use and weigh it out to match the measurements in this recipe since Russet potatoes are a lot larger than others.
• For the marinade, feel free to tweak it to your taste. You don’t need to use Italian seasoning. Instead, you can add oregano, rosemary, or keep it basic with just salt and black pepper. You can also add paprika which will give it a more strong red color.
• Make sure to use extra light olive oil – NOT extra virgin olive oil! The smoke point of extra virgin is too low and it will burn in the oven. Butter is similar so we want to avoid it and use ghee instead.
• For more fluffy potatoes, cut them into bigger pieces. For more crispy potatoes, cut them smaller so there’s more surface area to roast. It just depends on your taste.

What To Enjoy It With

These potatoes are the perfect side dish with breakfast, lunch or dinner!

• For breakfast, serve it with some scrambled eggs, an omelette, or even eggs Benedict if you’re feeling more fancy. You can also toss them into a breakfast burrito!
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• For lunch or dinner, serve it with your favorite protein of choice and veggies for a balanced meal.
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