There are a few tricks to making perfect roasted potatoes. I’m sharing them all today. You won’t believe how much better your potatoes can be!
Once upon a time I used to make roasted potatoes by putting oil in a cake pan, adding cut up potatoes, salt and pepper and then roasting until brown outside and cooked through. Then I met my British husband and he (and his dad) gave me a schooling on the art of roasting potatoes.
To make them soft and fluffy on the inside but brown and crunchy on the outside there are three things you need to do.
You need to pre-boil the potatoes. This is what gives that super-soft inside.
Once you drain them bash them around a bit. This gives you lots of little bits on the outside of each potato and it’s those bits that brown up so nicely.
Heat the oil in the pan before you add the potatoes. This way the potatoes start browning as soon as they hit the pan instead of soaking up oil and not browning for the first while.
With those three things, you’re on your way to amazing roasted potatoes. You need to add some salt and pepper. But other than that, you’re good to go. If you want more detailed instructions though, I’ve got them here for you. There’s a printable version down at the bottom too.
How to Roast Potatoes Perfectly
Here’s a video showing the techniques needed to roast potatoes perfectly:
Get out your potatoes and wash them. Use a waxy potato like Yukon gold. You want one medium potato per person, or about 1/3 of a pound per person.
Cut smaller potatoes in half and then in half again.
Cut larger one in half and then each half into 4-6 pieces.
Put potatoes in a pot that is just bigger than what they need. You don’t want it too small since that’s hard to stir them in. And not too big since that will increase cooking time. Add salt.
And add enough water just to cover the potatoes.
Partially cover the pot and put it over high heat until it reaches a simmer. Don’t go far away since potatoes have a tendency to boil over and make a big mess.
When it reaches a simmer, uncover the pot. Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
Simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, 8-10 minutes.
Drain potatoes.
Put the potatoes back into the pot you cooked them in.
Put a nice layer of oil into a rimmed pan that is big enough to fit the potatoes in a single layer. Put the pan into the preheated oven until the oil is smoking hot, 5 minutes does the trick.
While the oil heats, put the lid on the potato pot and give the pot one good shake.
That shake breaks up the edges of the potatoes a bit making them brown better (because tiny bits and edges brown more than flat smooth pieces).
Take the pan of oil out of the oven and add the potatoes. Give them a stir to coat them in oil.
Add coarse salt. I use kosher salt here.
And add coarse black pepper too.
Put them in the oven until undersides are well-browned, about 30 minutes.
Use tongs to flip potatoes so that an unbrowned side of each potato is in contact with the pan.
Return to the oven until new undersides are brown, about 15 minutes. Line a large plate with kitchen towel and transfer the potatoes onto it. This is to blot off any excess oil. You can shimmy the plate around a bit so that the potatoes get blotted on all sides. Add a bit of kosher salt at this point.
Serve.
Soft and fluffy, crunchy, golden roasted potato bliss!
Learn the tricks to make roasted potatoes that are soft and fluffy inside but brown and crunchy outside.
Ingredients
2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes
1 tsp. table salt
1/4 cup vegetable or grapeseed oil
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp. coarse black pepper
Instructions
Get out your potatoes and wash them. Use a waxy potato like Yukon gold. You want one medium potato per person, or about 1/3 of a pound per person. Cut smaller potatoes in half and then in half again. Cut larger one in half and then each half into 4-6 pieces.
Put potatoes in a pot that is just bigger than what they need. You don’t want it too small since that’s hard to stir them in. And not too big since that will increase cooking time. Add table salt and stir. And add enough water just to cover the potatoes. Partially cover the pot and put it over high heat until it reaches a simmer. Don’t go far away since potatoes have a tendency to boil over and make a big mess.
When it reaches a simmer, uncover the pot. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, 8-10 minutes. Drain potatoes. Put the potatoes back into the pot you cooked them in.
Put a nice layer of oil into a rimmed pan that is big enough to fit the potatoes in a single layer. Put the pan into the preheated oven until the oil is smoking hot, 5 minutes does the trick. While the oil heats, put the lid on the potato pot and give the pot one good shake. That shake breaks up the edges of the potatoes a bit making them brown better (because tiny bits and edges brown more than flat smooth pieces).
Take the pan of oil out of the oven and add the potatoes. Give them a stir to coat them in oil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and the coarse black pepper. Put them in the oven until undersides are well-browned, about 30 minutes.
Use tongs to flip potatoes so that an unbrowned side of each potato is in contact with the pan. Return to the oven until new undersides are brown, about 15 minutes.
Line a large plate with kitchen towel and transfer the potatoes onto it. This is to blot off any excess oil. You can shimmy the plate around a bit so that the potatoes get blotted on all sides. Add a bit of kosher salt at this point.
1951.2 g590.5 mg9.2 g26.5 g3.1 g0 mg
Video by Leigh Olson. Article, recipe and photos by Christine Pittman.
I saw the suggestion to try goose fat. How does that flavor compare to butter or cooking oil?
I don’t think I have ever tasted goose fat before so that’s why I’m asking. Thank you and your UK hubby for the recipe.
Goose or duck fat both work wonderfully, Bernie. You don’t end up tasting anything, really. It’s just generally a bit richer and they brown really well.
I wonder if I steam them in a large pan I bought from Curtis Stone ( he is so good looking ) if that would work. It has the steamer pan that sits on a pan that water would be in. Do you think it would take longer then boiling?
I follow the method above, except that I roast my spuds in goose fat. Hard to find here in the US. I have friends bring it over to me in jars from the U.K. so that after I’m done roasting, I drain the fat back into the jar a refrigerate it for next time.
The recipe I’ve been using for years is almost exactly the same as this, and I can attest that my potatoes come out deliciously every time. I’ve used both butter, light olive oil, and avocado oil for baking the potatoes in, and they all work well. I’ve also sprinkled the potatoes with rosemary (as well as the salt and pepper); that also gives it a good flavor. I only use gold potatoes – they are the best, whether roasting, baking, or mashed.
I'm Christine Pittman, a cookbook author and busy mom of two. My recipes are made from scratch, they're quick, and they're fresh. I started this website over 10 years ago and I'm delighted that over a million people now come to visit every month to try my recipes. Thank you for visiting and for joining me on this delicious journey!Find out more about me here.
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The oven is kept at 450 the entire time? Thanks
Yes, it does, Betty. Enjoy!
They look so much better than store bought.
Thank you Cheryl!
Good idea to pre boil them first, I have never tried this method. Cool!
Thanks, Calvin! It makes for a great result!
I didn’t know you cooked them first
Yes, it helps achieve that soft inside and perfectly browned outside!
My daughter and I are making roasted potatoes tomorrow and we’ll try this method. Looks good since we both like them nice and brown!
Wonderful, Susan! Hope it’s perfect for you!
Potatoes are a staple in our house,I love trying them anyway I can,these look so good roasted!
Thanks, Debbie! It’s fun to make potatoes lots of different ways.
Great recipe
Thank you, Deborah!
Yum! This looks so good! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
You’re welcome, Andrea!
I saw the suggestion to try goose fat. How does that flavor compare to butter or cooking oil?
I don’t think I have ever tasted goose fat before so that’s why I’m asking. Thank you and your UK hubby for the recipe.
Goose or duck fat both work wonderfully, Bernie. You don’t end up tasting anything, really. It’s just generally a bit richer and they brown really well.
Those look so good. I’d add a touch of rosemary since I like that with potatoes.
Yum! Thanks, Sarah!
I wonder if I steam them in a large pan I bought from Curtis Stone ( he is so good looking ) if that would work. It has the steamer pan that sits on a pan that water would be in. Do you think it would take longer then boiling?
Karen, I have never steamed potatoes before. I’m not sure. It should be similar though.
I follow the method above, except that I roast my spuds in goose fat. Hard to find here in the US. I have friends bring it over to me in jars from the U.K. so that after I’m done roasting, I drain the fat back into the jar a refrigerate it for next time.
Jim, I love potatoes roasted in goose fat. So so good. I keep meaning to order some online to do it again. It’s been years.
The recipe I’ve been using for years is almost exactly the same as this, and I can attest that my potatoes come out deliciously every time. I’ve used both butter, light olive oil, and avocado oil for baking the potatoes in, and they all work well. I’ve also sprinkled the potatoes with rosemary (as well as the salt and pepper); that also gives it a good flavor. I only use gold potatoes – they are the best, whether roasting, baking, or mashed.
Lisa, Aren’t they just the best? Thanks for the extra ideas too!
[…] #12: How to Roast Potatoes Perfectly […]
Can’t wait to try this! Mine are always mushy and not crispy. Hopefully I can get Laine to eat some potatoes with this method!