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These Herb and Garlic Roasted Potatoes are crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy in the centre and glistening with buttery, herby goodness. Aromatic, rich and a textural delight these are just perfect served alongside everything from a regular steak to your Thanksgiving turkey.
Hey there, it’s Marie here from Sugar Salt Magic, dropping in with the perfect side dish for your next gathering and all the tips on how to make the most perfect crispy oven-roasted potatoes bathed in a delicious garlic and herb butter.
Hands up if you like your roasted potatoes crispy! Me too so, a while back, I created my go-to recipe for Perfect Roast Potatoes. You know, the type you see in ads around the holidays that are all golden and crisp on the outside with a super fluffy inside, all steamy and delicious. Comfort food plus!
Since narrowing down all the tricks that actually work, I haven’t changed my recipe one bit because this process works every – single – time!
I made a slight exception to the rules though by adding a herb and garlic butter this time and, boy oh boy, are these good?!! In fact this recipe is like a mash up of my Perfect Roast Potatoes and these Buttery Garlic Potatoes with Crispy Prosciutto.
TOP TIPS TO PERFECT ROASTED POTATOES
Getting potatoes perfectly crispy in the oven starts with the right potato but there are a few extra steps to guarantee perfect crispy roast potatoes every time. Each step has it’s purpose and by no means are any of them difficult.
- The best potatoes for roasting are floury types (as opposed to waxy potatoes). Potato varieties differ around the world so here’s exactly the ones to buy – Yukon Golds. No other potato will turn out as well.
- Peel them. Baked potatoes with a crispy skin are one thing, roast potatoes with crunchy, golden edges are another. If you want crunchy roast potatoes, you need to start by peeling them.
- Par-boil the peeled and chopped potatoes until they are fork tender. This takes only 6-7 minutes and means when you poke them with a fork, the fork will go in just a little without too much pressure.
- Drying and shaking – possibly THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP. Once they’re fork tender, drain them and return them to the saucepan. Over low heat for another 20-30 seconds any remaining moisture will evaporate and you shake them every few seconds to break the edges a little. See above how they’re all roughed up? Those roughed up edges are the bits that turn golden and crispy.
- Get them cold. I’ll admit I’m not sure I know the science but I’ve tested it over and over and the best roast potatoes always result from par-boiled, cold potatoes. Cooling them down completely halts the cooking process so they can truly be twice-cooked, plus being in the fridge will dry the potatoes out further (read: moisture is the enemy of crispy)
- Use Baking Soda! Creating a mildly alkaline water bath results in a more crisp potato.
- Now don’t touch them for at least 25 minutes. Just let your potatoes luxuriate in the hot oven for a while before attempting to turn them or you risk the crispy outside sticking to your pan and peeling off. When they’re ready, they’ll easily flip over to get their tan on the other side.
MOVING ON TO THAT HERB AND GARLIC BUTTER
The herb and garlic butter is super simple to mix together being just a combination of garlic and your choice of fresh herbs that you infuse into oil. Use the oil to roast the potatoes but set aside the herbs. Later you’ll use those herbs with a touch of melted butter to finish the dish off.
Use Fresh Herbs
Very important to make sure they are fresh herbs and not dried as the flavor is so much better here. My favorite herbs for this mixture are rosemary, thyme and sage which also happen to be my favorite 3 herbs in general.
Rosemary
The rosemary is bold and bright so go easy with this one, while the sage and thyme are earthy and milder. Every cuisine has a holy trinity of ingredients and if there was one for herbs, this would be it. I use about 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs in total (not packed into the spoon) and only about 1 ½ teaspoons of this is rosemary.
Other Herbs You Can Use
Other herbs you can use are oregano, marjoram, tarragon and parsley, though I prefer to throw a little parsley on fresh after they’ve finished cooking.
- The herb butter gets poured over the roasted potatoes. Give them a good toss to coat them thoroughly and roast for a further 10 minutes.
CAN THESE ROASTED POTATOES BE MADE AHEAD
Roast potatoes are best served freshly roasted and piping hot, however, you can par-boil them up to 2 days ahead. Once you’ve dried and shaken them in the pan, place them in a container uncovered in the fridge until they are cold then place the lid on. These are now ready to roast.
You can freeze them as well at this stage. I’ve had best results with potatoes frozen for less than 1 month.
SERVING SIZE AND LEFTOVER POTATOES
This recipe uses 2lb of potatoes which is great as a side for 4 people. It’s easily doubled or tripled for more though and if you have leftovers (probably not), they’re still great (and crunchy) cold. You can use them for a breakfast hash or have them ready as a meal prep for during the week. They reheat in the oven well, in about 15 minutes at 350F.
With Thanksgiving less than a month a way, it’s time to get your side dishes planned. These gorgeous, crunchy Herb and Garlic Roast Potatoes are an absolute crowd pleaser and you’ll have everyone wanting the recipe.
MORE AMAZING POTATO DISHES
- Funeral Potatoes
- Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes
- Baked Potatoes with Crispy Skin
- Buttery Garlic Potatoes with Crispy Prosciutto
- Easy Cheesy Potato Bake
- Instant Pot Green Beans and Potatoes
Herb and Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients
FOR THE ROASTED POTATOES
- 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes, see note
FOR THE HERB AND GARLIC BUTTER
- 2 1/2 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- 2 Cloves Garlic , minced
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary, Or a combination of herbs
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped
Instructions
FOR THE ROASTED POTATOES
- I prefer to start my potatoes in the morning and then just set them aside on the stove until dinner and proceed as normal. Begin by, Peeling the potatoes and chop into 2 inch chunks.
- Heat 2 quarts of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and add the salt and baking soda and potatoes. Cook for approximately 6-7 minutes until fork tender (the edges should be soft and poking holes with a fork should be easy).1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda, 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt, 2 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes
- Drain the water away, then return the potatoes in the saucepan over LOW heat for around 30 seconds. Shake them around every few seconds a little to keep them moving in the pan while they dry out, and to rough up the edges. Don’t worry if lots of bits break off, they’ll crisp up beautifully in the oven.
- Set the potatoes aside to cool or chill in the fridge. You can skip this step if needed but it does result in a better potato crisp.
- Preheat your oven to 450F / 220C / 200C fan-forced.
- Meanwhile, pour the oil into a small saucepan and place the garlic and herbs in. Heat, stirring continuously until the garlic begins to brown and then set a strainer over a large bowl and strain out the herbs and garlic. Set both the herbs aside for later.2 1/2 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil, 2 Cloves Garlic , 2 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary
- Tip the potatoes into the bowl with the oil and stir gently then pour onto a baking sheet, separating all potatoes to not be touching. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 20 minutes without touching anything. Using a thin spatula, turn them over and roast for at least another 20 minutes or up to 30 until they are perfectly golden and crispy.
- Place 1 tablespoon of melted butter into the herbs. Toss the cooked potatoes with the butter mixture and fresh parsley and serve immediately.1 Tablespoon Butter, 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley
Recipe Notes
- DO NOT substitute any other kind of potato. Starches are different and will not work.
- This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
- Make sure the baking dish is large enough that they aren't crowded.
- Don't try to turn the potatoes too soon. After about 1/2 an hour they should turn easily without sticking.
MAKE AHEAD
- The potatoes can be prepared up to finishing shaking them in a pan after boiling, then stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
FREEZING
- Par-boiled potatoes can be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
