Firstly, I apologise for the slightly arrogant title! Obviously everyone has their own idea of what makes perfect roast potatoes, but in my opinion, this is it. Soft and fluffy inside, super crispy on the outside – absolutely perfect.
Now, I definitely don't make roast potatoes this way every time – they're a bit more labour-intensive than my usual method. I usually roast my potatoes the quickest way possible – just cut up some unpeeled potatoes, then stick them in the oven. They're still great when they're cooked the lazy way (it's very hard to make a roast potato anything short of delicious), but they don't even come close to these perfect ones.
What are the best potatoes for roasting?
Whichever variety of potato you use, you're probably going to end up with a delicious roast potato, but some varieties work better than others. I used King Edward potatoes, which gave a wonderfully fluffy centre. You can see some of the other varieties of potato that are great for roasting here – they include Rooster, Yukon Gold, and Charlotte potatoes.
Should I peel my potatoes before roasting?
In short – yes. As I said, I usually don't bother peeling my potatoes – the skin contains a lot of nutrients, and it's quicker not to peel them, which is always a plus for a lazy cook. But – this isn't a recipe for the most nutritious roast potatoes, or the laziest roast potatoes, it's a recipe for the best tasting roast potatoes.
Peeling the potatoes allows the flesh to get nice and fluffy when boiled, which leads to the super crispy exterior (which we all know is the best bit). So, peel away!
Should I boil my potatoes before roasting?
Again, you can skip this step if you're in a rush, but boiling the potatoes before putting them in the oven is what creates the crispy bits on the outside. If you boil them until they're nice and soft, the flesh will start to break down (especially if you give them a quick shake in the pan!), and will make lots of crumbly edges to crisp up. I probably over-boiled mine a little (they were very, very soft), but in the end it was a blessing in disguise, because I ended up with a tray full of crispy bits! If you'd prefer your roast potatoes to keep their shape a bit more, just boil them until they're nice and soft – but still holding together.
How much oil should I use on my roast potatoes?
I'll say again: this is not a recipe for healthy roast potatoes. In other words, the more oil, the better! Okay, perhaps you don't want to use an entire bottle, but don't be too stingy – you need every single piece of potato to be well coated in oil to give those nice crispy edges.
In my opinion, roast potatoes are almost always the best part of a Christmas dinner (or any other roast dinner really), and with these perfect roast potatoes, there will be absolutely no chance of any leftovers!
Peel the potatoes, and cut them into chunks (depending on your preferred size).
Transfer the potatoes to a baking tray, and toss in a generous amount of oil. Spread them out into a single layer if possible. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Roast at 200°C (Gas Mark 6 / 400°F) for around 25 minutes, then turn each piece of potato over. Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy.
So there you go – utterly perfect roast potatoes!
Super simple and the family loves them!! Had made several times.
That's great, thanks so much Ashley!
These potatoes were delicious 😋. Made them at a family dinner everyone asked how I made them. Definitely using again.
I was taught how to make these by my mother in law and she would boil them then use a fork and score the sides (think tic tak toe) then we cook them in duck fat… THE BEST!!!
Do you think these could be prepared in an air fryer?
You can definitely make roast potatoes in an air fryer, but I'd recommend finding a specific air fryer recipe rather than using this one. These aren't designed to be low fat!! Plus if you parboil them too much, the moving arm of the air fryer (assuming you're talking about the same sort of design as I'm picturing!) might mash them to bits.
I think the latter ;) They need a lot of oil to get super crispy and golden. You could definitely use some kind of oil spray, but they won't end up nearly as tasty!
Hello :) I'm starting preparations now, one day ahead so can just pop them in the oven tomorrow. At what stage do you think is best to stop today and pick up again tomorrow for the last bit? Looking forward to these!!
Omg I always wanted to know how to cook potatoes this way! Thank you I can't wait to make!
These are the best roasted potatoes I've had in a long time, and so easy too. They are crispy on the outside….soft on the inside. Using olive oil instead of butter is a lot healthier too. Thanks for posting such a delicious and easy recipe.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made these a couple of weeks ago and they were absolutely delicious. I'm in the US, so I couldn't find the potatoes suggested and used Russet instead. I added some tumeric to the seasoning and served them with an Indian dish I made. They really were the perfect roasted potatoes! I'm making them again tonight, but will add some Old Bay Seasoning to the mix.
You're welcome Kim! I'm glad they worked well for you :) They're my faaavourite!
Can these be boiled ahead, and laid out on pan, then roasted a few hours later?
Oof, Happy Easter. I shook too hard before noticing your admonition not to shake to hard. Mostly mashed. I going thru with it anyway, I can't have plain ole mashers on a holiday.
I leave the skin on and they do get very crispy.
I hate to not have the skin on.
Thank you for advices, I think the recipe is great and worth trying it. I only wonder how many degrees should I set, because I am using a multicooker (if I remember it right mine is Redmond m4502) and to save all vitamins the max temperature I can make is 180*C so I am not sure about time/degrees for this exact recipe. Anyone know ?
I could live on roast potatoes! I do mine the same way, but only par-boil for up to five mins, depending on variety – usually Maris Piper. They still go all beaten up on the outside after a good shake of the pan but l don't risk ending up with a panful of mush! I dry the potatoes off over the heat before l shake the pan.
I'm always looking for new ways to roast potatoes! Thanks for sharing this, I've printed out the recipe!
In a word – YUM!
I bloody love roast potatoes. They are the best food when I'm in a bad mood. I use rapeseed oil to crisp mine up and Maris Piper potatoes.
These do indeed look perfect! Lovely and crispy and definitely the best part of any meal!
Since I'm in the US I've never heard of the potatoes except Yukon Gold. Usually we'd use a russet. I will definitely try this recipe out. I sounds delicious.
Hubby (Leo) was beside me when I opened your recipie and agrees with you about King Edward Potatoes. He likes them but can only get them at certain times of the year in Northern Ireland. He is the Chief Potatoe Roaster at Christmas and uses Golden Wonder Potatoes. He follows the same system as you and also gets great results with no wastage. The show up lovely in your photograph.