This special cooking method creates the most delicious crispy roasted potatoes! They’re the perfect healthy side dish to any meal and guaranteed to be devoured by everyone.
I have this thing about regular potatoes that if they aren’t cooked extra crispy (I mean borderline charred), I really don’t care for them. To me, baked potatoes and mashed potatoes are just so boring (I know, I am crazy!). It must be a texture thing.
Travis, on the other hand, loves potatoes, so if I make them, I always try to roast the bejesus out of them to make them super, super crispy. If you’re like me, then you will love these Extra Crispy Roasted Potatoes!
Recently, I was looking over an old issue of Cooks Illustrated, and I spotted a few tips for making extra crispy roasted potatoes. From the picture, I could tell these potatoes were the level of crispness I needed, so I decided to try their method that night. As always, America’s Test Kitchen pulled through, and their tips worked like a charm. Today, I’m sharing an adapted version of their recipe with you guys. I promise this method works – these potatoes are PERFECT.
For this recipe, I love using colorful fingerling potatoes because they are so much more fun to look at on your plate than regular yellow or brown potatoes. If you can’t find colorful potatoes, though, regular potatoes will do just fine.
The first tip is to cut the potatoes into discs, instead of wedges. This way, you only have to flip the potatoes once during the cooking time and both sides get VERY crispy.
The second tip is to parcook the potato discs before roasting them. This releases the starches to the surface, starting the crisping process.
After parcooking, you toss the potatoes with 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil with a large spatula for at least 2 minutes. The potatoes will be slightly tender at this point, so their surfaces will break up a bit as you toss them around. This is a GOOD thing because you are speeding up evaporation in the potato. (think: there are more escape routes for the moisture inside a potato in a rough surface than in a flat one).
The last tip is to preheat your baking sheet with the oven. This way, when you place the potatoes on the baking sheet, they will immediately begin to brown and you shave a few minutes off of your cooking time. Win win!
When I cook potatoes this way, I could eat one million of them. No more boring potatoes for me! The discs cook down, so some of them become just as crisp as a potato chip! Yum!
This recipe is a guaranteed winner and perfect side dish to almost anything!
This special cooking method creates the most delicious crispy roasted potatoes! They're the perfect healthy side dish to any meal.
- 1 lb potatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch thick discs (I used a variety of purple, red, and yukon gold)
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)
- Salt and Pepper
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Place a baking sheet in oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees (it is essential that the baking sheet is in the oven for this step).
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Fill a large pot with water. Place the potato discs in the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the potatoes are almost-tender (a fork should offer some resistance when poked into the center).
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Drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Toss the potatoes with 1-2 Tablespoons of the olive oil to coat. Use a spatula to stir the potatoes for about 2 minutes (don't skip this step because this is what will help them crisp up!) Season liberally with salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary.
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Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Brush the sheet with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Place the potatoes on the sheet in one layer (you don't want any on top of each other). You should hear a sizzle when the potatoes hit the hot baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and flip the potatoes. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.
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Michelle/Mickle in NZ
Hi Rachel,
These look so, so good!
Another way for crunchy roasted potatoes is very similar – cut them into chinks and par-boil, then drain. Meanwhile you’ll have your oven on so place the potato roasting dish with the olive oil inside it into the oven.
After the potatoes have drained pop them, back into the saucepan you used for par-boiling and pop its lid on. Then take an oven glove or pot-mitt in each hand, put them on opposing sides of the top of the saucepan/pot so you are grasping the pot and the lid and shake shake shale it all. Next up take the roasting pan with the heated oil out of the oven, add in the roughed-up potato pieces and mix them around a bit so all pieces are coated in oil. Then pop the potato-loaded roasting pan back in the oven and roast away, turning them at least once.
I haven’t given times or temperatures because ovens differ in different countries, and I’m sure you’ll have no issues working this bit out. The method? … I learnt from watching Jamie Oliver, and use for cooking Christmas Dinner for my folks every year. A roasted Christmas Dinner cooked in the summer heat here, lol!
Apologies for such a long comment, but i really wanted to share this method with you, Kind wishes, Michelle downunder in New Zealand xxx
Rachel (littlechefbigappetite)
Michelle, thank you so much! I will have to try this! Best wishes from California!
Michelle/Mickle in NZ
“Chinks” should read “Chunks”. This method gives lots of outer, rough and crunchy bits! Best made with a floury type of potato. Michelle