5 Tips for the Best Crispy Roasted Potatoes

These are the best crispy roasted potatoes you will ever try! Everyone needs a go-to roasted potato recipe. These are the perfect potato side dish for any main course and super easy to make! 

 These oven roasted potatoes pair perfectly with chicken, beef, pork, fish and veggies. Follow the 5 simple tips in this post to get the most delicious crispy roasted potatoes.

Looking for easy weeknight dinners? Check out my recipe for Healthy Italian Wedding Soup with Chicken Meatballs or 5-Ingredient Creamy Chicken Parmesan Pasta.

If you want to learn all about how to make the best crispy roasted potatoes, this post is for you! 

What kind of potatoes should I use?

There are a few key players you can use to make crispy roasted potatoes. The truth is that any potato you use for this recipe will be delicious. Just make sure that you buy organic to avoid genetically modified, chemical-laden potatoes. That said, I prefer to use organic russet potatoes!

Russet Potatoes

My vote for the most well-rounded spud goes to the russet, or Idaho potato. These spuds are nice and fluffy when used for mashed potatoes and also crisp up to the perfect golden brown when roasted

Russets have a dry, pale yellow flesh and a thick, light brown skin. They are quite starchy, which actually helps the skin to get nice and crispy when roasted or fried. They have a mild flavor that will carry any other flavor you pair them with beautifully.

Russet potatoes are ideal for pretty much everything! I use them for roasting, mashed potatoes, baking, frying, and even in soups. The options for cooking with Idaho potatoes are endless. You can make French fries, roasted wedges, mashed potatoes, potato leek soup, baked potatoes, and so much more!

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Yukon gold potatoes are also highly versatile. They have a super creamy, yellow flesh with a slightly buttery flavor. Yukons are my top choice for the most delicious mashed potatoes.

You can also roast them, but I have found that the thinner skin and more buttery flesh causes them to break down a bit more than russets. However, these would be perfect for roasted smashed potatoes where you want the potato to lose its structure!

Red Potatoes

Red potatoes, while delicious have a very different texture. They have a much waxier texture, making them an ideal choice in dishes where you really want the potato to hold its shape. I would avoid this potato if you’re making a mash, since the waxier texture will result in a gluey mess. If you’re making potato salad, scalloped potatoes, hash browns or potato pancakes, go for the red potato!

What else do I need to make roasted potatoes? 

You will need a few additional ingredients to make these amazing crispy roasted potatoes.

Parmesan Cheese

Parmesan cheese takes these crispy potatoes over the edge. It adds a nutty saltiness that coats the potatoes and gets nice and crispy in the oven. I usually use shredded Parmesan. It you can’t find this, just grate some fresh parmigiano reggiano right over the potatoes. You will get a delicious cheesy crust that cannot be beat!

Fresh parsley 

Adding a fresh herb to just about any side dish really brightens things up. A healthy sprinkle of chopped parsley goes a long way over these roasted potatoes. You could also use fresh chives here. To really intensify the freshness, I add parsley twice: before baking and again when they come out of the oven. Plus, it looks pretty!

Salt and pepper

Potatoes can handle some serious salt. You don’t want to go light with the salt and pepper when making potatoes. Any potato you use will be naturally very bland, so you’ll need to season them well.

You will want to season every layer of your dish as you are cooking. You’ll find this gives any recipe a more well rounded flavor than if you skipped the seasoning while cooking and waited until the very end to try and adjust the salt. That said, if you’re not sure exactly how much salt to use, it is better to go light since you can add another sprinkle when they come out of the oven.

Panko breadcrumbs

I know this seems odd, but you have to trust me on this. Adding a handful or so of panic breadcrumbs takes the crispy factor to a whole new level. Panko breadcrumbs are light and airy, so they won’t weigh down the potatoes or change the way they bake. What they will do is provide another layer of light crunch on the outside of the potatoes. Yum!

Garlic powder

Who doesn’t love garlic potatoes? The garlic pairs so well with the parmigiano cheese and fresh parsley in this recipe. You don’t want to skip this step!

Extra virgin olive oil

You may be temped to roast your potatoes with a lighter cooking oil like canola, vegetable, sunflower or grapeseed oil. Don’t do it! While these seed oils are much cheaper, they are also highly inflammatory and linked to multiple cancers as well as cardiovascular disease. Steer clear of highly refined, genetically modified imposers!

Kitchen Tools

To roast your potatoes you will need a baking sheet and parchment paper (more on this in the tips section).You’ll also want to use a scrub brush to clean your spuds. I love this one. It’s nice and firm, easy to use, cost effective, and cleans my potatoes perfectly every time!

What temperature should I roast the potatoes?

There are so many recipes for roasted potatoes and with them come a variety of recommended cooking temperatures. This can be frustrating and confusing when you just want to get dinner on the table!

I have made endless batches of roasted potatoes throughout the years at all different temperatures. I can say with confidence that a baking temperature of 375 degrees F results in the very best crispy roasted potatoes.

Why 375 you ask? There are several reasons. First, perfectly roasted potatoes take awhile to bake. If you roast them at a higher temperature like 400 or 425, the outside of the potato will burn before the inside is completely cooked though.

No one wants a burnt spud!

Note: Of course, all ovens are different. If you know that your oven fires hot, reduce the suggested temperature by 10-15 degrees. Conversely, if your oven doesn’t get quite as hot, increase the temperature accordingly.

What to serve with crispy roasted potatoes

The best thing about potatoes (besides eating them) is their versatility. You can honestly pair these crispy roasted potatoes with any main dish and it will be a win.

Some of my favorite things to serve roasted potatoes with are chicken piccata, meatloaf, pork tenderloin, chicken cutlets, and steak. They work great in the summer with any grilled meat but are also perfect in the winter for a nice cozy comfort meal. You really can’t go wrong!

5 tips for the best oven roasted potatoes

Pick the right size baking sheet for the amount of potatoes you’re using. 

This is important. If your baking sheet is too big for the amount of potatoes you want to roast, they will burn. If the baking sheet is too small and the potatoes are overlapping, they will steam instead of roast and they will not be crispy. You want all of the potatoes to be touching the bottom of the baking sheet.

Roast the potatoes on parchment paper.

Parchment paper is the only way to go. If you can find an unbleached parchment paper like this one, that’s your best option (no chlorine). I have tried using aluminum foil, and it just doesn’t work. The potatoes stick to the foil and you won’t be able to flip them without breaking up the potato or losing your perfect crispy skin!  I also don’t recommend using nothing and baking directly on the baking sheet. The texture doesn’t turn out quite the same and its also much harder to clean up, so why would we want to do that.

Cut all the potatoes the same size. 

Cutting the potatoes in uniform sizes ensures that all of the potatoes cook evenly and will take the same amount of time. For crispy roasted potatoes, cut them into 1-inch cubes.

Flip the potatoes often during roasting. 

This is probably the most important tip. If you simply put the potatoes in the oven and set a timer for 1 hour, you will have potatoes that are burnt on the bottom and not crispy on the top. The trick to even, crispy roasted potatoes is turning them often as they bake. A good rule of thumb is to turn them every 20 minutes. This way, they have a chance to set and get crispy on the bottom, but won’t burn or stick. Move them around and switch the rack! I like to start them on the bottom rack, then move them to the middle rack after the first 20-minute turn. I give them another 20 minutes on the middle rack, then turn again and switch back to the bottom rack for the last 20 minutes of baking.

Go easy on the oil. 

If you add too much oil to the baking sheet, your potatoes will be swimming in oil and will not get crispy. Add just enough oil so that the potatoes are lightly coated with oil, but there is no excess sitting on the bottom of the baking sheet.

How to make the best crispy roasted potatoes

Note: this is an overview. For the complete recipe with precise measurements and step-by-step instructions, click the printable recipe at the bottom of this page!

1. Rinse all the potatoes and scrub with a scrub brush.
2. Dry the potatoes thoroughly. Make sure they are very dry so that there is no excess moisture when they are baked.
3. Cut the potatoes in the same size and shape so that everything cooks evenly. Go for about 1-inch cubes.
4. Drizzle the potatoes with a small amount of olive oil, enough to just coat all the potatoes. Make sure all of the potatoes are coming in contact with the bottom of the baking sheet.
5. Season the potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic powder, fresh parsley, parmigiano cheese, and Panko breadcrumbs. Turn to make sure all the potatoes are evenly coated with the seasoning. If the potatoes seem a bit dry at this point, go ahead and add another drizzle of olive oil. You definitely do not want the potatoes swimming in oil!
6. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 min – 1 hour, turning about every 20 minutes to make sure all sides of the potatoes become nice and crispy! Start the potatoes on the bottom rack and every time you turn them, switch from the bottom to the middle rack.

Homemade health spotlight: potatoes. 

Potatoes are so misunderstood. I like to remind myself that they are classified as a root vegetable so that I don’t feel guilty when I eat them 5 times a week. But seriously, just because they are starchy does not mean they are bad for you.

A lot of times potatoes are thought of as unhealthy because they are either smothered in butter and sour cream or deep fried. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing on planet earth I enjoy more than a fried spud. However, for a healthier option for your weekly meal plan, you need this crispy roasted potato recipe!

Potatoes are packed full of minerals and vitamins. They are rich in potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, fiber, and even have a little bit of protein. To ensure you are getting all of these nutrients in their entirety, make sure you eat the potato skin!

Try to eat your potatoes (and other carbohydrates) with a protein. Proteins take longer to digest, so digestion through the stomach is slowed. This ultimately slows down the amount of sugar being released into the bloodstream and helps keep blood sugar levels nice and even.

This post was all about how to make the best crispy roasted potatoes! Need a dessert idea? I have you covered with this easy and delicious Birthday Cake Ice Cream Recipe.

The Best Crispy Roasted Potatoes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Servings 4

Equipment

• 1 scrub brush
• 1 baking sheet
• unbleached parchment paper

Ingredients

  

• 3 lb organic russet potatoes
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (shredded or freshly grated)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
• 2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a 9x13 baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
• Using a scrub brush, clean and rinse potatoes.
• Pat potatoes with clean kitchen towel or paper towels until thoroughly dried.
• Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place them on prepared baking sheet.
• Drizzle just enough olive oil to lightly coat potatoes (there should be no excess oil on the bottom of baking sheet).
• Season potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cheese, Panko breadcrumbs, and 1 tbsp of the fresh parsley. If potatoes seem dry, add another drizzle of olive oil until all potatoes are lightly glistening with oil.
• Place baking sheet with potatoes on bottom rack of oven and bake for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, flip the potatoes, and move the baking sheet to the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 20 more minutes.
• After another 20 minutes, flip the potatoes a final time and move the baking sheet back to the bottom rack for the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
• Top with the remaining 1 tbsp of fresh parsley, serve and enjoy!

Notes

*See tips section in post for 5 important recipe tips!