Crispy Roasted Potatoes

These crispy roasted potatoes are easy to make using just one pan! Fluffy and creamy on the inside, crispy goodness on the outside!

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I have to confess that getting roasted potatoes to be truly crispy has eluded me for quite some time. Why did all the crispy stuff seem to stay on the pan, and not come up with the potato? What was everyone else doing that I wasn't?

Par-cooking the potatoes was the clear answer. But isn't that a lot of trouble?

NO! Because these potatoes are par-cooked and get crispy on the same sheet pan!! It's a two-stage process, but really, all you have to do is cut those taters in half, make sure to have some aluminum foil, water and olive oil handy, and there you go.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• How to make them
• How to reheat them
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe

Ingredients

• Yukon Gold potatoes: Choose smaller potatoes, no bigger than 2" each, try to use ones that are as close to the same size as possible. (If you've got large Yukon Golds on hand, try these Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes!)
• Water: To par cook the potatoes on the sheet pan.
• Olive oil: We'll use a fair amount so they get super crispy.
• Salt

How to make them

Adapted from Bon Appétit

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut potatoes in half.

Arrange cut side down on a sheet pan. Don't overcrowd the pan.

Add the water, enough to cover the entire surface of the pan, but you don't want it to slosh over the sides when you move the pan.

Cover the entire pan tightly with foil, you might need two layers. You want to keep all the steam in, so make sure there are no gaps or openings.

Bake about 25-30 minutes, until a skewer or knife slides through the foil and into the potato easily. Check a couple of the potatoes to be sure they are done.

Remove from oven and let potatoes cool with the foil still covering the pan for about 5 minutes.

Turn oven up to 500 degrees or as close to that as possible.

Carefully lift one corner of the foil, allowing steam to escape.

Gently tilt the sheet pan toward the open corner and allow water to drain off into the sink.

Remove foil and allow potatoes to cool just enough so you can handle them, flip them over so they are cut side up.

Now this is the trick that creates maximum crispiness: let all the steam escape so the cut surface of the potatoes dries. If there is any water remaining on the pan, dab it off with a kitchen towel. (Water and steam are the enemy of crispy!)

Then, drizzle ¼ cup of olive oil all over the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

Place them cut side down again, and return to the 500 degree oven, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. This is crucially important. When you let the potatoes cool just a little, they will naturally release from the pan much more easily - like meat from the grill, when it's done, it releases.

Use the thinnest spatula you have to gently get under each potato and release them from the pan. Just try an edge first to see if it's ready. If not, let them cool a little more. I use my super-thin metal OXO spatula for this.

Sprinkle again with kosher salt and pepper and enjoy!

How to reheat them

These potatoes are easy to reheat if you have leftovers. Just do like my grandma used to do with leftover biscuits. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat and cook until heated through. Voila! Crispy once again.

Serving Suggestions

Crispy roasted potatoes are perfect alongside main courses with bold flavors.

• Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri Sauce brings the flavors of Argentina to your table.
• Chicken Thighs with Red Wine and Dried Plums is an elegant one-pan chicken dinner.
• Boneless Leg of Lamb with Cilantro-Mint Salsa Verde is the stuff family dinners are made of.

Recipe