Super crunchy on the outside and fluffy in the middle, these Crispy Roast Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic are the ultimate side dish for any occasion. If a French fry and a mashed potato were to have a love child, this would be it. They’re very easy to make, require only a few ingredients and happen to be Whole3o compliant
Ingredients You Need for Crispy Roast Potatoes
- Potatoes: Yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon Golds, work best in this recipe. Their flesh get very creamy and the exteriors develop a wonderfully crispy crust. Russets also work but they lack that desired creaminess and have a starchier flesh.
- Baking Soda: It’s not entirely necessary, but adding a small amount of baking soda to the boiling water will create a more alkaline environment and allows the potatoes to break down more, resulting in more crispy edges once roasted.
- Duck Fat: Duck fat is an ideal cooking fat for this recipe because it has a high smoking point and neutral flavour that won’t overpower the crispy roast potatoes. It’s also a Whole30 compliant option. If you want to keep this recipe vegan or can’t find duck fat, you can substitute avocado oil. Or, for a different flavour profile, try initially roasting the potatoes in avocado oil and adding a couple spoonfuls of butter at the very end.
- Fresh Rosemary: Rosemary and potatoes are a match made in heaven. Try to use fresh rosemary for the best flavour and aroma. If you’re using dried rosemary, use half the amount called for fresh. You can also substitute fresh thyme or oregano. I like to add the fresh herbs near the end of the roasting process so that they don’t burn and retain some of their vibrant flavour and perfume.
- Garlic: You can incorporate garlic two ways here. One option is to roast a whole head of garlic with the potatoes and then squeeze out the roasted cloves into a bowl and combine it with the rosemary and a bit of extra-virgin olive oil before tossing it all with the potatoes. This will give you a deeply caramelized garlic flavour.
The second option is to finely chop the garlic, mix it with the chopped rosemary, add it to the potatoes near the end of the roasting process, and toss everything to coat. The heat from the potatoes and roasting pan will gently toast the garlic, bring out more of its natural perfume and mellow out the harsh flavours. - Salt: I like to season the cooking water with kosher salt and finish the crispy roast potatoes with a flakey sea salt, such as Maldon.
The Secret To Perfectly Crispy Roast Potatoes
- The main thing that sets these potatoes apart from regular roasted spuds is the fact that they’re parboiled first. This completely transforms the texture, breaks down the edges so that they form tiny nooks and crannies, and results in an unbelievably crispy crust as they roast.
- Preheat a large roasting tray in the oven so that it’s ready by the time the potatoes are parboiled.
- After the initial boil, drain the potatoes and allow them to dry fully so that they don’t steam in the roasting pan. For more crispy bits, give the potatoes a gentle shake and toss in the colander to rough up the edges.
- Once the potatoes are fully dried and roughed up, add the duck fat to the preheated roasting pan and let it get hot. This will give the potatoes a head start on the browning process. Carefully add the potatoes to the hot oil and gently toss them to coat.
- Place the potatoes into the hot oven and roast them for anywhere between 50 and 60 minutes, depending on their size.
- Just before they’re finished cooking, add the rosemary and garlic mixture and toss them to coat. Finish them off with a small pinch of flakey sea salt and serve them with your favourite main course.
Bigger is Better
Avoid cutting the potatoes into small chunks for this recipe. You want them quite large so that they don’t completely crumble apart on you and turn to mush in the oven. This does mean that they will take a bit longer to cook but your patience will be rewarded with the most insanely crispy roast potatoes.
As a general rule of thumb, I like to leave smaller potatoes whole. Cut medium-sized ones in half. And cut large potatoes into quarters.
Ingredients
- ▢4 pounds yellow potatoes – peeled and cut into large chunks
- ▢2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus extra to taste
- ▢1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ▢¼ cup duck fat, substitute olive oil, beef tallow, ghee or avocado oil
- ▢¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- ▢1 whole head garlic, top trimmed
- ▢1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, around 2 sprigs
- ▢1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, substitute grass-fed butter
- ▢¼ teaspoon flakey sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
- Place a large, empty roasting pan in the oven and preheat the oven to 450F.
- Rinse the potatoes under cold water to remove excess starch and add them to a large stock pot. Cover the potatoes with cold water and add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and baking soda and set over high heat. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are just barely fork-tender and the edges start to flake, around 25 minutes total. Drain the potatoes and let them dry fully in the colander.
- Remove the preheated roasting pan from the oven, add the duck fat and let it heat until melt. Gently shake the potatoes in the colander to rough up the edges then carefully add them to the roasting pan. Season the potatoes with a pinch of salt and pepper and gently toss them to coat. Nestle in the head of garlic, cut-side down, and return the roasting pan to the oven. Cook, tossing the potatoes every 20 minutes, until the potatoes are deeply golden brown and crispy all over, 55 to 60 minutes total.
- Remove the garlic and push out the individual cloves. In a bowl, combine the roasted garlic cloves, chopped rosemary and olive oil. Use a fork to mash everything together then add the mixture to the roasting pan and toss with the potatoes to coat. Return the roasting pan to the oven and cook an additional 5 minutes or until the rosemary is fragrant and the garlic is lightly toasted.
- Taste the potatoes for seasoning and adjust with flakey sea salt as desired. Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and enjoy.
