Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe (2024)

  • Roasted Potatoes
  • Dairy-free Sides
  • Roasted Vegetables
  • Russet Potatoes
  • Thanksgiving Side Dishes

By

J. Kenji López-Alt

Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe (1)

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated March 10, 2022

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Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe (2)

Why It Works

  • Parboiling the potatoes with a hint of vinegar builds strong pectin bonds and a starchy outer layer of potato.
  • Tossing the parboiled potatoes in a bowl with a metal spoon creates microscopic nooks and crannies that make for an extra-crunchy exterior.
  • Roasting in animal fat adds extra crispness and rich flavor.

How often do you get roasted potatoes that look like they're going to be awesomely crisp, only to find that rather than crispness, all you've got is a papery (or, worse, leathery) skin on the exterior? Getting truly crisp potatoes is harder than it seems. Simply tossing them in a bit of oil and roasting them just doesn't work.

The problem is that with simple roasting, they'll crisp up, all right, but the layer of crispness will be very, very thin. Within moments, steam from the interior of the spud will cause the crisp bits to soften.

So what is it that makes a potato crisp?

Well, as I found out when exploring French fries last year, it's a dehydrated layer of gelatinized starch that does it. The thicker the layer of gelatinized starch you can build up, the crisper the potato. You accomplish this by parboiling the cubed potatoes, and, just as with making French fries, adding a touch of acid to the boiling water acts as insurance against accidentally over-boiling them—the pectin that holds potato cells together is strong in slightly acidic environments.

Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe (3)

Want to know the secret to even crisper roast potatoes? Increase surface area. The more surface area a potato has for a given volume, the more bits there are to crisp up, and the crunchier it'll become. The potatoes above have been parboiled, then tossed roughly in a bowl with a metal spoon until their surfaces were roughed and scratched up. All those microscopic nooks and crannies will make for an extra-crunchy surface.

Potato Variety

You can use any type of potatoes you like for this, but there's a tradeoff:

  • Starchy russet potatoes will produce the crispest crust because of their high starch content, with fluffy, powdery interiors.
  • Yukon gold potatoes (what I've used here) will produce crusts that are still very crisp, but not quite as crisp as that of a russet. They'll also have interiors that are more creamy than fluffy. Some people like this contrast of textures. I'm on the fence, so I usually alternate between the two varieties.
  • Red waxy potatoes will have the creamiest texture of all, but will lack a very strong, crisp crust. I don't recommend them for this purpose.

Fat

Next question: What's the best fat to use?

Well, if you can get your hands on it, this:

Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe (4)

People often tout the awesomeness of duck fat with potatoes, and for good reason: It tastes awesome. Duck fat has a distinct richness and aroma that get absorbed very easily into the surface of a spud. On top of that, it's got plenty of saturated fat and a high smoke point, which makes it an ideal medium for crisping up fried or roasted foods. (In general, the higher the saturated fat content of an oil, the more efficiently it'll crisp foods.) Can't get duck fat? Well, turkey fat or chicken fat collected from roasted birds will do just fine.

Bacon fat and rendered lard are also fine choices, as is just about any sort of animal-derived fat.

If you must use it, extra-virgin olive oil will certainly do admirably well, though you won't get quite the same level of crispness you'd get out of an animal fat.

Once your potatoes are tossed in fat and seasoned well, all you've got to do is roast them in an extremely hot oven until they crisp up. (I do this while my turkey is resting.)

I roast mine directly on a heavy rimmed baking sheet—they have a tendency to stick to foil. The key is to make sure you let the underside crisp up completely before you even attempt to lift or flip them. If the potatoes don't come off relatively easily, you run the risk of breaking off the tops, leaving the crisp bottom cemented to the bottom of the pan. This is not an ideal situation.

Moral: Your potatoes will release themselves from the pan when they're good and ready. Don't force them.

Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe (5)

Finally, make way more than you think you'll need. Not only do these potatoes lose a great deal of volume as they roast, it also appears that dinner guests suddenly gain a great deal of volume in their stomachs when the potatoes hit the table.

November 04, 2011

Recipe Details

Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe

Prep5 mins

Cook50 mins

Active30 mins

Total55 mins

Serves8to 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 pounds (2kg) russet potatoes (see note), rinsed, peeled if desired, and cut into 2-inch chunks

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) white vinegar

  • 1/4 cup (60ml) duck fat (see note)

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 12 sprigs thyme

Directions

  1. Adjust oven racks to lower and upper positions and preheat oven to 500°F (260°C). Place potatoes in a large saucepot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 2 tablespoons (28g) salt and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook until exteriors are tender, about 5 minutes. Potatoes should show slight resistance when poked with a paring knife or a cake tester. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.

  2. Add fat to bowl with potatoes. Season with pepper and more salt to taste, then toss with a large metal spoon until exteriors are slightly bashed up and coated in a thin layer of potato/fat paste. Divide potatoes evenly between 2 heavy rimmed baking sheets. Spread thyme sprigs over potatoes.

    Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe (6)

  3. Transfer baking sheets to oven and roast until bottoms of potatoes are crisp and golden brown, about 20 minutes total, swapping trays top for bottom and rotating them once halfway through roasting. Using a thin metal spatula, flip potatoes and roast until second side is golden brown, another 15 to 20 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and serve.

    Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe (7)

Special Equipment

Rimmed baking sheets

Notes

For creamier potatoes with a slightly less crisp crust, substitute Yukon gold potatoes. Duck fat, turkey fat, or chicken fat will give the best results, but bacon fat or olive oil will also work well.

Read More

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  • How to Roast Fall and Winter Vegetables | The Food Lab
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
245Calories
5g Fat
44g Carbs
5g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8to 10
Amount per serving
Calories245
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g7%
Saturated Fat 2g9%
Cholesterol 5mg2%
Sodium 343mg15%
Total Carbohydrate 44g16%
Dietary Fiber 5g17%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 18mg92%
Calcium 42mg3%
Iron 2mg13%
Potassium 1132mg24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why can't i get my roast potatoes crispy? ›

Preheat the fat. While the potatoes parboil, add the oil or butter to the roasting pan, transfer it to the warm oven, and heat it for about 5 minutes before adding the potatoes. This allows the outside of the potatoes to crisp up nicely and not just absorb the cold fat when you put them in the oven.

How to keep roast potatoes crispy? ›

How do you keep roast potatoes warm and crispy? Don't. Let them cool. Just before you need to serve them (5–10 minutes, depending on how cool they are) put them in a hot oven, That should crisp them up nicely, and warm them too.

Should you boil potatoes before roasting? ›

Do I have to boil potatoes before roasting? Not necessary but this can help get the perfect consistency and crispiness. Make sure you boil them but leave them a bit al dente and they will crisp up perfectly in the oven.

Why do you soak potatoes in water before roasting? ›

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

Why does soaking potatoes make them crispier? ›

Soaking the sliced potatoes in water helps to draw out some of the starch from the middle of the potato, resulting in a sturdier, crispier French fry.

Why does vinegar make potatoes crispy? ›

The acid in the vinegar can also help to slightly break down the surface of the potatoes, aiding in the development of a crispier texture during frying. Additionally, the vinegar can contribute to a golden-brown color on the exterior of the fries.

What is the best oil or fat for roast potatoes? ›

Goose fat is one of the first choices for roast potatoes because first of all – it tastes nice! It has a really rich flavour compared to your more common vegetable oils. It's a bit like how cooking your roast potatoes in dripping from your turkey can add more flavour to your spuds too – they're both animal fats.

Can you put too much oil in roast potatoes? ›

Roasted potatoes can become soggy if the water content in the potato isn't fully cooked. Different potatoes have different water content percentages. Also, be mindful of the oil. Potatoes can react like sponges; too much oil can make your potatoes appear to be soggy.

Does washing potatoes make them more crispy? ›

After slicing all the potatoes, rinse them with cold water multiple times until the water runs clear. This process helps remove excess starch and sugars from the potato surfaces.

Which potatoes are best for roasting? ›

Russet potatoes will produce crisper crusts and fluffier centers. Yukon Golds will be slightly less crisp and have creamier centers, with a darker color and deeper flavor. You can also use a mix of the two. The potatoes should be cut into very large chunks, at least 2 to 3 inches or so.

Should potatoes be salted before roasting? ›

We tasted the potatoes and agreed that post-salting is better than pre-salting. Salting before or after clearly makes a difference. The outside of the post-salted potatoes is more crispy and has a nice bite to it, whereas the outside of the pre-salted potatoes is tough and leathery.

Why don't my roast potatoes go crispy? ›

Parboiling the potatoes is a good start, but if they're not getting crispy during roasting your temperature isn't high enough or there's too much moisture.

What happens if you don't soak potatoes? ›

A: First let's talk about why cut potatoes need to be immersed in water to begin with. The reason is to prevent the potatoes exposure to air, which causes dehydration, oxidation, and discoloration. Immersing cut potatoes will also help rinse off excess starch.

Should you roast potatoes on foil or parchment paper? ›

Use parchment paper– non stick foil, or baking sheets will not do the trick. Parchment paper allows the potatoes to roast without sticking!

Why are my potatoes still crunchy after cooking? ›

If the potato cubes were too large or unevenly cut, this might result in some pieces remaining crunchy. Crockpot Temperature: Crockpots can cook at varying temperatures, even on the same setting. If your crockpot is not heating evenly or maintaining a consistent temperature, it might have resulted in uneven cooking.

Why are my oven roasted potatoes soggy? ›

Roasted potatoes can become soggy if the water content in the potato isn't fully cooked. Different potatoes have different water content percentages. Also, be mindful of the oil. Potatoes can react like sponges; too much oil can make your potatoes appear to be soggy.

Why aren't my baked potatoes crispy? ›

If you oil them up early, the skins may not turn crispy. The salt, too, can run off the potatoes in the heat. Instead, do a quick oil baste after the potatoes reach 205°F: Remove the pan from the oven. Brush with olive oil (or bacon grease if you have it) and a hefty sprinkle of kosher salt.

Why won't my fried potatoes get crispy? ›

This sure sounds a lot like potatoes that have been stored too long, in too cold of an environment before cooking. When potatoes are held below 41°F for too long a period, the starches convert to sugar and it changes the cooking chemistry.

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