There’s never a bad time for these crispy roasted potatoes. This recipe uses a few easy techniques to bake a batch of potatoes with perfect golden-brown edges and pillowy-soft centers. But the real game-changer? Finishing them off with a drizzle of melted butter right before digging in.
There are crispy potatoes, and then there are the potatoes you can hear someone crunching into from a mile away. This recipe is the latter. Just like my Crispy Smashed Potatoes and my Crispy Potato Skins, these roasted potatoes are ridiculously easy to make and pair well with all of your favorite proteins.
Extra Crispy Roasted Potatoes
Roasting potatoes isn’t rocket science, but if your goal is a golden, super-crunchy crust and middles that are just as soft, fluffy, and moist as a baked potato, the technique matters. You can’t just chop up a few potatoes, throw them on a sheet tray, and hope for the best. That’s how you end up with dry and chalky potatoes or soggy spuds.
The simple methods in this recipe have been my go-to for years. All it takes is some oil, a few basic spices, and melted butter to bake up a batch of the best crispy roasted potatoes you’ve ever had.
I got the ultimate stamp of approval when I served these for dinner one night: my daughter absolutely loved them. Now, I make them as much as I can as a side dish for steak, chicken, or pork. They’re even delicious for breakfast! Trust me: if my kid loves these, they’ll easily win over your table, too.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Roasted potatoes really don’t need much to bring out their natural goodness; rather, it’s the quality of these minimal ingredients that matters the most. Here’s what I used to make this simple side dish:
- Potatoes – Baby yellow potatoes are my favorite because of their naturally buttery texture and thin skins that crisp nicely. If you need a substitute, use regular yellow potatoes or Russets instead, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes. I wouldn’t use red potatoes or another waxy potato here.
- Oil – I coated the potatoes in olive oil before roasting to turn them golden brown. For more flavor, swap the oil for melted beef tallow, duck fat, or clarified butter.
- Seasonings – Just garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Butter – I poured melted unsalted butter over the potatoes right before serving.
How to Roast Crispy Potatoes
Parboil: I boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water for 10 minutes. I want them just underdone.
Drain, dry, and shake: I drain the potatoes in a colander and let them air-dry for 10 minutes. At the 5-minute mark, I shake them in the colander to rough up the edges.
Season: I transfer my dried potatoes to a lined sheet tray, then add the oil and seasonings. I mix everything until every potato is coated.
Roast: I move the sheet tray to the oven and let the potatoes roast. I flip the potatoes after 20 minutes, then roast for another 20 minutes or until they develop a golden-brown crust.
Finish: I drizzle melted butter over the crispy potatoes right before serving.
Chef Tip + Notes
I’d like to say this recipe is completely foolproof, but overcrowding the sheet pan is the easiest way to end up with soggy steamed potatoes instead of crispy ones. To avoid this, leave about an inch of space in between each potato or roast them on two sheet pans instead.
- Peeled vs. unpeeled potatoes: I never peel baby yellow potatoes because their thin skins crisp up nicely in the oven. Anything larger, like yellow potatoes or Russets, should be peeled.
- Shake the potatoes: Do you see those jagged, golden brown edges all around the outside of the potatoes? That happens after you shake them in the colander. Don’t skip this part!
- Boil with baking soda: Adding 1 teaspoon of baking soda to the boiling water increases the water’s alkalinity, which breaks down more surface starch than shaking alone does. You’ll still get a good crisp without it, but this will get you even crisper potatoes.
- More seasoning ideas: There are endless ways to season roasted potatoes. Add cayenne or chili powder for some kick, finish them with a sprinkle of fresh chives or dill, or swap the seasonings in the recipe card for my smoky Cajun seasoning or this mouthwatering ranch seasoning.
Serving Suggestions
I instantly agreed with my daughter when she called this recipe the “best side dish of all time.” They’re great with almost everything, from a juicy tomahawk steak to a classic roast chicken to these pan-fried pork chops.
When I’m lucky enough to have leftovers, I’ll fold them into our breakfast burritos in the morning. You could even crisp them back up in a hot skillet right alongside your steak and eggs.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: I serve these potatoes right after drizzling the melted butter on top. When I need to keep them warm, I’ll hold off on the butter and keep the potatoes covered in a low oven (around 200°F) for up to an hour. I wait to add the melted butter until it’s time to eat.
How to Store: I wait for the leftover roasted potatoes to cool before storing them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to Reheat: I reheat the potatoes in a 400°F oven or air fryer for about 10 minutes or until they’re hot, sizzling, and crispy again.
More Roasted Potato Recipes
- Roasted Baby Potatoes
- Roasted Red Potatoes
- Perfect Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Roasted Italian Potatoes
Crispy Roasted Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds baby yellow potatoes sliced in half
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder or granules
- 2 teaspoons onion powder or granules
- 2 teaspoons sweet or smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (fan on) or 475°F (no fan).
- Add the potatoes to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 10 minutes. They should be just about done.
- Remove them and let them air-dry in a colander for 10 minutes, giving them a little shake after 5 minutes.
- Place the boiled potatoes on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Add the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, and mix thoroughly until completely combined.
- Roast in the oven on a middle rack for 20 minutes.
- Come back, flip, and move the potatoes around, then roast for an additional 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Finish by drizzling on melted butter and serve.
Crispy Roasted Potatoes Recipe