Recipe Background
Easy Crispy Roasted Potatoes blend rustic comfort with flavorful crispiness, perfect for new beginnings.
The first meal we cooked after deciding to buy our dream home was such a blend of excitement and nerves, a bit like roasting potatoes at high heat. As we stood in the empty kitchen, cold tile under our feet, I realized we'd need a dish that was not just simple but comforting—and crispy roasted potatoes seemed like a perfect choice. I grabbed a bag of russet potatoes as our first pantry purchase, their starchy promise a grounding point amidst the chaos of unpacking.
In that moment of transition, I learned a few tricks to elevate this humble dish. Adding a touch of baking soda to the boiling water was key, creating the perfect exterior that crisps up beautifully. As those potatoes parboiled, the rosemary and garlic sizzled in olive oil, filling the room with a warm, fragrant welcome that matched our anticipation for this new chapter. Letting the potatoes briefly steam in the hot pot before roasting ensured that every bite was a perfect blend of soft interior and crunchy exterior.
Our first dinner in the new space, surrounded by moving boxes and a sense of adventure, was perhaps the most delicious of all. Sprinkled with fresh parsley and a pinch of salt, those potatoes were more than a meal—they were a reminder of home, perfectly simple and eagerly shared. Moving may have been a whirlwind, but finding the balance between rustic comfort and crisp perfection was a savory triumph, cementing our new beginning with each bite.
Ingredients
- 2 quarts water
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt plus more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil can substitute duck fat, goose fat, or beef fat
- fresh rosemary leaves to taste, finely chopped
- 3 medium cloves garlic minced
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- fresh parsley leaves to taste, minced
Directions
- Adjust an oven rack to the center position.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- In a large pot over high heat, add the water and bring to a boil.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the salt, the baking soda, and the potatoes to the boiling water and stir to combine.
- Bring the water to a boil again.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until a knife meets little resistance when inserted into a potato chunk, about 10 minutes.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil, the rosemary, the garlic, and the black pepper and stir to combine.
- Cook, while stirring and shaking the pan constantly, until the garlic just begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes.
- Immediately strain the herb oil through a fine-mesh strainer set in a large bowl.
- Set the garlic mixture aside, reserving it separately from the oil.
- Drain the potatoes carefully and then return them to the pot.
- Let the potatoes rest in the hot pot until the excess moisture evaporates, about 30 seconds.
- Transfer the potatoes to the herb oil and season them with the extra salt and the pepper.
- Toss the potatoes to coat and shake the bowl roughly until a thick layer of mashed-potato-like paste has built up on the potato chunks.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large rimmed baking sheet and separate them until they are evenly spaced.
- Roast the potatoes for 20 minutes.
- Shake the pan, then turn the potatoes.
- Roast the potatoes, turning and shaking them occasionally, until they are deep brown and crisp all over, about 30-40 minutes.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl.
- Add the garlic mixture and the parsley and toss to coat.
- Season the potatoes with the extra salt and the pepper.
- Serve hot.
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