Everyone needs a go-to Easy Roast Potatoes recipe. Here I will talk you through the ultimate guide to getting the best results from our beloved roasties, which is simply crispy on the outside, fluffy and creamy on the inside, and lots of flavour.
Our most treasured side dish can also be made ahead of time for extra convenience when making a traditional banquet or just for easy midweek wins.
Oh the roastie pressure, WILL THEY BE CRISP AND GOLDEN AND DELICIOUS?! I am here to reassure you that easy Roast Potatoes are simple and fuss-free when you know how.
This guide will take you through the whole process – which potato variety to choose, how to par boil them, how much oil to use and how to get that subtle but oh-so delicious seasoning. Once you’ve perfected these little delicacies, you’ll be roasting them up with your eyes closed next time.
Why you’ll love this recipe
⭐️ Ideal for getting prepared for a big dinner
⭐️ Crispy, fluffy and delicious
⭐️ Simple, inexpensive produce
Make Ahead Roast Potatoes
If you didn’t know you could prepare roast potatoes ahead of time, I am here to tell you that not only is it 100% possible, it’s a vital shortcut when it comes to taking away the stress of cooking a big dinner all at once!
The recipe at the bottom of the page outlines exactly how to make easy Roast Potatoes ahead of time, with a few different preferred options. You can either:
- Prepare the roasties the night before by part-roasting them (this means all you have to do is finish them off in the oven before you serve them up).
- Prepare them the night before WITHOUT part-roasting them (this means getting them to the point where you could put them in the oven, pop them in the fridge instead, then all you have to do is roast when you’re ready to).
- Prepare them further in advance and freeze them (you can get them to the point where they’re ready to roast, but freeze them instead, until it’s time and then you can defrost them and cook as normal.
*Details for each method are below.
What you’ll need
- Potatoes – Find out which are the best varieties below
- Sunflower oil – Yes, I prefer this to duck or goose fat – even at Christmas (see more on this below)
- Onion powder – Adds subtle flavour
- Sea salt – A good sprinkling is needed
How to make it
- Peel and chop the potatoes, then boil them for about 10 minutes. Drain and allow to dry and cool.
2. In the pan, add more oil, onion powder and salt to the potatoes. Shake with the lid on.
3. Preheat the oven to 200C and heat a tray of oil until it’s very hot. Pour the potatoes into hot oil quickly and coat with oil.
4. Cook until golden and crispy (approx 1hr 15 mins in total). OR part-roast (like above) them if you’re making ahead.
Hint: Don’t parboil for too long or they will fall apart. When they’re a little cooked but still have some resistance when a knife goes through is good.
POTATOES!
Choosing the variety of potato for your roasties will make ALL the difference to the end result.
Go for the kind that when roasted are soft and fluffy on the inside but crispy on the outside, like floury Maris Piper, King Edward or Rooster. Salad or boiling potatoes won’t work well because they tend to dry out.
Find out more about which kind of potato is good for what on the Love Potatoes website.
Top tips
Shape
I like to cut the potatoes lengthways as I feel this gives one lovely flat crispy side as there’s more surface area to touch the pan.
Timings
If you are cooking a whole roast dinner and are in and out of the oven you may find your roasties take a little longer.
Keep an eye on your potatoes when they’re boiling as if they are cut a bit smaller they may take less than 10 minutes boiling time – they shouldn’t start to fall apart.
Disposable foil trays
I wouldn’t usually advocate using single use items but if you want to make these for a big day or event, disposable foil trays are so handy to save on washing up and also transporting food from place to place!
FAQ
There is always lots of talk about using duck fat or goose fat for roasties but, controversially, I personally find these too strong in flavour.
I feel that roast potatoes should be a supporting act, and not over power every flavour on the plate. So for that reason, I like to use sunflower oil as it’s fairly flavourless and perfect for heating to a very high heat.
The world’s your oyster here. Obviously all roast dinners, and specifically my Slow Cooker Roast Beef, Slow Cooker Roast Gammon, and Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole too. Anything British and traditional!
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Easy Roast Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 kg Potatoes Peeled and cut in half of thirds (size dependent)
- 100 ml Sunflower oil
- 2 tsp Onion powder
- Sea salt
Instructions
HOW TO MAKE IN REAL TIME:
- Preheat your oven to 200C.
- Peel and chop the potatoes lengthways.
- Put potatoes into a pan of cold water, pop on the lid and bring to the boil, for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile pour 60ml (approx 4 tbsp) of oil Into a tray and place into the oven to heat up.
- Drain the potatoes and put back into the hot pan to dry.
- Add the remaining oil to the potatoes, along with the onion powder and sea salt. Put the lid back on the pan and give them a really good shake.
- Pour the potatoes into the hot oil – it should be so hot that when you drop the first potato in you can hear it bubbling.
- Toss until they are well coated (the key here is to do this really quickly so the oil doesn't have time to cool).
- Cook until they are golden and crispy all over, this should be around 1 hour, but I always allow at least 1 hour 15 minutes.
OPTIONS IF YOU’RE MAKING AHEAD…
The day before (WITH part-baking)
- Follow the method above, but only bake for 45 minutes to an hour. They should be almost done but not quite crispy enough to serve.
- Cover and place in the fridge overnight.
- To finish them off the following day, heat more oil in a tray and cook for about 15-30 minutes until golden and crispy (should be closer to 15 but sometimes this can take a while as the potatoes will be cold from the fridge).
The day before (WITHOUT part-baking)
- Follow the method above until step 6.
- Cover and place in the fridge until you’re ready to roast.
- Heat some oil in a tray and follow the method again from step 7.
Making ahead TO FREEZE (no part-bake)
- Follow the method above until step 6.
- Put your potatoes onto a tray lined with baking paper and freeze uncovered, making sure the potatoes are not touching for at least 1 hour.
- Once they have hardened you can transfer them into a freezer container. (This extra step might seem annoying but it’s to stop the potatoes sticking together.)
- You can keep them frozen for up to 1 month.
- When you’re ready, defrost them overnight in the fridge, heat some oil in a tray and follow the original method from step 7.
Notes
- If you’re cooking the potatoes after they’ve been in the fridge, the cooking time may be a little longer than normal as the potatoes will be cold.
- If you are cooking a whole roast dinner and are in and out of the oven you may find your roasties take a little longer.
-
Keep an eye on your potatoes when they’re boiling as if they are cut a bit smaller they may take less than 10 minutes boiling time – they shouldn’t start to fall apart.
Shirley says
Excellent roasties. Thanks
Fiona says
Are your temps always for fan oven Sarah?