Easy Roasted Potatoes

Name: Easy Roasted Potatoes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds baby potatoes (halved if large); 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 5 garlic cloves (smashed with the skin on); A few sprigs of fresh thyme (or rosemary as an alternative); Optional: finely chopped fresh parsley or additional thyme for garnish

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Quick and simple to prepare, Easy Roasted Potatoes make the best side dish.

Can you ever have enough recipes for potatoes? I don’t think so. But can you have a favorite? I do think so! And mine is this Easy Roasted Potatoes recipe. There’s just something about the mix of textures–the golden crunchy exterior and the pillowy soft interior–that makes me swoon. Hot out of the oven with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and extra thyme, these crispy roasted spuds might become your favorite, too–yes, maybe even surpassing French fries on the top of your potato list!

There’s something magical about combining garlic with potatoes and when the two roast together, those smashed cloves release a mellow pungency that, combined with earthy taste of the thyme, creates a powerhouse of flavor. This makes these potatoes a great partner for any main dish you pair them with. But you don’t have to use them as a side: they also make great snacks dipped in The Best Queso Ever or even just a spicy mayo.

Baby potatoes are harvested before they’re fully developed, so they have a thinner skin that crisps up beautifully. There are different kinds of baby potatoes–reds, Yukons, fingerlings (those these aren’t really babies; it’s just that they’re little so they look like babies!)–and they all work in this recipe. Personally, I like a mix of baby reds and baby Yukons, not just for the taste but also for the colors–we eat with our eyes!!

Ingredients

2 pounds baby potatoes halved if large
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves smashed with the skin on
A few sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary as an alternative
Optional: finely chopped fresh parsley or additional thyme for garnish

How to Make Roasted Potatoes

Step 1: Start by setting your oven to 400°F. If your oven has a convection setting, adjust to 375°F.

Step 2: For the garlic, lay your knife flat on top of a clove and give it a good whack with the heel of your hand to crack it open.

Step 3: Drizzle your potatoes with the olive oil, and then sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Give them a good toss to coat evenly. Scatter the smashed garlic and fresh thyme sprigs among the potatoes.

Step 4: Slide the tray into the preheated oven and let the potatoes roast for 30 minutes. After the first half-hour, give them a stir to ensure they’re browning evenly. Continue roasting for another 25 to 35 minutes. They should be beautifully golden and crisp when done.

Step 5: If you’ve chosen to use parsley or additional thyme, now’s the time to sprinkle it over the hot potatoes. Serve them straight from the oven.

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

Leftover Easy Roasted Potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat them in a skillet on the stovetop.

You can also freeze these potatoes in an airtight container for up to 6 months, and they don’t have to be thawed before reheating on the stove (or in the microwave, though this process might remove some of the outer crispiness)

If you want to make Easy Roasted Potatoes ahead of time, prepare them through Step 3 and then roast them when you’re ready. They can remain on the countertop for an hour or so before baking; if you need more lead time, pop them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and roast them when you’re ready.

Can you roast the baby potatoes whole?

You can, if they’re uniformly small. But you should cut the bigger ones in half. Just make sure all of your potatoes are the same size for even roasting.

Don’t peel these babies!

The skins are very thin and add a crunchiness to the dish when roasted. No need to peel them, no matter what kind of baby potatoes you use.

Everyone in the pool!

One of the keys to perfect Roasted Potatoes is that each piece is completely and evenly coated with the olive oil, so don’t rush through the mixing process. Same with the seasoning: make sure each piece gets it salt and pepper.

What’s the best way to smash garlic?

Our way, by laying a knife (a small French chef’s knife is best) on top of the garlic clove and smashing it down with the palm of your hand.

Serving Suggestions

There are so many ways to serve Roasted Potatoes that I hardly know where to begin–or where to end! They are a natural with meats like Hamburger Steak and Gravy (and really delicious in that gravy) or beside Garlic Butter Baked Chicken or any kind of pan fried or roasted fish. But these potatoes are also the perfect mate to egg dishes, such as Mini Broccoli Quiche or even just plain old Sunny Side up Eggs. But don’t stop there! Toss them straight out of the oven in a mustard vinaigrette for a version of French Potato Salad.

Remember that old Simon and Garfunkel song, “Scarborough Fair” where they sang about “parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme?” Well, there’s a reason for those four herbs to be together! Our recipe calls for thyme, or rosemary as an alternative, and some parsley at the end, but if you like, why not use them all? The combo of these herbs bring a freshness and herbaceous flavor to this dish that really takes it over the top.

Roasted Potatoes can be a sort of blank canvas, meaning you can add lots of things you like to make the recipe your own. I love Greek food, so I often add some oregano during the roasting process and a generous squeeze of lemon as soon as they come out of the oven. You can also spice them up with chile powder and a bit of cayenne pepper (or more than a bit if you’re a daredevil!) or even flavor them with Indian spices like curry and cardamom and ginger. You do you!!