Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe

If you’ve ever been to France, then there’s a high probability that you’ve enjoyed this crispy roast potatoes recipe. And if you haven’t, then get ready to have some of the most delicious, crispy potatoes you’ve ever had!

Crispy Roast Potatoes in France

This bistro classic is commonly seen on French menus as a side dish for main “plats” like confit de canard, entrecôte, and so much more.

The photo below is an example of how they were served alongside some duck confit at a quaint bistro in the 2nd arrondissement. Unfortunately, the bistro closed during the pandemic, but I’ll never forget that place just because of the potatoes!

The potatoes are always served hot and extra crispy, and in this recipe, I’m going to share with you the trick on how to make them exactly like that.

5 Tricks for Crispy Roast Potatoes

Okay, so there are 5 essential tricks, or better yet, 5 steps to get your roast potatoes really crispy, just like the ones photographed above!

1. Start off with Russet or Yukon potatoes as they tend crisp better than other potato varieties.
2. Boil the potatoes before baking them (see the next step for why).
3. Add in 1/4 tsp of baking soda into a pot of boiling water before adding the potatoes in. The baking soda will make the water more alkaline, which is going to help break down the exterior of the potatoes.
4. Toss the boiled potatoes into a large bowl, vigorously shaking them in the bowl to create rough edges on all the potatoes.
5. Keep the potatoes separated on the baking sheet so that they’re not overlapping, and bake them at a high temperature. Make sure you flip them over too so they evenly bake.

While these easy roast potatoes could technically be categorized as a classic oven roasted potatoes recipe, they’re really not.

There’s definitely a big difference between following the steps above and making them vs. just tossing them on a sheet with some olive oil and baking.

Speaking of oil, you can really use any type of cooking oil you want here, but for me, the best oil for roast potatoes is always olive oil. It’s a classic, and its delicious flavor is why I reach for it over more neutral oils like avocado or canola.

What to Serve These Crispy Roast Potatoes With

You have a lot of options when it comes to a main dish to serve these with. I mentioned duck already, as well as entrecote.

Equally tantalizing, however, is a classic roast chicken. I would serve the chicken and potatoes with a side salad and a glass of Sancerre for the perfect, homestyle comfort meal.

You could serve these potatoes next to an omelette or quiche for a brunch spread as well.

Crispy Roast Potatoes Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

The most crispy and delicious roasted potatoes, perfect as a side to chicken, steak, fish or eggs!

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Ingredients

• 4 medium yukon potatoes, peeled
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• salt and pepper, to taste
• fresh parsley, chopped finely, to garnish

Instructions

1. Fill a saucepan with enough water to fill it about 3/4 full. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add a generous pinch of salt. Add the baking soda.
2. Cut up the potatoes into smaller chunks by cutting the potatoes in half first, then in half again, then quarter each piece. (If your potatoes are on the larger side, feel free to cut the potatoes down further)
3. To the boiling water, add the potato chunks and reduce the water to a gentle simmer. Let the potatoes cook until they're fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 450°F. To a separate small saucepan or skillet, add the olive oil along with the smashed cloves of garlic and sprig of rosemary. Heat the pan over medium heat, to get the oil lightly bubbling. Swirl the oil around with the garlic and rosemary in it. Turn the heat down to low and let the garlic and rosemary infuse their flavors into the oil for a few minutes. Turn off the heat when you're done.
5. Once the potatoes are cooked through, drain the water from the saucepan. Dump the potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Let the potatoes rest in the bowl for a minute before tossing the potatoes in the bowl by simply shaking the bowl a bit. You want the potatoes to look a bit mushed on the outside and slightly beat up.
6. Drizzle the olive oil (taking care not to add the actual garlic or rosemary) all over the potatoes, along with a pinch of salt. Toss the potatoes a bit again to get everything mixed well.
7. Spread the potatoes all over a baking sheet, making sure to separate them from each other and place in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, use a metal spatula to flip the the potatoes over and place back in the oven for another 15 minutes or so, until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy all over.
8. As soon as the potatoes are done, place them on your serving plate and add some freshly ground salt and the chopped parsley to garnish. Serve immediately.