Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes with Thyme and Garlic

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These extra oven roasted potatoes only require 5 simple ingredients to achieve the crispiest potato side dish that is perfect for the holidays. This side dish is exactly what is trying to be achieved when oven roasting potatoes and I am going to teach you the exact steps to achieve the most crispy potatoes every single time.

Achieving the most crispy potato possible is something I have been trying to do for a long time. After a lot of trial and error, I finally found a process and technique that resulted in that perfect crisp outside with a soft and creamy inside to the potato that I was looking for.

This crispy roasted potatoes recipe is the perfect side dish recipe to make for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter as it is perfect to serve to a crowd around the holidays. This can also be a low maintenance side to make for a weeknight or weekend dinner at home. This is also a great recipe to serve at a summer barbecue as a side dish to some burgers and hot dogs!

This best crispy roast potatoes recipe was inspired by my homemade deep fried potato chips recipe on this site, and pairs well with this cavatappi mac and cheese recipe.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
How to Store Oven Roasted Potatoes Crispy
Top Tip
FAQ
Related
Pairing
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💬 Comments

Ingredients

Russet potatoes are used for this recipe due to their high starch content which helps the potatoes crisp. A good quality extra virgin olive oil is used as the oil in the pan due to its ability to handle a high heat and the rich flavor it adds to the dish. Thyme and garlic are added to the dish to add extra, earthy flavor and seasoning during the cooking process and salt is added into the water while boiling the potatoes and also after roasting to add additional flavor.

russet potatoes
extra virgin olive oil
thyme
garlic
salt

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel and cube potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Add potatoes to a pot of boiling water with salt. Boil until potatoes are soft and you can easily stick a fork into it, about 10-15 minutes.

Step 2: Add boiled potatoes to a medium mixing bowl. Cover with tin foil and shake the potatoes in the bowl. This will rough the edges of the surface of the potatoes to help them crisp.

place potatoes in a casserole dish with herbs

Step 3: Coat the bottom of a large casserole dish in olive oil. Add potatoes to the dish in a single layer. Drizzle a little additional olive oil on top of the potatoes. Add garlic cloves and sprigs of thyme to the casserole dish. Place casserole dish in the oven.

Step 4: Remove potatoes from oven every 15 minutes. Flip potatoes using a fork or a serving spoon. Continue this process for about 1 hour-1 hour 15 minutes or until potatoes are crisp and golden brown all around. Remove garlic cloves and thyme (thyme leaves should have fallen off onto the potatoes and just the stems will be left). Place potatoes in a serving bowl, season with salt and serve immediately or save for later.

Hint: do not skip the step of shaking the potatoes in a bowl prior to roasting. This will rough up the edges of the potatoes and allow the potatoes to get extra crispy and add an extra crunch. The rough edges of the potato will crisp up better than smooth edges adding extra texture to these oven-roasted potatoes.

Substitutions

Potatoes - instead of russet potatoes, use different types of potatoes such as yukon gold potatoes, yellow potatoes or red potatoes. Both are good options if you need to use a different kind of potato. Due to the difference in starch content, the texture may vary after roasting. Russet potatoes are the overall best potatoes if you want that real crispy bite
Olive Oil - other neutral oils such as canola oil, peanut oil, avocado oil or vegetable oil can be used
Thyme - thyme can be swapped out with fresh rosemary. This will create a different flavor but still pairs well with the roasted potatoes

Variations

Spicy - add cayenne pepper or chili pepper flakes to season after roasting
Fried Potato Balls - form into potato balls and fry for a crispy fried version
Truffle Parm - add truffle oil and fresh grated parmesan cheese on top of the roasted potatoes for a upscale side dish option

See this fried potato ball version of this recipe on my website!

Equipment

To make this recipe you will need a potato peeler and a sharp knife and cutting board to peel and cube potatoes. You will also need a large pot to boil the potatoes. A medium or large bowl and a medium casserole dish or roasting pan are also needed.

How to Store Oven Roasted Potatoes Crispy

Store leftover potatoes in an airtight container or in a small bowl covered with aluminum foil in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. For best results, reheat in the air fryer or the oven. This will assure the crispy texture of your potatoes stays intact.

This best roast potatoes recipe does stand up well to freezing for up to 2 months. Reheat in the air fryer or oven prior to serving from frozen.

Top Tip

To increase the speed of the cooking time for this potato recipe, preheat the oil in the casserole dish in the oven for about 10 minutes prior to adding the potatoes. This will speed up the crisping process and shorten your roasting time while still achieving a crispy exterior.

FAQ

Is it necessary to peel the potatoes?

Peeling is optional; leaving the thin skins on adds texture and nutrients. Just be sure to wash them thoroughly if you keep the skin and also to place the potatoes face down in the oil with the skins facing up to assure you still get a crispy texture.

How can I make this recipe vegan?

It is already vegan as long as you use plant-based olive oil and avoid adding any dairy toppings. The herbs and garlic provide plenty of flavor for this perfect roast potato recipe.

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Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with these crispy roasted potatoes:

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