Do I have to boil the potatoes first when making crispy roast potatoes?

If you want super crispy roast potatoes, this step is key . You can, of course, roast potatoes without parboiling, but it'll be harder to get that super crispy crust and buttery soft inside. The purpose of boiling the potatoes first is to part-cook them and to soften up that outside layer so that the hot oil clings to it and you get all the lovely, crusty, craggy bits.

I don't have polenta. What can I use instead?

No problem at all - there are a couple of things you can use instead of polenta. Plain, all-purpose flour is the one that most people will have in the cupboard, or you could use semolina or almond flour.

What kind of potatoes work best for crispy skin-on roast potatoes?

Much like the heat of your oil, the potato type is super important if you're looking for a super crispy result. I like using Maris Piper potatoes, but Yukon Gold or King Edward are other examples you could use. You just want to stay away from new potatoes or waxy potatoes because they won't get that fluffy inside we're after.

Crispy Skin On Roast Potatoes

Name: Crispy Skin On Roast Potatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons sunflower, light olive or rapeseed oil; 4 lb (2kg) potatoes (Yukon gold, Agria or Maris Piper are great); 1 tablespoon salt; 2 tablespoons polenta; 1 tablespoon flaky sea salt; 2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons thyme leaves; Zest of 1 lemon

Description

You CAN get super crispy roast potatoes without peeling them. This recipe for skin on roast potatoes saves SO much time, you’ll never go back. Just chop, parboil, roast, and you’re done!

I’ve mixed through a lovely mix of rosemary, thyme and lemon zest at the end to really help the potatoes sing.

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 tablespoons sunflower, light olive or rapeseed oil
4 lb (2kg) potatoes (Yukon gold, Agria or Maris Piper are great)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons polenta
1 tablespoon flaky sea salt
2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
Zest of 1 lemon

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Instructions

Heat your oil. Pour 4 tablespoons of oil into a large roasting tray or ovenproof dish big enough to hold all the potatoes on one layer. You may need to use two, depending on the size of your tray. Pop into the oven and turn it to 450°F (220°C fan).
Par-boil the potatoes. Chop your potatoes into rough, large chunks – I normally cut them into three chunks on a diagonal – then pop them in a large pot, add 1 tablespoon of the salt, and cover with cold water. Put the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, then simmer for five minutes, until easily pierced with a fork.
Drain and shake the potatoes. Drain the water out of the pot using a colander, then put the potatoes back into the dry pot. Sprinkle over 2 tablespoons of polenta, then give the pot a very good shake, making sure the polenta coats the potatoes and they get a little roughed up (this will give you the lovely crispy exterior). Leave the potatoes to steam dry while your oven and the oil get very hot – the oven should be heating for at least 30 minutes.
Roast the potatoes. Carefully remove the tray from the oven and tip the potatoes into the tray with the hot oil, being careful to avoid any hot oil splatter. Roast for about 45 minutes, turning a couple of times throughout the cooking process. After 45 minutes, the potatoes should be golden and crispy on the outside (you can cut into one to test this). Once they are golden and crispy, remove them from the oven.
Prepare the garnish. Mix the chopped rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon of flaky sea salt in a small bowl.
Garnish and serve. Add the rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, and salt mix to the tray and mix through the potatoes. Transfer them to a serving plate and serve right away (you can also serve them directly from the roasting dish to reduce the washing up).

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: You can use any fluffy potato variety here – you just want to stay away from waxy potatoes as they won’t get as fluffy. Switch out the polenta for plain flour if you can’t find it.

PREP AHEAD: To make the potatoes ahead of time, cook them for 20 minutes or until they’re starting to look golden. Remove them from the tray and set them aside to cool, then drain the oil into a container. You can refrigerate both (covered) for a day, and then all you’ll need to do is heat the oil in a tray for 10 minutes at 450°F (220°C fan), before popping the potatoes back in and cooking for another 25 minutes until golden and crispy all over. You can also cook the potatoes for 20 minutes earlier in the day you’re going to serve them, remove them, and leave them at room temperature, then just add them back into the oven for another 25 minutes when you’re ready to serve.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Pair them with herby roasted chicken or crispy pork belly, alongside ‘Marry Me’ chicken or ‘Marry Me’ chicken meatballs, with grilled chicken (it’s lovely with miso grilled chicken or honey harissa grilled chicken), or enjoy by itself with a dipping sauce (try egg-free garlic aioli, 2 minute gochujang aioli, whipped cottage cheese or creamy whipped feta).

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 45
Category: sides
Method: oven
Cuisine: american

Nutrition

Serving Size: 150g
Calories: 304
Sugar: 0.7g
Sodium: 500mg
Fat: 5.1g
Saturated Fat: 0.5g
Unsaturated Fat: 4.6g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 52g
Fiber: 4.25g
Protein: 4.1g
Cholesterol: 0mg