Roast potatoes are the ultimate side dish, taking pride of place on any Christmas or Thanksgiving holiday table spread. We all love the meat, but we're really here for the potatoes. You only need a few things to make roast potatoes truly epic. Garlic, herbs, good seasoning and the right cooking technique, and you're in roast potato heaven.

Making super crispy roast potatoes is so easy! Here I'm showing you how to make them perfectly every time with expert tips and step by step instructions. I love to create recipes with gourmet flavours that are super accessible and easy to make, so read on and let's nerd out on potatoes together.

What kind of potatoes are best for roasting?

In my opinion the best potatoes for roasting are a washed young / new potato. First of all, you don't have to peel them! They are small, the skin is thin and they have less starch which means they’ll keep their shape, but end up super creeaaammmyyy on the inside as opposed to more fluffy texture from the bigger sized potatoes.

New potatoes are a light colour and can come in all the varieties of your regular potatoes like yukon, russet, maris piper etc, but they may just also be labelled as ‘new’ or ‘baby’ potatoes. This just means that they were harvested early.

What fat is best for roasting potatoes?

This is a personal preference. I love the simple combo of butter and oil. It's easy, affordable and tastes delicious. You can use duck fat as well, which is incredible, and perfect for a big events like Christmas or Thanksgiving where you pull out all the stops. But if you want to keep this dish budget friendly, I recommend sticking with butter and oil together.

Pro tips for making roasted potatoes with garlic and herbs

• Parboil your potatoes: They need to be parboiled in boiling water first, this is a non negotiable for crispy potatoes. Add them to boiling water, not cold water that you bring up to a boil. This is so the outer layer cooks and becomes soft making it possible for the fat to absorb through it and create a crispy layer.
• Allow the steam to escape: After parboiling, drain them well and allow the steam to escape, this will help to dry them out, and won't create a lot of moisture in the oven.
• Rough them up: By that I mean shake them around in a pan, roughing up the edges to give an undulated, uneven texture around your spud. All of this texture turns into crispiness - the outer cooked layer absorbs the fat and goes ultra crispy,
• Heat up the butter and oil: Do this before adding in your spuds. This helps the fat to absorb into the potato easier and begins to crisp up right away.
• Cook them for an hour: I've tested the cooking time a lot. They need an hour in the oven to get the proper amount of crispness. You can pull them out of the oven after 30-40 mins (they will be cooked but not as good), so give them the full hour if you want that crisssspppyyy potato crunch.
• Turn during the cook: To get an even colour, you want to turn them over during the cooking process.
• Add garlic at the end: Add your garlic with 10 minutes to go, this will ensure it doesn't burn. If you add garlic at the start of the cook it will turn to charcoal. Not a vibe.
• For a golden colour: If some are looking a little less golden as you're tossing them half way through the cook; turn them face down to come in contact with the heat of the pan, which will cause them to become nice and golden during the rest of the cooking process.
• Don't use baking paper or foil: Either as a base or to cover them. This will stop the direct heat and you won't get the golden brown colour and crispiness you're looking for.

Recommended Equipment

All you need is a pot big enough to fit 1kg of potatoes, a colander and a roasting pan big enough to for the potatoes on a single layer. I don't recommend a ceramic or glass pan, they don't get hot enough to create the crispy layer. Stainless steel or enamel are great.

What to serve with roasted potatoes

I mean, what doesn't go with roast potatoes, am I right? But specifically, pair with any main dish like roast chicken, roast lamb, or pulled pork.

For more potato recipes to try

My Truffle Potato Gratin with Gruyere and Smoked Cheddar, Duck Fat Hasselback Potatoes and Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes are absolute show stoppers, or my Warm Roasted Potato Salad with Dill and Capers is a fun way to change up potato salad recipe.