Roasted Parmesan Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it necessary to boil potatoes before roasting? ›

Do I have to boil potatoes before roasting? Not necessary but this can help get the perfect consistency and crispiness. Make sure you boil them but leave them a bit al dente and they will crisp up perfectly in the oven.

Soaking your sliced potatoes in the ice water before roasting them in the oven can draw out extra starch, allowing the spuds to cook up extra crunchy on the outside. As you slice up your potatoes into bite-sized cuts, simply toss each piece into the cold bowl. Then, allow them to rest and chill.

If roasted potatoes lack their crunchy sheen, overcrowding is usually the culprit. Just as overcrowding bacon or mushrooms in a saucepan causes disappointingly mushy results, placing potatoes too close to each other on a baking sheet will prevent them from crisping while they roast.

Carefully add the potatoes to the hot tray along with the garlic and rosemary. Toss to coat in the fat and spread out in a single layer so they cook evenly. Roast for 40-45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to serve.

Russet potatoes will produce crisper crusts and fluffier centers. Yukon Golds will be slightly less crisp and have creamier centers, with a darker color and deeper flavor. You can also use a mix of the two. The potatoes should be cut into very large chunks, at least 2 to 3 inches or so.

A general rule of thumb is to parboil potatoes until they are fork-tender but not falling apart, this can range anywhere from 15 minutes for small potatoes to 25-30 minutes for large whole potatoes.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

For roasting, you may skip blanching, if time is of the essence, and simply soak wedged potatoes for at least 5 minutes, but the longer they soak, the more starch you will release. After the potatoes have soaked, rinse them in a colander before patting dry with paper towels.

When the corn starch comes into contact with the hot oil, it forms a barrier that traps moisture within the potato while also developing a crunchy crust. This results in fries that are both tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, mimicking the texture of fries you might find in restaurants.

Sprinkle your parboiled potatoes with flour. This gives potatoes extra crunch. A tablespoon is all you need! Throw in some whole, unpeeled garlic cloves or a handful of herbs (thyme, sage or rosemary all work well) with the potatoes when adding them to the hot roasting tin.

Why are my roasted potatoes mushy? ›

Roasted potatoes can become soggy if the water content in the potato isn't fully cooked. Different potatoes have different water content percentages. Also, be mindful of the oil. Potatoes can react like sponges; too much oil can make your potatoes appear to be soggy.

If you're cooking the potatoes after they've been in the fridge, the cooking time may be a little longer than normal as the potatoes will be cold. If you are cooking a whole roast dinner and are in and out of the oven you may find your roasties take a little longer.

1. Preparation: Potatoes may be prepped in advance by peeling, slicing, or dicing them, reducing the cooking time significantly. 2. Parboiling: This involves partially cooking the potatoes in boiling water before finishing them in the oven, on the grill, or in a fryer.

The potatoes cook on the inside when you parboil, so the baking time is basically crisping them up to perfection, which we do at a high oven temperature. If the potatoes are raw, when you use a high temperature, the outside of the potatoes will burn before the inside cooks.

And potatoes are even more confusing: you can both roast and bake a potato, but a roast potato aims for crispiness, while a baked potato aims for softness.

And even if recipes don't call for it, sometimes the recipe is quick and tastier if you boil the potatoes first, anyway. Start with cold water and salt (so the potato gains flavor as it cooks). And whatever size or type of potato you're boiling, you'll want everything to be of a similar size so they cook evenly.

Steam the potatoes instead of boiling

So the next time you're prepping potatoes for another dish or just softening them on their own, try steaming them instead of boiling. Another advantage? Unlike a big pot of boiling water, steam won't dilute the flavor of the potatoes substantially.

Potatoes should be scrubbed before boiling, rather than soaked. Soaking potatoes in water can sap nutrients and flavor. To enrich the flavor of potatoes boil them in a favorite stock, or for a mild, sweet taste, boil in milk. Potatoes boiled in milk should be peeled thinly when cooled.

You don't need to, but if you like really crispy potatoes, there's a method that requires a few minutes of pre-cooking. Basically, you put the potatoes into already boiling water for a few minutes to soften up the outside.