Crispy Roasted Potatoes (The Secret Is Baking Soda!)

If you want perfectly Crispy Roasted Potatoes that have crackly, golden exteriors with fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth centres, then look no further. The trick that makes these potatoes perfect? A little baking soda in the boil. It sounds weird, but this secret weapon roughs up the potato surfaces so they roast into crunchy perfection every time.

Believe it or not, this method took years of tinkering to nail. A quick parboil with baking soda, then a generous roast with olive oil, garlic and thyme yields that ideal texture you love in a crispy potato. Great to pair with a Sunday roast or holiday dinner as a side.

This recipe has over 200 five-star reviews, and that’s just proof it delivers every damn time! Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just craving the perfect potato, this is a side dish you’ll bookmark and make again and again.

❤️ Why This Recipe Works

• Parboiling Sets the Texture: Cooking the potatoes in water first ensures the centres become soft and fluffy before they hit the oven. This head start allows the outsides to crisp up beautifully during roasting without burning, giving you that pillowy interior and a crunchy exterior.
• Baking Soda as your Secret Weapon: Adding baking soda to the boiling water makes it alkaline, which helps break down the potato’s surface pectin. This creates a roughened, starchy exterior with lots of texture. More texture means more surface area, which translates to deeper browning and extra crispiness in the oven. My fav!
• Using the Right Fat Matters: Oil is crucial because it conducts heat evenly and encourages consistent browning, helping the potatoes roast instead of dry out. Butter, on the other hand, adds richness and flavour. Using a combination gives you the best of both worlds.
• Space and Temperature: Potatoes need room to breathe. If they’re crowded on the pan, they’ll steam rather than roast, and you won’t get the crisp you want. Spreading them out in a single layer and roasting at high heat ensures the crispy results. You can always spread them across two baking sheets if you need to!

🍲 Ingredients

• Potatoes: Both Russet and baby potatoes work for this recipe. The choice really comes down to the texture you love most. Russet potatoes are higher in starch, which means their interiors turn extra fluffy while the outsides get super crispy when roasted. Baby potatoes or Yukon Golds, on the other hand, have a naturally creamier, more buttery interior thanks to their lower starch content, while still crisping up nicely on the outside.
• Baking Soda: This is the true game-changer in the recipe. Adding baking soda to the boiling water makes it alkaline, which helps break down the potato’s surface pectin. That breakdown creates a rough, starchy coating on the outside of the potatoes, giving them more surface area to brown and crisp in the oven.
• Oil: You can use olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil. All these will work well for roasting at high heat. Olive oil, however, adds a subtle Mediterranean flavor that pairs well with thyme and garlic.
• Butter: Butter brings richness and helps with browning, but this recipe is easily made vegan by using plant-based butter instead. The result is just as crispy and flavourful, making this a standout option for all diets.
• Thyme: Thyme adds an earthy, lemony note that complements the potatoes perfectly. Rosemary also works well as a swap if you prefer a more classic roast potato flavour and you can of course use whatever variety of herbs and seasonings to jazz these up how you please.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Crispy Roasted Potatoes

1. Bring a large pot to a boil to boil your potatoes first.

2. In your pot, you’ll want to add salt and baking soda and then parboil them for 10 minutes. This is the step I mentioned before that you don’t want to miss because it helps give you the perfect consistency.

3. While your potatoes are cooking, preheat your oven and line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. When your potatoes are done, remove them from the water and add them into a large bowl where you’ll then throw in your spices such as: salt & pepper, onion powder, oil, garlic, and/or butter.

5. Once you stir together everything in your bowl, put the potatoes on your baking sheet and make sure there’s some breathing room next to each potato and they’re facing cut-side down before you roast potatoes in the oven for 50 minutes. You’ll want to remove them at the 30-minute mark to flip them and distribute the thyme evenly on them before cooking for the last 20 minutes until golden brown to perfection. 

🗒 Tips for the Crispiest Potatoes

• Don’t skip the baking soda: This step is non-negotiable if you want truly crispy potatoes. This not-so-secret ingredient helps you achieve that perfect texture and is what allows the potatoes to crisp in the oven. Without it, you’ll still get roasted potatoes, just not these roasted potatoes.
• Don’t crowd the pan: Potatoes need space to roast properly. If they’re packed too closely together, moisture gets trapped, and they’ll steam instead of being crisp. Spread them out in a single layer with room between pieces, and use two sheets if your pan looks too crowded.
• Make sure the oil is hot: Preheating the sheet pan with oil for about five minutes before adding the potatoes helps jump-start the browning process. Hot oil means the potatoes begin crisping the moment they hit the pan, rather than soaking up oil and turning greasy.
• Dry the potatoes well: After boiling, let the potatoes sit in the colander or pot for a few minutes so excess moisture can evaporate.
• Cut uniform sizes: Evenly sized pieces cook at the same rate. If some are smaller and others larger, you’ll end up with burnt bits and undercooked centres. Aim for consistency for the best texture.
• Use the right pan: A rimmed sheet pan is ideal for high-heat roasting. Dark pans conduct heat more aggressively, so if you’re using one, reduce the oven temperature by about 25°F to prevent over-browning.

🗒 Variation: Roasted Potatoes with Seasoned Salt & Avocado Mayo Dip

If you like this recipe, try my variation of these Crispy Roasted Potatoes that uses a yummy seasoned salt instead of thyme and is paired with a avocado mayo dip for dipping!

Ingredients:

• 2-2.5 lbs Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
• water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2-3/4 cup avocado oil
• 1 tbsp fresh minced rosemary
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 tbsp smoked, kosher or sea salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 cup avocado or regular mayo
• 1 large garlic clove, pressed
• 1 tbsp fresh minced chives
• 1 tsp fresh minced rosemary
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

How to Make:

1. Peel and cut the potatoes – Chop the two ends of the potatoes off, slice the large middle section in half lengthwise then chop those in halves depending on the size of the potato.
2. Add peeled potatoes into a large pot with salt and baking soda. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, parboil for 8-10 minutes until fork tender but not falling apart.
3. Strain the potatoes in a colander and then put them back into the pot with the lid on and gently shake them to lightly fluff them up, for about 30 seconds.
4. Preheat the oven to 425F. Once preheated, add Avocado Oil to a roasting pan or sheet pan, making sure to cover the bottom of the pan (about 1/2-3/4 cup of oil). Place the pan in the oven to warm the oil for 10 minutes.
5. After 10 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully add in the potatoes. Gently toss the potatoes in the hot oil and make sure they’re in a single layer on the pan. Place in the oven for 60-70 minutes, tossing gently in the oil every 20 minutes, until the potatoes have a golden brown color all over.
6. While the potatoes are cooking -Make the seasoned salt:  Mix together the 1 tbsp fresh minced rosemary, lemon zest from one lemon, 2 tbsp smoked / kosher / or sea salt, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp garlic powder and ½ tsp onion powder. Set aside.Make the mayo: In a small bowl mix together the avocado mayo, 1 garlic clove pressed, 1 tbsp fresh minced chives, 1 tsp fresh minced rosemary, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Set aside.
7. Once the potatoes are cooked and golden brown all over, remove from the oven. Take the potatoes out of the pan with a slotted spoon and add to a bowl. Toss the potatoes with the seasoned salt and then serve with the mayo on the side.

🗒 What to Serve with Crispy Roasted Potatoes

• Salmon Kebabs
• Greek Chicken Souvlaki
• As part of a Mezze Spread
• With your Breakfast Sandwich
• Greek Salad

👝 How to Store and Reheat

These Roasted Potatoes are definitely at their best straight from the oven, when the outsides are ultra-crispy, and the centres are fluffy. That said, leftovers still hold up well. Store any cooled potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just know they’ll lose some crispiness once chilled.

For the best results, reheat the potatoes in a hot skillet with a little oil over medium-low heat for about 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally until heated through and crisped up again. This method restores the crunch. An air fryer also works well — reheat at 375°F for 5–6 minutes, shaking halfway through.

🤔 Frequently Asked Questions

Crispy Roasted Potatoes

4.84 from 187 votes

These easy Crispy Roasted Potatoes are the perfect side that everyone will love. Roasted to the perfect consistency we all love!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Wedge

Cuisine Mediterranean, Vegan, Greek-Inspired

Servings 5

Calories 289 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 2 L water – depending on the size of your pot
• 6 medium-sized russet potatoes peeled and quartered
• 2 tbsp. sea salt
• 1 tbsp. baking soda
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves pressed, grated or finely chopped – this is important.
• 1 tbsp. vegan butter
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cracked pepper
• 3 tbsp. fresh thyme smashed to release the scent

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Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot to a boil and add the salt and baking soda.  Add the potatoes and parboil them for 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425F and line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove from water, strain and transfer to a large bowl. To the bowl, add the salt, pepper, onion powder, oil, garlic and butter. Stir gently.
• Transfer potatoes to a baking sheet. You need to make sure each potato has room to breathe and is cut-side down.  You may need to use two baking sheets depending on how many potatoes you cook.
• Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, flip each potato and evenly distribute with fresh thyme.
• Cook for another 20 minutes or until perfectly crispy and golden.
• Serve with fresh lemon (optional) but highly recommended if enjoyed with a fresh salad or greens.
• But honestly, you can…Enjoy. With. Anything.

Video

Notes

Tip: Use russet or baby potatoes!

Nutrition

Serving: 5 | Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 47.7g | Protein: 5.8g | Fat: 9.8g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4g | Sodium: 3307.3mg | Fiber: 3.7g | Sugar: 1.6g

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