Crispy Oven-Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Baby Yukon Gold potatoes. Thin skins crisp without peeling and the flesh holds up during parboiling. Russets work but need peeling and slightly larger cuts; avoid waxy baby reds for this technique.
• Olive oil. Helps brown and flavor the potatoes. Avocado oil is an alternative if you prefer a higher smoke point.
• Garlic powder and onion powder. Provide surface flavor without burning at high heat; fresh garlic will scorch at 425°F.
• Paprika. Adds color and mild warmth. Smoked paprika gives a deeper, savory note.
• Salt and pepper. Season generously — under-salted potatoes taste flat.
• Fresh rosemary (optional). Adds an aromatic finish; thyme is a good substitute. Avoid dried rosemary at this temperature.

Scroll to the recipe card for exact quantities and timing.

Best Potatoes for Crispy Roasting

Baby Yukon Gold is my top pick. Their thin skins crisp without peeling and the interior stays creamy. Russets work if peeled and cut slightly larger; avoid baby reds, which are too waxy to crisp well.

How to Make Extra Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes (Step-by-Step)

1. Step 1: Prep and preheat. Heat your oven to 425°F and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes.

2. Step 2: Parboil. Boil the potatoes for 10 to 14 minutes until fork-tender. Drain, then shake them in the pot or colander to fluff the edges.

3. Step 3: Season. Transfer to a bare metal baking sheet (no parchment), drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and rosemary if using. Toss to coat and spread in a single layer.

4. Step 4: Roast. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes without touching them. Flip the potatoes, then roast another 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden and crispy.

The 5 Things That Actually Make Roasted Potatoes Crispy

1. Parboil with salt first. Boiling releases surface starch that crisps in the oven. Skipping this step gives golden but non-crunchy potatoes.
2. Roughen the edges after draining. Shaking the potatoes creates fluffy, jagged edges that turn crunchy when roasted.
3. Roast on a bare metal sheet — no parchment. Parchment traps moisture and can steam the bottoms. A hot metal sheet produces the best crust.
4. Don’t crowd the pan. Spread potatoes in a single layer with space between pieces; otherwise they steam instead of crisp.
5. Roast hot and wait to flip. 425°F is ideal, and leaving them undisturbed for the first 20 minutes lets the crust set before you flip.

Ingredient Substitutions & Variations

Common variations I use with notes on timing and technique:

• Garlic Parmesan. Toss with ¼ cup grated Parmesan during the last 10 minutes of roasting and add fresh minced garlic near the end so it doesn’t burn.
• Greek-style. Swap paprika for dried oregano, squeeze fresh lemon after roasting, and finish with crumbled feta.
• Spicy. Add ½ teaspoon cayenne or chili powder to the seasoning mix. Smoked paprika plus cayenne is great for breakfast with eggs.
• Different potatoes. Russets work but should be cut larger (about 1.5 inches) and peeled. Fingerlings are excellent halved lengthwise. Avoid baby reds for this method.
• Different oils. Avocado oil is fine; duck fat or tallow add richer flavor if you want to splurge.

How to Store and Reheat

• To store: Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Best reheating: Reheat spread on a baking sheet at 400°F for 8–10 minutes, flipping once. An air fryer at 400°F for 5–7 minutes restores crispness even better.
• Avoid the microwave. Microwaving makes crispy potatoes soggy within seconds.
• Freezing: Not recommended — freezing and thawing ruins the texture. Make fresh when possible.

Common causes are skipping the parboil, using parchment paper, or crowding the pan. Any of those will trap steam or prevent a starch-rich surface from forming. Fixing them yields much crispier potatoes.

You don’t have to, but parboiling for 10–14 minutes produces the starch on the surface that crisps in the oven. Without it you’ll end up with golden but not crunchy potatoes.

Yes — adding ½ teaspoon baking soda to the boiling water raises pH and speeds surface breakdown, producing a starchier exterior and extra crunch. It’s optional but effective.

425°F is ideal: hot enough to crisp the exterior before the inside dries out. I found 400°F wasn’t crisp enough and 450°F burned edges before centers finished.

You can parboil and season up to 4 hours ahead and roast before serving. Fully roasting in advance and reheating reduces crispiness, though reheating in the oven or air fryer helps restore some crunch.

Not with this method. Sweet potatoes have different starch and sugar content and become mushy if parboiled. Use an air fryer method designed for sweet potatoes instead.

More Crispy Potato Recipes You’ll Love

If you enjoy these potatoes, try other methods like smashed fingerlings, air fryer sweet potato wedges, or crispy air fryer smashed potatoes for different textures and flavors.

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• 2 pounds baby yellow or Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 – 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ – 1 teaspoon paprika
• Optional: 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, minced
• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Preheat. Heat your oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt.
• Cut and parboil. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Add them to the boiling water and cook for 10 to 14 minutes, until fork-tender but not falling apart.
• Drain and fluff. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot or place in a colander. Shake gently for 10 to 15 seconds until the edges look rough and fluffy.
• Season. Transfer to a bare metal baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and rosemary if using. Toss to coat and spread in a single layer with space between each piece.
• Roast (first round). Roast for 20 minutes without touching them so the crust can form.
• Flip and finish. Flip the potatoes, then roast another 20 to 25 minutes, shaking once or twice, until deep golden and crispy. Serve immediately.

Skip the parchment paper. Roast on a metal baking sheet for the crispiest bottoms.

Don’t crowd the pan. Give each piece space so they crisp instead of steam.

Baking soda for extra crisp (optional). Add ½ teaspoon to the boiling water to increase surface starch and crunch.

Make-ahead: Parboil and season up to 4 hours ahead, then roast before serving. Fully roasting ahead reduces crispiness.

Storage and reheat: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat at 400°F for 8–10 minutes or air fry 5–7 minutes. Avoid the microwave.

Don’t peel Yukons. Their thin skins crisp nicely and add texture; peel only if using russets.