Garlic Butter Roasted Baby Potatoes
These skin-on red and yellow baby potato halves roast cut-side down for browned faces and tender centers. A quick garlic-sage butter goes on after roasting, leaving visible garlic and herb flecks in a light, glossy coating without exposing the chopped garlic to the hot oven. Use small, similarly sized potatoes and give them room on the pan; the roast time is for halves, not whole baby potatoes.
Ingredients for Garlic Butter Roasted Baby Potatoes
- 2 lb mixed baby red and yellow potatoes, halved (900g)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (40g)
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
How to Roast the Potatoes
- Prepare the potatoes: Fully preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Wash and thoroughly dry the potatoes, then halve them into small, fairly even pieces.
- Arrange cut-side down: Lightly oil a rimmed metal baking sheet with a little of the measured olive oil. Toss the potatoes with the remaining oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them cut-side down in one uncrowded layer, using a second sheet if needed.
- Roast until browned and tender: Roast uncovered without routinely flipping. Rotate the pan halfway through if it browns unevenly. Start checking at 22 minutes; small halves generally take 25 to 35 minutes. They are done when the cut faces have golden-to-deep-brown patches and a fork slides easily into the center of a larger half. If a piece sticks, let it roast a little longer before lifting it gently with a thin spatula.
- Make the garlic-sage butter: Near the end of roasting, melt the butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the sage and cook briefly, then stir in the garlic for 30 to 60 seconds, just until fragrant. Remove from the heat while the garlic is still pale.
- Toss and serve: Transfer the hot potatoes to a wide serving bowl and gently toss with the garlic-sage butter. Taste for salt and serve promptly, with some browned cut faces showing.
How to Get Browned Cut Sides
Wet or crowded potatoes steam rather than brown. Dry them after washing and leave space between the halves so their cut faces can sit directly against the metal pan. Keep them cut-side down during the roast; lifting them too early can tear away the developing crust. Parchment makes cleanup easier, but a bare sheet gives the potatoes more direct pan contact.
Why Add the Garlic Butter After Roasting?
Roasting the potatoes with oil lets the cut sides brown without leaving chopped garlic in the oven long enough to scorch. Gently cooking the sage and garlic in butter near the end keeps the garlic pale and fragrant. If it begins to brown, take the pan off the heat.
Potato Size and Doneness
The 25- to 35-minute window applies to small, similarly sized halves. Whole baby potatoes or larger pieces need more time. Check both the browned cut sides and the center of a larger piece before removing the pan from the oven.
Serving and Variations
Serve warm beside roast chicken, steak, pork, or fish with a fresh salad. For a milder herb note, replace the sage with a modest amount of fresh thyme.
For a softer potato side, try melting potatoes with garlic-thyme butter sauce. For a separate cheese-crusted recipe, try these crispy Parmesan crusted potatoes.
Storing and Reheating
Cool leftovers and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a single layer on a sheet pan at 350°F (175°C) until hot, roughly 10 minutes for a modest portion; larger amounts may take longer. The surfaces soften in storage, though dry-heat reheating can restore some crispness.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 6 side-dish servings: 210 calories, 3g protein, 10g fat, and 27g carbohydrates. Per 100g, estimated from ingredient weights before roasting: 125 calories, 2g protein, 6g fat, and 16g carbohydrates. Values are estimates; moisture lost during roasting changes the finished weight and per-100g figures.
Equipment
- rimmed metal baking sheet
- small skillet or saucepan
- wide serving bowl
- thin spatula
Ingredients
- 2 lb mixed baby red and yellow potatoes, halved (900g)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (40g)
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
Instructions
- Fully preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Wash and thoroughly dry the potatoes, then halve them into small, fairly even pieces.
- Lightly oil a rimmed metal baking sheet with a little of the measured olive oil.
- Toss the potatoes with the remaining olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the potatoes cut-side down in one uncrowded layer, using a second sheet if needed.
- Roast uncovered without routinely flipping. Rotate the pan halfway through if it browns unevenly.
- Start checking at 22 minutes; small halves generally take 25 to 35 minutes. They are ready when the cut faces have golden-to-deep-brown patches and a fork slides easily into the center of a larger half.
- If a potato sticks, let it roast a little longer, then gently lift it with a thin spatula.
- Near the end of roasting, melt the butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add the sage and cook briefly, then stir in the garlic for 30 to 60 seconds, just until fragrant. Remove from the heat while the garlic is still pale.
- Transfer the hot potatoes to a wide serving bowl and gently toss with the garlic-sage butter.
- Taste for salt and serve promptly, with some browned cut faces showing.
Tips
- Use small, similarly sized potatoes so the halves cook evenly.
- Dry the potatoes thoroughly after washing to help them brown instead of steam.
- Leave space between the halves and keep them cut-side down for direct pan contact.
- Avoid lifting the potatoes too early; give sticking pieces more time to release.
- Add the garlic butter after roasting to keep the chopped garlic from scorching.
Variations
- Fresh Thyme Potatoes: Replace the sage with a modest amount of fresh thyme for a milder herb note.