Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes (No Parboiling)

Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes

Small, skin-on potato halves and quarters roast with browned cut faces, crisp edges, and tender centers. Garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper season them lightly; fresh parsley goes on after roasting.

There’s no parboiling or starch coating in this version. Dry the potatoes well, place their cut faces against the pan, and leave space between the pieces so they brown instead of steam. Allow about 15 minutes to prepare them and 35 to 40 minutes to roast, but use color and tenderness—not the clock alone—to judge when they’re done.

Ingredients for Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes

• 2 pounds baby yellow potatoes (about 900g)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

How to Roast the Potatoes

1. Preheat and cut: Fully preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Wash the potatoes and leave the skins on. Halve small potatoes lengthwise and quarter larger ones so the pieces are roughly 1 to 1 1/2 inches across.
2. Dry and season: Dry the cut potatoes thoroughly. Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper until evenly coated.
3. Arrange and roast: Spread the potatoes on a large, unlined rimmed metal baking sheet in a single layer, with broad cut faces against the pan. Leave visible space between most pieces; use a second pan if needed. Roast uncovered for about 20 minutes.
4. Flip and finish: Turn the potatoes with a spatula and roast for about 15 to 20 minutes more. Start checking at 30 minutes total, especially if the pieces are small. They’re done when the cut faces and edges are golden to deep golden brown and a fork slides easily through the centers. If they’re tender but pale, continue roasting uncovered until they brown.
5. Serve: Transfer the potatoes to a white serving bowl, scatter the parsley over them, and serve hot.

How to Get Browned, Crisp Edges

Wet surfaces and a crowded pan trap moisture, leaving potatoes soft and pale. Dry the pieces before seasoning, coat them evenly with oil, and spread them out so moisture can escape. Let the cut faces brown against the metal before the first flip; turning too early can leave the browned surface stuck to the pan.

The potatoes need space while roasting, but they can be piled in the bowl once they’re done.

Do You Need to Boil the Potatoes First?

No. Roasting the raw baby potatoes keeps the halves and quarters intact, with smooth skins and broad browned cut faces. Parboiling and roughing up potatoes is a different method that produces a more craggy crust and requires different timing.

Storing and Reheating

Cool leftovers and refrigerate them promptly in an airtight container. Use within 3 to 4 days; the crisp edges will soften in storage. To reheat, spread the potatoes on a sheet pan and warm uncovered in a 400°F (205°C) oven until hot and the edges re-crisp, checking after about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Approximate per serving, based on 6 side-dish servings: 175 calories, 3g protein, 7g fat, and 27g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g of roasted potatoes: 125 calories, 2g protein, 5g fat, and 19g carbohydrates. Values are estimates; the per-100g figures vary with moisture lost during roasting.