Oven Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic

Name: Oven Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 38 min
Total time: 58 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) baby potatoes (yellow or red), scrubbed, dried well, halved (quartered if larger than 2 inches/5 cm); 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1½ tbsp (4 g) fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped (from about 3 sprigs); 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; ½ lemon (30 g) lemon, cut into wedges, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Halved baby potatoes roast cut-side down on a hot pan until deeply golden and crisp on the bottom, with creamy centers. Fresh rosemary and garlic are added partway through so they turn fragrant instead of bitter.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 38 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 3 min
Makes: About 6 cups (6 side-dish servings)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Steps

Before you start

Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C) with the empty sheet pan inside.
Choose potatoes of similar size, about 1½ inches (4 cm) across, so they cook evenly. Cut any larger ones to match.
Dry the potatoes thoroughly after washing. Wet potatoes steam instead of crisping.
Prep the potatoes while the oven preheats; the oven needs about 15 minutes in total to get the pan very hot.

1
Preheat oven and panOven 425°F / 220°C
- Place a rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Put a large rimmed baking sheet on it and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Start this first and prep the potatoes (steps 2 and 3) while it heats; the pan needs about 15 minutes in total to get very hot.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Oven reaches 425°F (220°C) and the pan has heated for at least 15 minutes
Tip: A preheated pan gives the potatoes a sizzling start and a crisper bottom.
2
Cut and dry potatoes
- Halve the baby potatoes lengthwise, or quarter any larger than 2 inches (5 cm), so all pieces are about 1½ inches (4 cm).
- Pat the cut potatoes completely dry with a clean kitchen towel.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Surfaces feel dry to the touch
Tip: Moisture is the enemy of crispness, so don't skip drying.
3
Season the potatoes
- In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the olive oil, the salt and the pepper until every piece is evenly glossy.
- Save the garlic, rosemary and remaining oil for later.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All potatoes are evenly coated with no dry spots
4
Start roasting cut-side downOven 425°F / 220°C
- Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven.
- Arrange the potatoes cut-side down in a single layer with a little space between them.
- They should sizzle.
- Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes without moving them.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Cut sides are golden brown and release when nudged with a spatula
Tip: Use two pans rather than crowding one. Crowded potatoes steam and turn soft.
5
Mix garlic and rosemary
- While the potatoes roast, stir the minced garlic and chopped rosemary into the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil in a small bowl.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Garlic and rosemary are evenly coated in oil
6
Flip and add aromaticsOven 425°F / 220°C
- Remove the pan from the oven.
- Use a metal spatula to flip the potatoes, scraping up any stuck crust.
- Drizzle the garlic-rosemary oil over them and toss gently on the pan to coat.
- Spread them out again in a single layer.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Potatoes are coated in fragrant oil with garlic bits distributed throughout
Tip: Adding garlic now, not at the start, keeps it from burning and turning bitter.
7
Finish roastingOven 425°F / 220°C
- Return the pan to the oven and roast at 425°F (220°C) for 15 to 20 more minutes, stirring once halfway, until the potatoes are deep golden and crisp at the edges.
- The garlic should be golden, not dark brown.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: A knife slides into the center with no resistance and the skins look crisp and golden
Tip: If the garlic darkens too quickly, move the pan to the middle rack.
8
Season and serve
- Taste a potato and sprinkle with a pinch more salt if needed.
- Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot, with lemon wedges if you like.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Potatoes are well seasoned and steaming hot
Tip: A squeeze of lemon brightens the rich flavor.

Good to know

Tips

Keep the potatoes in a single layer with space between them so they roast instead of steam.
Don't move the potatoes during the first 20 minutes. This is when the golden crust forms.
For extra-crisp potatoes, parboil them in salted water for 8 minutes, drain, dry and steam-dry for 5 minutes before roasting. Reduce the first roasting stage to 15 minutes.
Cut potatoes to a uniform size so they finish at the same time.

Make ahead

Halve the potatoes up to 8 hours ahead, submerge in cold water in the fridge, then drain and dry very thoroughly before roasting. Mince the garlic and chop the rosemary up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate separately.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: not recommended, as the texture turns grainy. Reheat on a baking sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or in an air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for 5 to 6 minutes, until crisp and hot.

Substitutions

fresh rosemary leaves → fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary. Use the dried rosemary in step 3 with the potatoes, since it needs more time to soften.
baby potatoes (yellow or red) → Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks. Peeling is optional. Cooking time is about the same.
extra-virgin olive oil → avocado oil or melted duck fat. Duck fat gives extra crispness and richness.
garlic cloves → 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Toss it with the potatoes at the start. It won't burn the way fresh garlic can.