Crispy Roast Potatoes
Fluffy inside and shatteringly crisp outside: the essential Sunday roast side.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 10 min
- Total
- 1 hr 25 min
- Makes
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Side
- Cuisine
- British
Use floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edward. Parboil them, rough up the edges, and roast them in fat that is already hot.
Ingredients
Cups use the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart. Weighing is more accurate.
- 1½ kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward
- 6 tbsp goose fat, beef dripping or sunflower oil
- salt
- a few rosemary sprigs and unpeeled garlic cloves (optional)
Equipment
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- Large roasting tinHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 7 / 425°F. Put the fat in a large roasting tin and heat it in the oven.
- 2
Peel the potatoes and cut into large, even chunks. Put in a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are soft.
- 3
Drain well and leave to steam-dry for 2 minutes, then shake the pan to rough up the edges.
- 4
Carefully tip the potatoes into the hot fat and turn to coat. They should sizzle.
- 5
Roast for 45–60 minutes, turning once or twice, until deep golden and crisp. Add the rosemary and garlic for the last 15 minutes.
- 6
Season with salt and serve straight away.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best potatoes for roasting?
Floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edward, which go fluffy inside and crisp outside.
Why parboil and shake the potatoes?
Parboiling and roughing up the edges creates a fluffy surface that crisps in the hot fat.
Can I prepare roast potatoes ahead?
Yes. Parboil, rough up and cool them, then chill for up to a day or freeze them before roasting.
Guides for this recipe
Some of these guides contain shop links, which are affiliate links (disclosure).
Buying guide
Vegetable Peelers: Swivel or Y-Peeler?
Buying guide
Chopping Boards: Wood or Plastic?
Buying guide
Carving Knives and Forks for the Sunday Roast
Buying guide
Meat Thermometers: Cook Roasts Safely and Perfectly
Buying guide
Roasting Tins: Choosing the Right Size and Material
Buying guide
Oven Gloves: Double, Mitts or Gauntlets?
Buying guide
Gravy Boats and Jugs for the Sunday Roast
Buying guide
Salt and Pepper Mills: Grinders Explained
Buying guide
Mandolines: Fast, Even Slicing (Safely)
Kitchen design
Range Cookers: Are They Right for Your Kitchen?
Kitchen design
Christmas Dinner: How to Plan Your Oven and Hob Space
Kitchen design
How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey Safely (and When to Start)
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Card photos: Swivel and Y-shaped vegetable peelers, Pengo via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; A round end-grain wooden chopping board, Pisethinfo via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; An antique carving knife and fork, Unknown via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; A dial meat thermometer, Rainer Z ... via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Potatoes with rosemary in a roasting tin, ready for the oven, Chris Olszewski via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Oven gloves being used to lift a tray from the oven, Masterclass via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A china gravy boat with a green band, Andy Mabbett via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A wooden manual pepper mill, Obsidian Soul via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; A mandoline slicer with a carrot cut into thin rounds, No machine-readable author provided. Alex Sims assumed (based on copyright claims). via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5, cropped; A traditional black cast-iron kitchen range, Wehha via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; A golden roast turkey, Photo by M. Rehemtulla via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A raw oven-ready turkey decorated with holly and rosemary on butcher’s paper, Kolforn via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Yorkshire puddings served with a small pan of gravy, IReallyLikeYorhshirePuddding via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A beef Wellington cut open to show the pink fillet inside golden pastry, Parkerman & Christie from San Diego, USA via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; Brussels sprouts and bacon being fried in a cast-iron pan, Wheeler Cowperthwaite via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.