To me, the perfect roast potato has a thick, golden, super crunchy crust, it is fluffy and moist on the inside and perfectly seasoned. How many times have you gone to the effort of making a spectacular roast dinner, only to be let down by less than perfect roast potatoes?
Want to try the deluxe version? Head over to Duck Fat Potatoes!
Here’s why this recipe makes Truly Crunchy Roast Potatoes:
1) par boiling the potatoes and roughing up the potatoes creates more “suction” for the surface to absorb fat which is how you make potatoes crunchy and creates the extra thick crust;
2) the potatoes are lightly coated with semolina which creates extra crunch;
3) the potatoes are poured into a pan preheated with hot oil; and
4) the oil used is a high smoke point oil (peanut, safflower, rice bran, sunflower oil)- the hotter the oil when the potatoes go in, the better the crust.
Above all else, the 3rd and 4th points are the key. It makes all the difference and doesn’t take any extra time because the oil is heated in the pan while the oven is preheating. If you don’t have time to par boil, then cut the potatoes up smaller and dust with semolina (but it doesn’t stay on well as when you do this after par boiling), use the preheated hot oil method and you’ll notice the potatoes are a lot crunchier.
This recipe for roast potatoes came after I watched Nigella on a Christmas Special a number of years ago making her perfect roast potatoes. It changed the way I made potatoes forever, and I have never looked back.
Nigella’s recipe is rather indulgent. It is made using goose fat – A LOT of it, around 2 cups (640g/1 1/4lb). I remember reading in the news that the first year her Christmas Special aired, goose fat sold out all over the UK!!
We didn’t have that problem here in Australia because goose fat is expensive – it’s around $15 to $20 per can and you need TWO of them. So basically, making Nigella’s roast potatoes would cost close to $40! Duck fat is the closest substitute, but it is expensive as well, around $12 to $15 per can.
I have made this with both goose fat and duck fat, and it is sensational. I used fat rendered from roasting goose and duck, not store bought fat – I don’t think I could ever justify such a cost, not even for potatoes!
There is a distinct flavour using goose or duck fat that can’t be replaced with any bottled oil. BUT you can still achieve the same level of crunchiness, using the same method as Nigella does but with specific types of cooking oils instead of goose fat. And using a lot LESS oil too.
I call this Perfect Roast Potatoes for Normal People. Nigella’s Perfect Roast Potatoes is for wealthy people who can afford $40 roast potatoes! (Or if you live in the UK, where goose fat is MUCH cheaper!).
I’ve provided directions for Nigella’s recipe in the notes. Just in case you are one of “those” people!
I made these roast potatoes to go with a Slow Roasted Rosemary Garlic Lamb Shoulder. You can’t bake them at the same time because of the different oven temperatures required, but lamb shoulder can be set aside to rest for up to a couple of hours before having to reheat it. So the timing works very well!
Oh, the other thing worth noting is that the potatoes will be crunchy when they are a golden colour with only a few bits of dark brown parts. Standard roast potato recipes are typically darker brown.
Love to hear what you think if you try it! Shout out if you have any questions at all. 🙂
– Nagi
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Truly Crunchy Roast Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup / 165 ml oil - it must be one of the following: Safflower Oil , Rice Bran Oil, Peanut Oil, Corn Oil, Sunflower Oil. I used peanut oil. (Note 1)
- 3 lb / 1.5 kg potatoes (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp semolina (best substitute is polenta)
- 2 tsp salt (increase to 3 tsp if you have a salty palette) (Note 3)
Instructions
- Pour the oil in a metal or cast iron baking dish and place in the oven. Crank up your oven to as high as it will go (mine is 250C/480F fan forced).
- Boil a large pot of water. Peel and cut the potatoes into large pieces, about 6cm/2.2" wide. (Note 4)
- Boil the potatoes for 10 minutes. Drain then return to the pot.
- Scatter over the semolina and salt. Clamp the lid on and give the pot 5 good shakes to rough up the potatoes. Leave the lid on and set aside.
- The oil should be hot enough by the time the oven comes to temperature. Test it by tossing in a pinch of potato - it should sizzle straight away.
- Pour the potatoes in (be careful of oil splashing). Working quickly, use an egg flip to toss the potatoes in the oil, spread them out as best you can then put the pan to the oven.
- Turn the oven down to 220C/425F. Roast for around 50 minutes, possibly up to 1 hr 15 minutes (Note 5), turning once during baking. They are ready when they are a golden brown with some browned edges and they are crunchy. (Note 6)
- Serve immediately! They will stay crunchy for around 30 minutes, but the faster you get them on the table, the better! They also crisp up pretty well when reheated - reheat @220C/425F for around 15 minutes (from room temp, add 5 min from fridge).
Recipe Notes:
US - russet is ideal. Yukon Gold is not suitable.
UK - Maris Piper is a good all rounder which is suitable and readily available in all the supermarkets. King Edwards and Desiree are also great. 3. This might seem like alot of salt but you lose some of it in the roughing up. 4. Size matters. If the potato is too small, they will overcook before the outside becomes crunchy. 5. The roasting time depends on the strength of your oven, oil, how much you preheated the oil, and how heavy based the roasting pan is. 6. These potatoes do not roast to a dark golden brown that you may be used to with ordinary roast potatoes. They will be crunchy when they are a golden brown colour with only some browned edges. 7. Nigella's recipe has the same steps except she uses goose fat instead of normal oil. Her recipe calls for 1lb 5oz / 640g of goose fat which is 2 cans. Also she uses 5lb/2.5kg of potatoes which doesn't fit into any of my pans so I reduced the amount of potatoes.
Nutrition assumes 8 servings.
Just wondering if anyone has tried ghee? I don’t have any of those oils in the house. Thank you
Hi Nagi you can filter and reuse goose and duck fat a few times and dilute with peanut or sunflower oil
The best potatoes ever, crispy on the outside, nice and soft on the inside
My daughter and husband loved these! They were part of our Christmas dinner.
These spuds were amazing! I had peanut oil on hand and only had panko crumbs to substitute the semolina. Yum!
If my daughter could only have one thing to eat on Christmas Day it would be these roast potatoes- crunchy and delicious every time. Thanks Nagi- Merry Christmas
My favourite roast potatoes, these are the best!
Amazing spuds every time!!
So easy and seriously delicious!! A must try!
I have made these a few times now and they are my kids favourite. Super crunchy outside, but fluffy inside. I added a teaspoon of garlic powder with the semolina and salt for extra flavour last time and it was delicious! Nagi your recipes never let me down.
This is also great made with lard!
There is no going back after baking these amazingly crunchie roast potatoes. I have only recently discovered your website, now it is my go to for great recipes. Thank you Nagi.
I had a brainstorm the other night after many years of cooking – I baked the potatoes in their skins in the microwave till almost done, cut them into chunks and seasoned then roasted in oil. Works brilliantly and no dirty pot after the parboiling! Makes everyday roasties so easy. Used agria (yellow) potatoes.
My family is a huge potato fan. I make potatoes in so many different ways (mashed with fresh spinach is one of my favorites). Decided it was time to try something new, so of course went to Nagi…
My family unanimously announced that these are the best potatoes I’ve ever made.
Once again, thank you Nagi for making me a star….
P.S. when can we finally get the international version of your cookbook??? Please…..
We don’t cook roasties any other way now. The semolina really puts a nice crust on them. The type of potatoes you use makes all the difference too. White floury one make the best crispy roast potatoes ever. The waxy, yellow ones don’t crisp up so well.
Could I par boil these, coat them and then let them sit for a while before cooking….due to an event that we have guests coming in after
Yes you can.
After parboiled, roughing and coating, place them in a cooling rack and put in the fridge for a couple of hours.
This will dry out the outside of the potatoes and add even more crunch when you finish them off!
Huston does this with his tripple cooked chips and the crunch is another level.
Once again…culinary excellence! Beautifully crispy and crunchy on the outside, and nice and fluffy and hot on the inside. I paired them with roast lamb, but these simple potatoes were the stars of the meal. THANK YOU!
These are insanely good! I made them precisely as you said (for 2, so halved the ingredients) with sunflower oil and they are the best roast potatoes I ever had. And thank you for making it vegan, too.
If the potatoes are frozen after the par boiling for an event that needs to be prepared ahead, what cooking instructions do you suggest if cooking from frozen?
Any one tried this? I would like to know as well
Would like to know this too please
These are sensational. I had no semolina or polenta so substituted Cornflake crumbs that I use for schnitzels. Truly fabulous. Thanks again Nagi
The best roasties ever. I’m often disappointed with my own efforts to get the perfect crunch and fluffy yet moist inside. To the point I had stopped making them. Equally disappointed when we go out for a roast..but these were awesome. So so good. Mine browned up lovely but did baste them a few times. Thankyou