These crispy oven roasted potatoes come out of the oven with a shatteringly golden crust and a cloud-soft center. It is the exact texture you want whether the potatoes are sharing a plate with a Sunday roast or just being eaten hot off the tray.

The trick is a quick parboil with a little baking soda, which breaks down the surface of the potatoes so they rough up and catch every drop of fat. After that, a hot oven and a well-oiled baking sheet take care of the rest.

What Makes These Potatoes So Good

I have tried a lot of roast potato methods, and this version is the one I keep coming back to. The baking soda step creates a starchy, fluffy exterior that turns deeply golden and crisp in the heat, while the inside stays tender and almost creamy.

Every piece ends up with ragged, crunchy edges that taste like they were fried, even though they are roasted. You only need a handful of pantry ingredients, and you can throw them together while the rest of dinner cooks.

Ingredients

2 lb (900g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks: Yukon Golds get wonderfully fluffy inside; Russets work beautifully here too.
1/2 tsp baking soda: helps create that signature rough, starchy surface for maximum crispness.
1 tbsp kosher salt, plus more for the water: seasons the potatoes as they boil.
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil: enough to coat every chunk generously; a neutral oil or melted duck fat are both stellar swaps.
Freshly ground black pepper: adds a gentle warmth behind the salt.
Flaky sea salt, for finishing: gives a final salty crunch right before serving.

Variations and Substitutions

Use a different fat: melted duck fat, beef tallow, or ghee each bring a richer, meatier crust. If you go this route, heat the fat on the sheet pan while the oven preheats.
Swap the herb: toss a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme onto the pan for the last 10 minutes of roasting, or stir a teaspoon of garlic powder into the oil before coating the potatoes.
Try a different potato: starchy Russets produce an even fluffier interior, though the chunks may be a touch more fragile. Waxy red or white potatoes will hold their shape but won’t get quite as fluffy inside.

For a version with even more crunch, check out the Parmesan crusted potato wedges on the site.

How to Make Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes

Step 1: Parboil the Potatoes

Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the 2 lb potato chunks, 1 tbsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp baking soda in a large pot and cover them with cold water by about 2 inches. Set the pot over high heat and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat so the water bubbles steadily.

Let the potatoes cook for 8-10 minutes. You will know they are ready when a paring knife slides into a chunk with very little resistance, but the potato is still holding its shape. The edges should look a little soft and fuzzy. Drain the potatoes carefully into a colander and let them sit in the colander for a full minute so the excess steam escapes and the surfaces dry out a bit.

Step 2: Rough Up the Coating

Tip the drained potatoes back into the now-empty, dry pot. Put the lid on and shake the pot firmly a few times, just until the chunks start to scuff up and shed a thin, floury layer around the edges. You want them to look rough, not mashed, so a couple of good shakes is usually plenty.

Drizzle the 1/4 cup olive oil and a generous grind of black pepper over the roughed-up potatoes. Toss gently with a big spoon until every piece is coated in a thin, starchy glaze that will turn into the crust as it roasts. At this stage the potatoes will look a little messy and pale, which is exactly what you want.

Step 3: Roast the Potatoes

Pour the coated potatoes onto a rimmed baking sheet. Do this step while the pan is still cold; the oil will heat up with the oven and give the bottoms a head start on crisping. Spread the chunks into a single, even layer with plenty of space between them so they roast instead of steaming.

Slide the sheet onto the middle rack and roast the potatoes, untouched, for 25 minutes. When you open the oven door at that point, the undersides should be deeply golden and the tops will have started to firm up and colour around the edges.

Step 4: Flip and Crisp

Pull the pan out of the oven and, using a thin metal spatula, carefully flip each potato chunk. If a few stick at first, give them an extra moment and they will release. The flipped side should already be a rich amber brown.

Return the sheet to the oven and roast for another 15 to 20 minutes. The potatoes are done when you can hear a faint sizzle and every side is a deep, uneven gold, with darker spots at the thinnest edges. Slide them onto a warm serving dish, scatter a little flaky sea salt over the top, and serve them right away while they are still crackling.

A Few Notes Before You Start

Do not skip the full minute of steaming off after draining. The drier the potato surfaces are when they hit the fat, the crisper the final crust will be.
A dark, heavy baking sheet will give you the deepest colour, but a light one works too. In both cases, avoid lining it with parchment for this recipe, because the direct contact with the metal helps build the crust.
If you like garlic with your roast potatoes, toss 3 or 4 lightly smashed unpeeled cloves onto the sheet for the last 20 minutes of roasting. The cloves get soft and sweet without burning.
For the very crunchiest edges, let the roasted potatoes sit on the pan for just 30 seconds after taking them out of the oven. The quick rest on the hot metal firms the crust a touch more before you move them.

Roast times will shift a little depending on how big you cut the potatoes:

Chunk Size	First Roast	Roast After Flip
1-inch chunks	20 mins	12-15 mins
2-inch chunks	25 mins	15-20 mins

Keeping Leftovers Crispy

Refrigerate: cool the potatoes completely, then store them in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They will lose their crunch once they are cold, but you can bring it right back.
Reheating: spread the potatoes on a baking sheet and reheat at 400°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes. The hot oven restores the crust almost as well as the first roast.

What Goes Well With Crispy Roasted Potatoes

A tray of these potatoes can sit next to just about anything, but a few pairings show them off especially well. A simple roast chicken is a classic, because the juices from the bird mingle with the crunchy potatoes on the plate. A pan-seared steak with a good dark crust feels right alongside them too, since the soft, fluffy interior of the potatoes soaks up any buttery pan drippings. For a brighter plate, a big green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the richness and keeps the meal from feeling heavy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skip the baking soda?

You can, but the potatoes will not develop the same rough, shaggy coating that gives them that extra-crispy crust. The baking soda is what breaks down the surface just enough.

Do I have to peel the potatoes?

No, leaving the skins on works fine, especially with thin-skinned Yukon Golds. Just note that the roughed-up layer clings better to peeled surfaces, so the texture will be a little less even with the skins on.

Can I prep these ahead of time?

Yes. Boil, drain, and rough up the potatoes, then let them cool and store them in the fridge for up to a day. When you are ready to roast, toss them with the oil and continue from Step 3. They may take a few extra minutes in the oven since they are starting cold.

Why are my potatoes not crispy?

The most common reason is crowding the pan. If the chunks are packed too close together, they steam instead of roast. Make sure every piece has a little breathing room, and don’t touch them in the first roast until the 25-minute mark.