Learn how to make the crispiest, fluffiest British roast potatoes with this easy recipe! The perfect golden roastie potatoes for your next Sunday roast or holiday feast.
About 11 years ago I married a lovely man from the north of England who I somehow convinced to move to Texas with me. While he is a big fan of the food here he occasionally gets a hankering for a taste of home and sometimes I indulge him. For those of you who have never had a British Roastie, these scrumptious roasted potatoes are a key component of any quality Sunday Lunch and are oddly incredibly difficult to find here in the U.S.
A true British roast potato is basically a par-boiled, "roughed-up" potato cooked in fat in an extremely hot oven until the insides are soft and fluffy and the outside is crunchy, crispy perfection. They are not at all difficult to make so give them a try and spruce of your Sunday lunch, or dinner, any day of the week!
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Equipment
- Cutting board and knife
- Potato peeler
- Steel, slotted spoon: I recommend this Oxo Slotted Spoon.
- Pot
- Colander
- Roasting Pan: I love this cast iron dish from Le Creuset.
Ingredients
- Potatoes: I love using mini Yukon gold potatoes but you can use any other waxy potato of your choice. If you can't find the smaller versions then simply cut them in quarters instead of in half.
- High smoke point oil or fat: The smoke point of an oil or fat is basically the temperature at which is stops shimmering and starts smoking. Because you will be cooking these potatoes at a high heat, you want to use a high smoke point oil, such as Sunflower Oil or Avocado Oil, or a quality fat or lard, such as goose fat, to cook the potatoes in. Olive oil will NOT work well in this recipe.
- Salt & Pepper
Recipe FAQs
British roast potatoes are famous for their super crispy exterior and fluffy, tender interior. The key is parboiling the potatoes first, roughing them up a bit, and roasting them in hot fat until perfectly golden.
I love using Yukon golds here in the U.S. My mother in law in the UK prefers using Maris Piper potatoes.
Parboiling softens the edges of the potatoes so when you shake them or rough them up, the exterior gets all those craggy bits that turn extra crispy in the oven. It's essential for proper British roast potatoes!
Traditional British roasties are often cooked in beef dripping, goose fat, or duck fat for rich flavor and unbeatable crispness. For a vegetarian version, sunflower oil or even vegetable oil with a high smoke point works too.
Yes! You can parboil and rough up the potatoes, then let them cool. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours before roasting. Some people even freeze the parboiled potatoes for extra-crispy roasties!
If your potatoes aren't crisping up it's most likely because the fat wasn't hot enough when you added them, the oven temperature was too low, or the potatoes were too crowded on the tray. Give them space and high heat!
Tips & Tricks for Perfect British Roasties
Rough Up the Potatoes: After parboiling you really want to give the potatoes a good shake to rough them up. All the little jagged edges will fry up during the roasting process making your roasties extra crispy.
Don't Crowd the Potatoes: In order to get that crispy, crunchy outside the potatoes need to roast, not steam. Be sure to spread them out in a single layer with none on top of each other.
Serving Suggestions
The sky's the limit with this fabulous British side dish. However, I love going classic and pairing them with my delicious Roast Leg of Lamb and Mint & Cilantro Chimichurri for a perfect Sunday Roast !
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Made this recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
British Roast Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 lb baby yellow potatoes
- ⅓ cup high smoke point oil I recommend sunflower oil or avocado oil. You can also use high quality animal lard.
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.Pour oil or lard into the bottom of a roasting pan, making sure that the bottom is completely covered. Place the pan in the preheated oven to heat while you parboil the potatoes.
- Peel your potatoes then cut in half and put in a pot of cold, salted water. Bring water to a full rolling boil over high heat and boil for approximately 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, drain the potatoes in a colander and then add back to the pot. Cover the pot with a lid and give the parboiled potatoes a good shake. The goal here is to smash the potatoes up a bit as all the jagged edges and fluff are what will get extra crispy in the oven
- Take the preheated pan out of the oven and add the roughed up potatoes. You should immediately hear a little sizzle.Mix the potatoes in the hot oil and then put back in the oven to roast at 425 degrees F for approximately 45to 55 minutes, or until the potatoes are crispy and a deep golden brown. Give them a stir and a shake every 15 minutes so so to ensure an even roast.
- Once they are a deep golden brown remove the pan from the oven. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes to a paper towel lined plate and generously season with salt & pepper while they are still piping hot.Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Andrea
love these potatoes so much! so full of flavor and tender! delicious!
Megan
Dammit these look incredible! Next dinner party and these are in the oven.
Oscar
Oh my, these potatoes look so crispy. Saving this recipe for my partners birthday in March, they will love these rostie potatoes. Thank you.
Michelle
Your recipe was so easy to follow and we loved the crisp from the roasting!
Agnieszka
I loved these potatoes! They literally melt in your mouth, so, so delicious. My kids are already asking me to make them again!
Rebecca Bellomy
I am making these tomorrow for my British Hubby (I am Texan, too). He always says "Why can't I make roast potatoes as good as I get in England?". (He always makes them.) Well, I am going to surprise him tomorrow with these and some lamb chops! Can't wait!!!
jamjarkitchen
Love this! Hope y’all enjoy!
Violet L., Southern California
I have given this recipe 5 stars because of their spectacular appearance and what I recognize as clear and concise instructions. This recipe is simple, but carefully prepared according to a precise formula, my favorite cooking method. I have not prepared these yummy-looking potatoes, but I plan to for a New Year's Eve dinner, serving with a beef rib roast. I would love to serve Yorkshire pudding as well, but will have to do that at a later date as I am not familiar with the preparation and do not have the right pan. I am so thankful that I don't have to convert measurements, which I find so tiresome at my age! I will let you know how I fare. Thank you, Elizabeth.
jamjarkitchen
Hi Violet- Hope you enjoy them and happy new years!
Rachael Read
Will the potatoes still be good if I make this recipe and roast them, then reheat later in the day for my dinner?
jamjarkitchen
Hi there! They will still taste good but they won't be as crisp as when you just take them out of the oven. Air frying to reheat helps to keep that lovely fresh-out-of-the-oven texture. Hope you enjoy!
Joanne
These are delicious!! Made them for Thanksgiving - we abandoned the turkey and did a Sunday roast, with these potatoes, roasted root veg, and Yorkshire pudding. A total hit!!!
jamjarkitchen
Love that you did a Sunday roast for Thanksgiving! So happy you enjoyed them! 🙂
Katie
This hilarious since I am Australian (dad England), my husband is from Texas. So he things I am making pot roast doesn't sound happy since his mom makes it dry. I am actually making roast beef. I am sure like it better since usually cook it medium. Saw your recipe trying remember what sides to make.