Crispy English Roast Potatoes.

English Roast Potatoes. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, with a golden crust and big flakes of sea salt. The secret is Yukon Gold potatoes, first parboiled, then slow roasted in oil until perfectly crisp. And couldn’t be easier, but the results are so delicious. Soft centers, crispy edges, and honestly, the perfect potato.

I almost never share such a simple recipe, especially a side dish. But I grew up with summer cookouts, usually on Sunday or Monday nights, filled with potato salad, potato casserole, or simple homestyle potatoes. We’d pair them with grilled steaks, my dad’s chicken kebabs, cheeseburgers, or, if we got lucky, my Nonnie’s ribs.

There was always some kind of potato dish at our cookouts.

I only recently started making English roast potatoes after reading about them on Cup of Jo. They sounded so good, and I was curious to try them myself. I tested a few different methods and finally landed on one that feels effortless and perfect for summer dinners. But don’t stop there, these are going to make the BEST holiday side dish come November and December too.

I found that Yukon Gold potatoes with the skin on work best here. But honestly, any potato will work.

You first boil the potatoes, then roast them in fat. I love using duck fat or pork fat, but avocado oil works beautifully too.

Then they really need nothing more than flaky sea salt to finish. You can add fresh herbs like thyme or parsley, but more often than not, I keep them simple with just sea salt.

And we LOVE them!

I’ve been making these every other week for the last few months. They’re just so good!

These are the details

Ingredients

• Yukon Gold potatoes
• avocado oil, duck fat, or pork fat
• flaky sea salt
• fresh thyme or parsley – totally optional

Special Tools

Use a large metal roasting pan or a ceramic baking dish. Something with sides works best so the potatoes can get nice and crispy without the oil spilling over. I love using my oldest roasting pan for these because it always gives the potatoes the best golden edges.

You’ll also just need a large pot for boiling and a good, sharp knife for chopping. That’s it! One of the reasons I love this recipe so much is because it feels simple, cozy, and almost impossible to mess up.

Steps

Step 1: Wash and Chop

Wash the potatoes well, then quarter each one and add them to a large pot as you work. I love leaving the skins on because they get extra crispy in the oven and add so much texture.

Cover the potatoes with cold water and add a generous pinch of salt. Don’t skip the salt here, it’s the first layer of flavor and makes such a difference.

Tip: Try to keep the potato pieces roughly the same size so they roast evenly, but they definitely don’t need to be perfect.

Step 2: Boil

Boil the potatoes for 7 to 10 minutes, until you can easily slide a fork into them. You don’t want them falling apart, just perfectly tender around the edges.

Drain the potatoes and let them dry for about 10 minutes. This little resting step helps create those crispy golden edges once they hit the hot oil.

Sometimes I gently shake the potatoes around in the colander to rough up the edges a bit. Those craggy little edges become the crispiest parts after roasting.

Step 3: The Oil

Next, heat the oil or fat in a large roasting pan with sides. I like doing this right in the oven so the pan gets really hot before the potatoes go in.

Carefully remove the pan from the oven and slowly add the potatoes. They should immediately sizzle in the oil, which is exactly what you want.

Duck fat is my favorite when I want them extra special, but avocado oil is amazing for everyday dinners too.

Step 4: Roast

Roast the potatoes for about 1 hour, tossing them two or three times throughout cooking, until they’re deeply golden and perfectly crisp on the outside.

Finish with lots of flaky sea salt while they’re still hot.

These never make it to the table without someone sneaking a few straight from the pan. Honestly, the crispy little corner pieces are the best!