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.
Hi Nagi, Kim from Perth here again 😁 am making these now and I’m just going to follow the directions perfectly, but I want to make sure for next time , you bring the water to the boil and THEN add the potatoes? Because normally the rule is you bring the potatoes up to the boil in cold water. What is the right way for this recipe please? 😊
I can attest to Nigella and these roast potatoes!
I didnt realise Goose/Duck fat is so expensive in Oz- usually £3 a jar here but i usually only use a tablespoon or two and mix it with a cheaper Veg oil – still get the same great flavour and the fat keeps in the fridge for ages.
Have just made your slow roast lamb leg recipe so i’m pairing these roasties with them – cant wait to eat this tonight and try your other recipes!
Craig in Scotland
Thanks Nagi for another great recipe …. the results were the best crunchy potatoes I have ever made … and tasted.
5 stars. Thx Nagi. Best potatoes I have made ever. Thx to u
Hi Nagi, did you use course or fine semolina with these potatoes?
Hi Fiona, I use fine, although I think both would work here – N x
Best crunchy roast potatoes ever!
I have loved cooking for the last 40 years, and this recipe is the best by far, to the point I make roast spuds for a snack now.
Just love them..
Thank you
Mark & Tracey 👍👌
I love that you make them just for a snack, this is the BEST! N x
Thanks! They were excellent with the lamb for Easter dinner!
Perfect Jennifer! N x
Hi Nagi. I made this as a side dish with your slow-cooked roast lamb leg for our Easter dinner. I didn’t have semolina nor polenta, but I did have Besan flour, so I used that. I’m not sure how close to the ideal the end product was, but it was crunchy and delicious, so I’m happy!
That’s awesome Kathy, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! N x
If cooking these potatoes with the slow roasted leg with one oven, how would the sequence go ? Would you reheat the leg in the oven at the end of the spuds? Thanks
I can’t find any semolina or polenta at my local stores. Would it be better to use flour or corn meal?
Hi Jennifer, corn meal will be perfect here – N x
Hi Nagi,
I made this the other night (to go with your lamb shoulder recipe) and they were wonderful. I used duck fat and for the amount I needed (I made a smaller amount) and, actually for the amount you call for, it’s not that expensive. Well worth it.
I would recommend though not to use the egg flip with a heavy cast iron skillet filled with 450° fat. Sounds like a recipe for burning everywhere.
The duck fat was the bomb though.
I made this last night, it was an absolute hit! Very crunchy on the outside and soft on inside. Thank you 💛
Oh my, how delicious! Made these with clarified butter and they were fantastic. This is now my go to recipe for crunchy roast potatoes. Thank you so much!
Need some time planning as we only have one oven.
But our guests at dinner said wow 🤩 can potatoes be this good …
I sourced some corn polenta to make these gluten-free and they went like hot cakes! Super easy to prepare. Doing them again for Christmas Day.
That’s great Jude!!!
G’Day N’agi
Great recipe site and entertaining too!
Thanks so much Tony!
Hi Nagi!
I would like to make these for Christmas and am wondering if I could parboil and rough up day before, put in fridge overnight and then cook?
I’ve made this lots of times with roast dinners. They are so good my husband bragged about them to his work mates and now they all want your semolina secret lol 🙂
Hi Sarah, yes you can definitely do that! I hope you love them!!
Hello! I make sweet potato casserole for thanksgiving and the sauce is always too thin. I cut the cooked potatoes into chunks, make a sauce of 1/4 brown sugar, 1/4 c syrup and 1/4 c butter. I let sauce come to boil, then piyr over potatoes and bake in oven for 40 minutes. When I take it out of oven susuce is thin instead of thick. It tastes good, but thin. Any ideas why?????
Thank you so much for letting us ask questions. 🙂
Hi Kathleen! It sounds to me like the ratios in that sauce is not right to make a sauce that is thicker, syrup like 🙂 I have made candied sweet potatoes in the past where the recipe called for twice as much sugar as butter in order for the sauce to be like syrup when the potatoes are cooked. The sugar is what thickens the sauce 🙂 I would google and find a recipe for Candied Sweet Potatoes and use that sauce as a guide! N x
Love the new feature that allow to save the recipes, can I save your mom recipe too?
I’m so glad you love it! It’s not a feature on her website just yet sorry – N x
Wow, for the first time ever, we managed to make proper crispy roast potatoes. My son said these were the best along with your lamb shoulder and gravy. We used goose fat and it was simply amazing. Thank you so much for always providing exceptional recipes. X
Sounds to die for Hulya!!