Ingredients for Crispy Oven-Roasted Potatoes
- 6 potatoes
- Half a tea glass of vegetable oil (about 50 ml / 3½ tbsp)
- 1 tablespoon wheat starch (cornstarch works too)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon salt
How to Make Crispy Oven-Roasted Potatoes
Peel and rinse the 6 potatoes, then set them in a colander to drain. Once the surface water has run off, cut them into thick slices.
Transfer the potatoes to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle over 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1 tablespoon salt, then toss to coat evenly.
Pour half a tea glass of vegetable oil (about 50 ml / 3½ tbsp) over the potatoes and toss again until everything is well coated.
Add 1 tablespoon of starch and toss once more so every piece gets a light, even coating.
Spread the potatoes in a single layer across the baking sheet.
Roast at 200°C (390°F) until the potatoes are deep golden and crisp — check at around 35–40 minutes.
Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately while hot.
Goes great alongside:
Homemade Mom's Köfte or Saucy Baked Chicken
Here are a few tips the pros keep to themselves — the difference between oven potatoes that are merely soft and ones that genuinely crunch:
Tips for the Crispiest Results
Start with older, yellow-skinned, high-starch potatoes. Freshly harvested potatoes hold too much water and resist crisping — no amount of technique will fully compensate.
After cutting, soak the potatoes in cold water for at least 15–20 minutes, changing the water a few times until it runs clear. This flushes out surface starch, stops the pieces from sticking together, and helps them crisp up faster in the oven.
Dry the potatoes thoroughly with paper towels or a clean kitchen cloth before seasoning. Wet potatoes steam in the oven rather than roast, and you'll end up with a soft exterior no matter how high the heat.
Spread the potatoes with space between each piece — none touching. Hot air needs to circulate all the way around. Use two baking sheets if necessary rather than crowding one.
Preheat your oven to a high temperature — 200°C–220°C (390°F–430°F) — before the potatoes go in. The burst of heat seals the outside quickly and locks moisture inside.
Olive oil is flavorful but not ideal at high heat. Sunflower oil, corn oil, or canola oil will give you a crispier result.
Use your oven's convection (fan) setting if it has one — the circulating air browns every surface evenly. Rotating the pan from top to bottom rack halfway through also helps if convection isn't available.
