Herb-Infused Roasted Red Potatoes

Why This Herb-Infused Roasted Red Potatoes Works

In the bowl, the olive oil coats every side of the potato pieces, so the herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika stick to them instead of sliding off. As the potatoes roast, that thin layer of oil lets the outside dry out and brown while the inside slowly softens. The edges start to rough up a bit when they are tossed and flipped, and those rough spots are where the potatoes brown the most and turn crisp.

In the oven, the heat drives some moisture out of the potatoes, so the outsides stay firm and crunchy while the centers stay soft and creamy. Flipping them halfway keeps one side from steaming on the pan and gives more surfaces time against the hot sheet, which means more browning. The chopped herbs and lemon zest cling to the hot potatoes and dry slightly, so they don’t burn but instead stick to the crisp surface and stay in place when the potatoes are served.

Mistakes To Avoid

Cutting the potatoes into very different sizes means some pieces cook much faster than others. Smaller chunks turn hard and dry by the time the bigger ones finally soften, so the tray ends up with a mix of burnt edges and centers that are still a bit firm and chalky.

Crowding the potatoes on the baking sheet causes them to steam instead of roast. When they sit too close together, moisture gets trapped between the pieces, so the outsides stay pale and soft instead of turning crisp and browned.

Skipping the step of tossing the potatoes well in the herb and oil mixture leaves some pieces almost bare. Those uncoated sides stick to the pan and dry out, while the heavily coated ones can taste greasy and burn in spots where the herbs clump.

Roasting at a much lower temperature than 400°F keeps the potatoes from crisping. The insides may eventually get soft, but the outsides stay limp and dull, more like boiled potatoes than roasted ones.