Oven Roasted Baby Red Potatoes

Oven-roasted baby Red Potatoes have a soft and fluffy interior, a perfectly crisp exterior, and lots of flavor from the fresh herbs! This dish pairs well with any meaty entree. For the crispiest and most flavorful oven-roasted baby red potatoes, I recommend this easy recipe. Since I perfected it, I have never had an issue with my potatoes not getting crispy enough. It includes parboiling, coating them in a garlic herb mixture, and roasting them at a high temperature for the best texture and flavor.

Everyone had oven roasted potatoes before, but many people do not know how to get them really crispy without frying them. Potatoes can be tricky when it comes to get the perfect texture, so you have to know exactly what kind of potatoes to use, how to slice them, and what to do with them before you roast them. Many people do not boil them first, and then they have to cook them for too long to get the middles done.

One of the best ways to prevent this is to chop them into medium-sized pieces, which is why I use baby red potatoes. With these little babies, all you have to do is clean them and cut them in half before you start so the insides can be finished without burning the outside. I prefer to add some vinegar to my water when boiling because it helps keep the water acidic. This allows the potatoes to hold their shape as it draws out extra starch.

Then, coating them in extra virgin olive oil and adding the fresh herbs and seasonings before roasting lets the flavors cook right into the potatoes. This is how you get perfect oven roasted baby red potatoes, that are flavorful, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Why you will love this recipe

• It is easy to make: With just a few ingredients (potatoes, oil, and seasonings), you won’t have to go shopping to make this meal. You should have all the ingredients you need at home.
• You can mix it up: You don’t have to follow this recipe completely. Try your favorite herbs and spices or add some different veggies and meat.
• It goes with everything: Potatoes go well with any main dish, from chicken and pork to fish and shellfish. 
• Fast and filling: It only takes about a half hour to make this dish, and you can make it a full meal for the family by adding some leftover meat from the night before.

What you’ll need to make oven-roasted baby red potatoes

Special items

• Large pot – For parboiling potatoes.
• Small bowl – To mix the seasonings.
• Rimmed baking sheet – To bake the potatoes.

Ingredients

• Potatoes – For this recipe, I suggest you use baby red potatoes because they are the crispest.
• Olive oil – Extra-virgin olive oil helps the potatoes crisp and keeps the herbs and spices where they belong – on the potatoes.
• Parsley – I prefer dried parsley because it has a clean, earthy flavor with hints of citrus and mint.
• Rosemary – Fresh rosemary, chopped right before using, will give your potatoes the most incredible flavor.
• Thyme – Same with thyme, use freshly chopped leaves for a fresh taste without the bitterness.
• Smoked paprika – For just a little bit of a smoky sweet flavor.
• Garlic – I would suggest you use fresh garlic cloves and mince them yourself right before you need them.
• Salt – Sea salt adds the most potent salt flavor without the additives or bitterness.
• Black pepper – I use fresh, finely ground black pepper.

How to make oven roasted baby red potatoes?

1. Preheat oven: Before you begin, set your oven to 425 degrees F so it can preheat.
2. Wash and slice: While you wait, scrub the potatoes clean and chop them into one-and-a-half-inch pieces. Add them to a large pot of warm salted water with a tablespoon of white vinegar.
3. Parboil potatoes: When the water boils, start the timer for seven minutes. If they are still too hard after that, give them another minute. Remember, you don’t want them too soft because they will continue to cook in the oven. Drain immediately and thoroughly. You can even pat them down with paper towels.
4. Season and roast: Now, mix all the other ingredients in a bowl and add the potatoes. Toss gently to coat them evenly. Put them in your pan and bake for 20 minutes. The bottom side must be golden and crisp.

Are red potatoes good for roasting?

Yes! They are ideal because they tend to hold their shape even after you boil them. Their waxiness also keeps the center fluffy and their thin skin facilitates heat transfer well.

Should you wash and peel red potatoes before roasting?

You need to wash them to get rid of any dirt or imperfections on the surface. But whether you peel them or not depends on your preference. I would recommend that you keep the skin on and not peel them.

The skin has a high nutritional value. It also crisps up as you cook them in the oven that gives this dish a nice texture. Just make sure that you use organic ones if you decide to leave the skin on.

Expert tip

To parboil or not to parboil, that is the question

I have always parboiled my potatoes when roasting them. In fact, I even do it when I am grilling them on the barbecue pit. This is so the insides get cooked enough so you don’t have to burn the outsides to make them soft. The trick is, you have to know how long to parboil or if to do it at all.

The main reason to parboil is when you are only cooking your potatoes for a short period of time. For example, this recipe calls for a quick roast of 20 minutes. If you skip parboiling, the insides of your potatoes may not get soft. If you want to cook them all through, you may end up with blackened and burned potatoes. Now, this recipe is for pieces that are cut into one and a half inches. If yours are smaller, your cooking time will be shorter.

Baked potatoes are never boiled first because they spend an hour (or more) in the oven, so you don’t have to worry about them getting soft enough in the middle. And most people don’t care about the outside of crisp baked potatoes. In fact, I often wrap mine in foil. So, to answer the question, parboiling is perfect for roasting red potatoes in the oven but not important for baking russets.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Add meat: To make this a hearty meal, add some grilled chicken, pork, or ham.
• More bulk: Another way to bulk up this dish is to add black beans and bacon bits.
• Other seasoning: Instead of using all these herbs separately, try my Italian seasoning mix recipe. It has oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, parsley, rosemary, and sage.
• Sweet potatoes: Instead of using baby reds, try using baby sweet potatoes for a whole different flavor.
• More veggies: In fact, you can keep this meal vegetarian if you add some thick-cut carrots, turnips, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, or whatever else you like.
• Add some fruit: You can also add fruit to this dish either before or after roasting. Before roasting, I used chopped apples, pineapple, and peaches. After they cook, you could also add strawberries, raspberries, and watermelon chunks.

Serving suggestions:

• They would be the perfect side dish for burgers and loaded hot dogs at your next barbecue.
• At a barbecue, serve it along some homemade coleslaw, overnight salad, and southern cornbread.
• Also, crispy red potatoes are a nice way to complement your favorite chicken recipe. My favorite is this crispy fried chicken. or air fryer fried chicken.
• Of course, potatoes also go well with pork, beef, turkey, and seafood.
• Add these to your game day menu. Stick toothpicks in them and add some dipping sauces like salsa, chimichurri sauce, and ranch.
• For a vegetarian meal, serve with a bowl of creamy tomato soup crusty French bread.

Frequently asked questions

Why should I boil potatoes before roasting them?

Parboiling helps cook the inside of your potatoes before you put them in the oven. Cooking at a high temperature for a short time is the only way to get this crispiness without raw insides. Nobody wants to bite into a raw potato. Another reason is to break down the surface of the potatoes, so they have a starchy coating. This adds crunch to your roasted potatoes.

Which potatoes are best for roasting?

I believe the best roasting potatoes are those with thin skin that you do not have to peel, which helps make them crunchier. Use the smaller baby reds, so you only have to cut them in half to make them all the same or similar size. That way, the potatoes will cook at an even temperature, giving them a soft buttery inside with a crispy crunchy outside. However, you also want a potato high in starch, which red potatoes are full of.

Which is the best oil to use to roast potatoes?

Any kind of oil with a high smoking point is a great choice because these will be cooked at 425 degrees F. My favorite is light extra virgin olive oil, but you could also use vegetable, canola, corn, and avocado oil. Coconut oil is also a great choice and has a high smoking point. That way, they can get very hot to get the best crispiness.

Why won’t my potatoes get crispy?

Sometimes, even when you think you did everything right, your potatoes may not get crispy. It could be that they are overcrowded on the baking pan. Split them into batches if needed. Also, you must ensure they are completely dry before adding the oil and seasonings. You may also need a different type of potato. Russets and Idaho potatoes do not crisp unless they are burnt.

How to store:

• Refrigerate: Before placing your leftovers in an airtight container, put a paper towel in the bottom to absorb any excess liquid. Then, they can be refrigerated for up to three days.   
• Freezing: Freezing is not recommended. 
• Reheating: You can reheat leftovers in the microwave, but they will not be crispy. Instead, reheat in the oven or an air fryer. 

More recipes with potatoes:

Recipe tips:

• For crispier potatoes, use aluminum foil instead of parchment paper on your pan, but make sure you spray it with non-stick baking spray first.
• Another trick I learned is to sprinkle a tablespoon of flour mixed with cornstarch or baking soda and salt on your potatoes before baking them for an even crispier skin.
• When you parboil your potatoes, add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water to prevent the breakdown of pectin, which is the glue that holds them together.
• Use a metal pan for roasting potatoes. It is the best heat conductor. Glass will not work as well.
• Try to cut potatoes the same size so they cook evenly.