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Oven Roasted Red Potatoes are one side dish I make often because I always have a bag of red potatoes in my pantry, and they go with whatever main I'm already cooking. And you won't even dirty a mixing bowl. The potatoes get tossed right on the sheet pan, then come out golden and crispy on the outside and creamy in the middle.
Why These Roasted Red Potatoes Work
While I love my parsley potatoes, this is the recipe I turn to when I'm craving crispy edges. Think of them as a slightly more sophisticated take on my oven fries, which use russet potatoes for a fluffier interior. Same idea, different potato and cut.
- No boiling needed. That's the beauty of this recipe. Red potatoes are waxy, so you can toss them on the pan raw and still get super creamy insides with browned, crackly edges.
- A short pantry list. Red potatoes, olive oil, and kosher salt are all you truly need. I typically add garlic powder and black pepper for additional flavor.
- Any red potato works. Baby, small, or large. I'll walk you through how to cut each size so they roast evenly.
- One base, lots of flavors. Swap the seasoning for ranch, Italian, Greek, and more. The variations are below.
Notes on Ingredients
- Red Potatoes: You can use small red potatoes, large red potatoes, or baby red potatoes. This recipe works for any variety of red potatoes you have on hand. Yukon Gold potatoes work with the same method, too.
- Olive Oil: For the best flavor, I cannot stress enough that olive oil is key! This is not the time to use canola or vegetable oil. I use just enough oil to help the potatoes brown, but not so much oil that they're greasy.
- Kosher Salt: At the minimum, be sure to season the potatoes with salt to enhance their flavor. Kosher salt works best here. If you're using table salt, I find slightly less is best, since the crystals are smaller.
- Garlic Powder and Black Pepper: Optional, but they're my usual add-ins.
- Fresh Rosemary: Optional. Chop it and toss it with the potatoes along with the other seasonings.
Seasoning Variations
Instead of using salt, pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary to season the red potatoes, try out one of the following flavor combinations.
- Keep it Simple Yet Flavorful: Season potatoes with 2 teaspoons of seasoned salt, taco seasoning, or adobo seasoning.
- Ranch Potatoes: Add 3 teaspoons of ranch seasoning to the potatoes before roasting, then serve with sour cream.
- Italian Potatoes: Add 1-2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning along with salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Finish with freshly minced parsley.
- Onion Potatoes: Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon dried onion soup mix.
- Greek Potatoes: Season potatoes with 2 teaspoons of Greek seasoning and roast as directed. Once roasted, toss with lemon zest and freshly minced parsley.
- Add Parmesan: Sprinkle roasted potatoes with up to ½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese right before serving.
- Fresh Herb Boost: Garnish with fresh parsley, dill, or chives after roasting.
How to Roast Red Potatoes
Roasting potatoes in the oven is as easy as cube, season, roast. The difference between well-seasoned, golden potatoes with a creamy center and potatoes that are over-browned and dried out comes down to a few details. I follow similar guidelines when making roasted fingerling potatoes and roasted potatoes with carrots. Master them, and you can roast just about any potato perfectly. Full directions and quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Scrub and dry. Scrub the potatoes well and let them air-dry completely. Don't skip drying the potatoes. Excess moisture keeps the seasonings from sticking and prevents the potatoes from crisping.
- Cube the potatoes EVENLY. No matter what size potato you start with, equal-sized pieces roast evenly. For baby red potatoes, I cut them in half. Small red potatoes get cut into quarters, and larger red potatoes into 1½-inch pieces. I based the roasting time on 1½-inch cubes. If you prefer larger cubes, roast longer.
- Season well. Potatoes need salt to taste good and a bit of oil to brown. Beyond that, the seasoning choices are up to you. Simply place the potatoes on the baking sheet, add the oil and seasonings of choice, and toss to coat.
- Leave space. After tossing the potatoes in the seasonings and oil, spread them out into an even layer. For halved baby potatoes, I like to arrange them cut side down for an extra crispy result. Air needs to circulate so the potatoes roast instead of steam. Two sheet pans beat one crowded one.
- Roast at high heat. To get a crispy exterior and a creamy interior, 425℉ is the sweet spot for roasting red potatoes. Any higher and the potatoes brown too quickly. Any lower, and they won't brown and crisp up. A note of caution: don't put your potatoes in the oven before it reaches temperature. This will cause the exterior to brown too quickly before the interior fully cooks.
- Flip. I know this is a pain, but flipping your potatoes during roasting ensures they cook evenly. I roast them for 25 minutes, flip, then roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fork-tender.
How to Serve Roasted Red Potatoes
I love serving them alongside something else that roasts at 425℉, like fish sticks or Shake N Bake pork chops. But really, they pair with just about anything. Other favorites include classic burgers, blackened chicken, and grilled marinated chicken thighs.
My kids love them dipped into my homemade ranch or ketchup, while I personally love sour cream.
How to Store Roasted Red Potatoes
- Refrigerate: If you happen to have any leftover roasted red potatoes, allow them to cool slightly. Once cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: I don't recommend freezing these.
- Reheat: To reheat the potatoes so they stay crispy, not soggy, skip the microwave. Instead, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 400℉ (200℃) for 10 to 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
Creative Leftover Idea Use leftover roasted red potatoes as a base for a potato frittata, buffalo chicken casserole, or to bulk up a breakfast burrito..
More Potato Recipes
If you love these roasted red potatoes, here are more potato recipes to try:
- Mashed Potato Casserole: A rich, creamy make-ahead casserole, perfect for holidays and entertaining.
- Smashed Baby Potatoes: Boiled, smashed, then roasted, they have a unique texture and an extremely crispy exterior.
- Red-Skin Mashed Potatoes: No-peel mashed potatoes flavored with garlic.
- Ranch Potato Salad: A potato salad made with red potatoes, bacon, and a thick and tangy homemade ranch dressing.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Oven Roasted Red Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 3 pounds red potatoes
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, see note if using table salt*
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ (215℃). Spray a large rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray and set it aside.
- Scrub the potatoes well and let them air-dry completely. Once dried, cut the potatoes into 1½-inch chunks. For baby red potatoes, I recommend cutting them in half; for small red potatoes, cut them into quarters; and for larger red potatoes, cut them into 1½-inch pieces.
- Place the prepared potatoes onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (if using). Toss the potatoes with the seasonings, ensuring they are well coated.
- Arrange the potatoes on the pan so they are not touching. If using baby potatoes, I recommend roasting cut-side down to start. Roast for 25 minutes.
- Take the pan out of the oven and use a spatula or tongs to carefully flip the potatoes over. Put the pan back in the oven and continue roasting for another 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are golden, crispy, and fork-tender.
- Take the potatoes out of the oven and serve immediately.
Notes
- Swap Out Salt: Season potatoes with 2 teaspoons of seasoned salt, taco seasoning, or adobo seasoning.
- Ranch Potatoes: Add 3 teaspoons ranch seasoning to potatoes before roasting and serve with sour cream.
- Italian Potatoes: Add 1-2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning along with salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Finish with freshly minced parsley.
- Onion Potatoes: Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon of Dried Onion Soup Mix. Greek Potatoes: Season potatoes with 2 teaspoons of Greek seasoning and roast as directed. After roasted, toss with lemon zest and freshly minced parsley.
- Fresh Herb Boost: Garnish with fresh parsley, dill, or chives after roasting.
- Add Parmesan: Sprinkle roasted potatoes with up to ½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese right before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these and WOW- everyone loved them and were amazed how easy it was to make them. I will definitely be making them again- over and over again - nice and spicy
Awesome! Thank you for sharing, Paul!
My picky eaters even loved these! Thank you!
Love hearing that, Chris! Thanks for sharing.
Roasted potatoes are always a win with my family. Thanks!
This is our favorite go-to side dish for basically ANY dinner! So easy, quick and delicious. They get perfectly crispy on the outside but stay tender on the inside. My whole family always devours them, sometimes we have to make 2 pans!
I love serving these roasted potatoes with most of my weeknight dinners!
I LOVE red potatoes and am always looking for new ways to makes them. Delicious!
Came out great! Used just the salt and pepper (though the recipe doesn't say how much pepper) but will try the special seasonings another time. Daughter loved them! Thanks!
I am so glad you and your daughter enjoyed Elizabeth! Pepper is just to taste--I use about 1/2 teaspoon 🙂