Roasted Baby Potatoes are not only delicious, but they also look so pretty! Try them as a side dish for your next big family dinner or holiday gathering – these are always a big hit with everyone!
I never really understood the appeal of baby potatoes until I started cooking them myself: No peeling, no cutting, no nothing at all.
And of course I was sold instantly.
This is seriously the easiest, quickest-to-prep side dish you can make. AND it seems so festive and special. S-core.
I usually advocate for cutting your potatoes when roasting them to make them crispier (especially roasted fingerling potatoes!). BUT not with baby potatoes. I also don’t try to crisp up baby potatoes as much as I can, I just want them to be soft and fluffy on the inside and have some nice roasting flavors.
But I have even more tips for you when it comes to roasting the perfect potato!
How to make oven roasted potatoes:
- Do I need to precook the potatoes? The answer is, it depends. I do parboil potatoes when I make crispy baked potato wedges, but to me it’s an entirely different kind of roasted potato. Pre-cooking roughens up the potato surface and makes them quite rustic. Baby potatoes? You don’t peel them, so there’s no starchy surface to roughen up. Not necessary, unless you want to accelerate the roasting process in the oven.
- Don’t roast with seasoning that burns to a crisp. Ground spices, black pepper, fresh rosemary: Generally safe. Chopped garlic, lots of herbs, finely grated citrus zest: Better added right before the potatoes are done, or after baking.
- Don’t line the pan. No silicone mats or parchment, they will make your potatoes soggy.
- Use a dark pan. It reflect heat better and makes your potatoes crispier. You can find one here! FYI, I make a commission for purchases made through this link. I also preheat my sheet pan whenever I want to make something crispy baked in the oven – from buttermilk oven fried chicken to regular oven fried chickento oven fried shrimp (for tacos!!) and sweet potato fries.
- Use enough oil. You’re not going to need cups and cups of it, but a light coating of oil is necessary to nicely roast the potatoes.
Roasting potatoes is not rocket science, you just need to know about a few tricks to make them perfect.
I usually don’t add many extra things to baby potatoes, other than maybe some lemon or parmesan. I think they’re just so adorable and perfect by themselves. I go crazy with roasted red potatoes though 😉
As far as actually making these cute taters goes, it couldn’t be any easier!
How to make these roasted baby potatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 420°F and place a black sheet pan in the oven to heat up.
- Wash, drain and season the potatoes by tossing them in a large bowl with olive oil, salt, and spices.
- Lightly oil the preheated baking sheet (careful, it’s very hot!) and spread the potatoes on it in a single layer. Tuck a few fresh rosemary sprigs between the potatoes.
- Bake until the potatoes are tender. Finish under the broiler if you want them more browned!
- Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, cracked black pepper and fresh parsley before serving straight away.
These are one of my favorite sides to whip up when I’m really short on time – along with some glazed baby carrots and a big spinach salad.
Seems fancy, is super easy and fast to pull off. My kind of recipes 😉
Get the printable recipe for these roasted baby potatoes:
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby potatoes, washed and drained
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoons dried garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
- Handful fresh rosemary sprigs
- Coarse sea salt cracked black pepper and chopped fresh parsley, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 420°F (220°C). Place a dark-colored baking sheet in the oven to heat up.
- Season the potatoes: Carefully toss the potatoes in a large bowl with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt and black pepper. Make sure all potatoes are evenly coated.
- Add potatoes to baking sheet: Carefully remove the preheated baking sheet from the oven using oven gloves. Spray with a light coating of oil. Place the potatoes on it in a single layer. Tuck the rosemary sprigs in between the potatoes.
- Bake: Bake the potatoes for around 25-30 minutes, or until tender on the inside and browned on the outside. You can finish under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to really brown the top as well.
- Garnish: Sprinkle the hot potatoes with black pepper, sea salt flaked and fresh parsley, if you like. Serve immediately.