Steaming hot roast potatoes, with a crunchy golden exterior and fluffy middle, are an essential part of any roast dinner. While even an average roast potato can be nice once smothered in gravy, why settle for second best? Follow our simple method for making the perfect roast potatoes and you will be astonished at just how good they can be!

Although roast potatoes are essentially simple to make, there are a few simple techniques to master. Follow our easy guide to making roast potatoes for perfect results, every time.

Floury potato varieties such as Maris Pipers or King Edwards are the best for roasting. These potatoes are softer and more ‘floury’ in texture, as the name suggests, which means they will develop lots of crisp edges and a fluffy interior once cooked.

Yes, you should parboil your potatoes before roasting as this helps them to cook more evenly. Parboiling them also allows for important extra steps that contribute towards top tier roasties, as it helps to create lots of ragged edges, which then crisp up in the oven. See our tips below for achieving the best crunch on your roast potatoes!

There are a few options when choosing a fat for roasting potatoes. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, you’ll want to use vegetable fat such as vegetable oil. This fat heats to a high temperature and will ensure you achieve a crispy golden roast potato. Sunflower oil can also be used. 

If you’re a meat eater, you may want to consider using duck or goose fat to roast your potatoes. These fats will add a lot of flavour to your roasties and will ensure they’re lovely and crunchy.

Good roast potatoes can’t be rushed, and will take around an hour from start to finish. However, you can get on with other elements of your roast while they are cooking, plus the amount of hands-on time you’ll need is minimal.

There are a couple of simple tricks we always use to make sure our roast potatoes are perfectly crispy on the outside. Firstly, it’s important to par boil the potatoes, then give them a shake around in the colander to rough up the edges; these will crisp up in the hot oil. We also like to add a tablespoon of plain flour to the potatoes, which also encourages a crunchy coating! Finally, it’s essential that there’s enough oil in the pan, and that the potatoes are fully coated. Follow our simple step by step recipe below.

For best results, we recommend partially cooking your roasties and then freezing before finishing them in the oven. Parboil your potatoes, then coat them in your fat and freeze in the baking tray before continuing to cook them as per the recipe above.

To reheat cooked roast potatoes, spread them out on a baking tray in an even layer, then cover with foil. Reheat at 180C for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for a further 5 minutes. 

Leftover roast potatoes are a fantastic addition to other recipes - if you’re lucky enough to have any left! Try using them in place of croutons, add them to a sandwich, or use them in place of crisps to dunk into dips. We love to use them in a Caesar salad with leftover sprouts. 

To cook roast potatoes in an air fryer, simmer or boil the potatoes for 5 minutes, then drain. Toss the potatoes with vegetable oil and air fry at 190C for 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through and crisp.

While roasties are always fantastic cooked simply in fat, it's fun to mix things up. We like to add garlic and rosemary to our roast potatoes - add these ingredients 5 minutes before the end of cooking to ensure they don't burn, or you could also experiment with spices. Adding a powerful flavour such as Marmite can also bring extra umami to your roast. Mix a tablespoon of oil with a tablespoon of Marmite and stir through your roasties 15 minutes before the end of cooking time.