Crispy, crunchy potatoes are the stuff dreams are made of. They can be served with almost anything: chicken, pork, beef or as a side to a vegetarian feast. Put simply, they’re a crowd-pleaser. And knowing how to make potatoes crunchy could be easier than you think with this simple method.
All you have to do is parboil your potatoes before baking them to achieve a crispy outer layer. It’s that simple.
Why should you boil potatoes before baking them?
When you parboil potatoes, the exterior starts to break down, creating a slushy-like consistency that sticks to the larger chunks of potato. Then, when you add fat and seasonings, the mushy potatoes crisp up deliciously while cooking in the oven. This is sometimes referred to as “cooking potatoes twice” to make them crispy.
How to make crispy potatoes in four steps
- Place your potatoes in a pot of cold water (very important, potatoes should not be cooked like pasta). It’s up to you if you want to peel them, leave them whole, or chop them. But chunkier potatoes handle the boiling process better.
- Bring to the boil covered. Then uncover and boil for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Tip your parboiled potatoes in a bowl and season with oil, salt, pepper and other spices of your choosing.
- Transfer your potatoes to a baking tray and pop them into your 200-degree oven for about 40 minutes or until they are deliciously crispy and golden.
Tip: If you want your potatoes to be even crunchier, try spacing them out more when you cook them in the oven. This allows the heat to cook them more evenly to get a nice, crunchy outer layer.
Crispy baked potato recipes
If you want some more inspiration, check out these great potato recipes.
Epic roast potatoes with mixed salts recipe
These potatoes are crispy, crunchy crowd-pleasers. Get the recipe here.
Duck fat makes these extra tasty! Get the recipe here.
