Crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy inside, these Italian roast potatoes are the perfect side for any roast dinner or main. With whole garlic cloves and fresh rosemary, they’re full of flavour and hard to resist.
Who doesn’t love perfectly roasted potatoes? These are my favourite way to prepare them. I often serve them with a stuffed roast pork loin rubbed with fresh herbs and wrapped in prosciutto, but they’re equally good alongside roast lamb, chicken or beef.
Seasonings
I season these Italian roast potatoes generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fresh rosemary and garlic give them an extra depth of flavour.
I use 5–6 garlic cloves, left in their skins and lightly crushed with the back of a knife. When the potatoes are cooked, squeeze the soft garlic from the skins — it becomes sweet, sticky and intensely garlicky.
For rosemary I use 4–5 large sprigs, remove the needles from the stalks and scatter them over the potatoes. Tip: have the rosemary and garlic ready before you take the hot tray out of the oven, because you need to work quickly when the oil is screaming hot.
Do I need to boil potatoes before roasting?
For these Italian roast potatoes I don’t boil them first. They roast beautifully straight from raw into wonderfully crisp, tender bites, and skipping the boil saves time.
If you’re making traditional British roast potatoes, where the pieces are larger, I do recommend parboiling first. Boiling gives a fluffy interior that becomes extra crispy in the oven — ideal for soaking up gravy.
How to make Italian Roast Potatoes – step by step
Preheat the oven to 220°C (428°F). When the oven reaches temperature, pour the oil into a baking tray and return the tray to the oven so the oil becomes very hot.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into medium-sized chunks. By the time you’ve finished cutting, the tray and oil should be hot and ready.
Work quickly but carefully — hot oil warning. Remove the tray from the oven and add the potatoes, then scatter the rosemary needles and whole garlic cloves over them. Season with salt and pepper. Use a spatula or fish slice to toss the potatoes so they’re coated in the hot oil, then return the tray to the oven.
Roast for about 25 minutes, then turn the potatoes so the browned, crispy sides face up. Roast for another 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden, crispy and cooked through.
Tips for making the perfect Italian Roast Potatoes
- Fully preheat the oven before adding the oil and potatoes so the oil is smoking hot and the potatoes begin crisping immediately.
- Use a tray large enough to spread the potatoes in a single layer — don’t overcrowd them.
- Always heat the oil in the oven before adding the potatoes. The instant sizzle helps create crisp edges.
- There’s no need to use expensive extra virgin olive oil for roasting; a regular olive oil works well.
- Add as much garlic as you like — the more, the better.
- If you’re not serving immediately, transfer the potatoes to a plate lined with baking parchment to drain slightly and keep them warm in a low oven. Don’t cover them or they’ll lose crispiness.
If you try these Italian roast potatoes or any other recipe, I’d love to hear how they turned out in the comments. Follow the author on social channels to see more recipes and kitchen updates.
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Italian Roast Potatoes
By Emily
Ingredients
- 1.9 lbs (870g) potatoes
- 5–6 garlic cloves, whole with skins on, lightly crushed
- 4–5 sprigs rosemary, needles removed from stalks
- 5–6 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (428°F). Pour the oil into a baking tray and return the tray to the oven to heat the oil thoroughly.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into medium chunks. The tray and oil should be very hot by the time you finish prepping.
- Carefully remove the tray from the oven. Add the potatoes, then the rosemary needles and whole garlic cloves. Season with salt and pepper and toss quickly to coat the potatoes in the hot oil. Return to the oven.
- Roast for about 25 minutes, then turn the potatoes so the browned sides face up. Roast for another 20 minutes or until golden and crispy.
Notes
- Ensure the oven is fully preheated so the oil is very hot before adding the potatoes.
- Choose a tray large enough to keep the potatoes in a single layer to promote even crisping.
- Heating the oil in the oven before adding potatoes gives an immediate sizzle and better crisp.
- You don’t need expensive extra virgin olive oil for roasting; use a regular olive oil.
- Use as much garlic as you like — it mellows and sweetens as it roasts.
- If not serving immediately, place potatoes on parchment and keep warm in a low oven; avoid covering to retain crispness.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I generally use extra virgin olive oil unless noted otherwise.
- All vegetable sizes are medium unless specified.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
- Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be treated as approximate.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 28 g |
Protein: 5 g |
Fat: 17 g |
Saturated Fat: 2 g |
Sodium: 22 mg |
Potassium: 904 mg |
Fiber: 5 g |
Vitamin C: 25.7 mg |
Calcium: 71 mg |
Iron: 7.1 mg
Nutrition information is approximate.
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