Best of Basic: Roasted Baby Potatoes

One of my favorite items at the market is the 1 pound bags of baby potatoes. They make cooking potatoes so effortless. Plus, when the potatoes are bite-size, the whole bite of potato is surrounded by roasty, crispy skin, which is the best part of a potato in my opinion.

This is an easy side dish for clients and for myself. I use this simple recipe to make endless varieties of roasted potatoes. Want chipotle potatoes? Mix chipotle powder and garlic powder into the oil before tossing with the potatoes. What garlic-parmesan potatoes? Toss finished potatoes with minced garlic sautéed in oil and grated parmesan cheese.

I learned in culinary school that parboiling small potatoes (either baby potatoes or diced potatoes) makes for tender insides and crispy outsides, so that’s what I do most of the time with these popable taters.

On another note, I hate that potatoes are demonized because they’re “carb-y.” How can such a nutrient-rich food be hated so much? Potatoes are loaded with fiber which is great for digestion and gut health. Additionally, potatoes contain high amounts of potassium, vitamin b6, copper, vitamin c and manganese. Vitamin b6 in particular is a highly essential for the body to produce new cells and for a properly functioning nervous system.

In conclusion, these potatoes are amazing, in more ways than one, and you should try them out STAT.

Perfect Roasted Baby Potatoes
Serves: 2-3 Start to Finish: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 lb baby potatoes (for substitutes see notes below)
olive oil
sea salt, fine grain

To Make

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add potatoes to a medium-size pot with 2 large pinches salt. Cover with water by a few inches, and bring to a rolling simmer. Reduce heat and gently simmer until a fork can easily pierce to the center of the potatoes, but with some resistance (this is called parcooking or parboiling). The simmering time varies but I would start checking once they’ve been simmering for 5, including the rapid simmering time before it starts to full on boil. Drain potatoes and return to the hot pot (this helps dry the potatoes out before adding the oil for roasting).

Toss parcooked potatoes with 2 or 3 teaspoons olive oil and 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt. The potatoes should be visibly coated in olive oil. Transfer to a lined baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Toss. Roast for another 10-20 minutes, until potato skins are golden and crispy.

I use this same method for any waxy, thin skinned potato, like Yukon Gold (my fave). Before simmering, simply chop unpeeled potatoes into big bite-size pieces.