Recipe Review

These Classic Roasted Potatoes Are So Perfect That I Wish I Doubled the Recipe

published Jun 24, 2021
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Credit: Will Coleman

It’s safe to say that potatoes are one of my favorite ingredients; they’re incredibly versatile with plenty of cooking options. So when I saw that The Pasta Queen — the TikTok-famous Italian cook — shared her recipe for Nonna’s roasted potatoes, I knew I had to give them a try. Roasting potatoes is pretty straightforward, though The Pasta Queen provides a bit of wisdom on how to upgrade this classic dish. In the recipe, she offers up three brilliant tips to perfect your roasted potatoes. I’m thrilled that I listened and whipped up these potatoes for Sunday dinner — and here’s what happened when I did.

@the_pastaqueen

3 tips to make nonna’s perfect roast potatoes 🥰 ##roastpotatoes ##italianfood ##nonna

♬ original sound – The Pasta Queen

3 Tips for Perfect Roasted Potatoes

The Pasta Queen provides a full recipe, but there are three big, game-changing tips for perfect potatoes every time:

  1. Soak the potatoes. You start things off by placing your potatoes in water for around 30 minutes. I’ve never soaked my potatoes before roasting them, though I’ll be changing that immediately. Soaking the potatoes in water allows you to have a soft and fluffy inside while keeping the exterior crispy after roasting.
  2. Preheat the pan. Next, place your roasting pan into the oven at 375°F degrees to heat up. You know when you’re attempting to serve your roasted potatoes and they break apart, making a less than attractive side dish? Preheating the pan allows you to have crispy potatoes that won’t embarrass you by sticking to the pan and breaking apart.
  3. Pack in the flavor. Now, it’s time to give our potatoes some love. Toss them up with kosher salt, black pepper, rosemary, thyme, a heavy pour of olive oil, and lemon juice. Finally, add the potatoes to your preheated roasting pan and scatter a few unpeeled garlic cloves. Leaving the peel on the garlic cloves keeps them from burning while still releasing flavor.

Place the uncovered pan into the oven to roast for 45 minutes or until golden brown and fork-tender. Once the potatoes are finished cooking, taste for seasoning and serve. I like to toss my potatoes with additional lemon juice, chopped chives, red chile flakes, and grated mild white cheddar or Parmesan cheese.   

Credit: Will Coleman

My Honest Review of Nonna’s Roasted Potatoes

When I bite into a potato that’s perfectly cooked and seasoned, a moment of silence must be taken. It’s safe to say that I was quiet the entire time I was eating these potatoes.

The ingredients for this recipe are relatively simple, though it’s essential that when you’re prepping the potatoes, you don’t hold back with the salt, pepper, oil, lemon juice, and garlic cloves. Potatoes are a rather bland ingredient that require flavorful ingredients to add something special. I love that the recipe calls for staple pantry ingredients to bring this dish to life because as the potatoes roast with the herbs and other ingredients they’re soaking up all that flavor, creating a stunning side dish.

I would recommend giving this recipe a try the next time potatoes are on the menu, as they will add so much flavor to your meal. If you fall in love with this technique for roasting potatoes, just as I did, I would recommend doubling the recipe so that you’re left with extra flavor-packed potatoes for an array of meals. 

Credit: Will Coleman

My #1 Tip for Nonna’s Roasted Potatoes

After making this recipe for the first time, I would encourage you to implement the three ingenious techniques used whenever you’re roasting potatoes. It’s essential to keep in mind that potatoes are incredibly versatile, and there are tons of flavor profiles that work with them. With this being said, try adding your favorite ingredients to make this dish your own. Try incorporating flavors like curry powder, Calabrian chiles, duck fat, pesto, black garlic, or anything else you like to pair with potatoes.