Roasted Baby Potatoes with a seasoned crust and rosy, tender center—special-occasion energy without mystery steps.
Crisp, Herb-Scented Baby Potatoes
Tiny potatoes roast up with a bronzed, herb-crusted exterior and a rosy, tender heart—special-occasion energy without mystery steps.
These baby potatoes do the kind of side-dish magic that makes people ask what you did differently. The outside becomes lacy and golden while the inside stays pillowy and just-steamed through. Garlic, fresh rosemary and thyme, a pinch of smoked paprika and a bright hit of lemon transform simple spuds into something that reads like Sunday supper—but fast enough for a weeknight.
The trick is practical: rinse and halve any potatoes larger than an inch, simmer them in salted water until a paring knife meets little resistance (about 8–10 minutes), then drain and give the colander a few shakes to roughen the skins. Those nubs and scuffs are where olive oil and a little melted butter cling, creating the irresistible crust when you roast on a hot center rack (425°F/220°C). Toss with minced garlic, chopped rosemary and thyme, smoked paprika, salt and pepper before they hit the sheet pan.
Finish with lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon, and a scatter of fresh parsley so the richness feels bright and clean. These potatoes hold up well if you want to par-boil ahead and roast just before guests arrive, and they bounce back beautifully when reheated in a hot oven to restore the crisp edges. Serves about six—perfect for family dinners, roast nights, or when you want a humble dish that feels a little celebratory.
Ingredients
How to Make Roasted Baby Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and position a rack in the center; line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil.
- Rinse the baby potatoes and trim any dark spots; halve any potatoes larger than 1 inch so all pieces are roughly the same size.
- Place potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, add 1/2 tsp of the kosher salt, bring to a boil, then simmer 8–10 minutes until a paring knife meets little resistance but they still hold shape; drain in a colander and give the colander a few gentle shakes to roughen the surfaces.
- Meanwhile, mince the garlic, finely chop the rosemary, thyme and parsley, zest the lemon, then cut it in half and juice one half.
- In a large bowl toss the drained potatoes with olive oil, melted butter, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, smoked paprika, the remaining 1 tsp kosher salt and black pepper until evenly coated.
- Arrange the potatoes cut-side down in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway, until deep golden and crisp on the outside.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven, immediately toss with lemon juice, lemon zest and chopped parsley, taste and adjust seasoning, then serve warm.
Recipe Card
Roasted Baby Potatoes
Roasted Baby Potatoes with a seasoned crust and rosy, tender center—special-occasion energy without mystery steps.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and position a rack in the center; line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil.
- Rinse the baby potatoes and trim any dark spots; halve any potatoes larger than 1 inch so all pieces are roughly the same size.
- Place potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, add 1/2 tsp of the kosher salt, bring to a boil, then simmer 8–10 minutes until a paring knife meets little resistance but they still hold shape; drain in a colander and give the colander a few gentle shakes to roughen the surfaces.
- Meanwhile, mince the garlic, finely chop the rosemary, thyme and parsley, zest the lemon, then cut it in half and juice one half.
- In a large bowl toss the drained potatoes with olive oil, melted butter, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, smoked paprika, the remaining 1 tsp kosher salt and black pepper until evenly coated.
- Arrange the potatoes cut-side down in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway, until deep golden and crisp on the outside.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven, immediately toss with lemon juice, lemon zest and chopped parsley, taste and adjust seasoning, then serve warm.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 26
- Saturated Fat
- 1.2
- Sodium
- 580
- Fiber
- 3.3
- Unsaturated Fat
- 5
- Protein
- 3
- Fat
- 7
- Cholesterol
- 5
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 175
- Sugar
- 1.2