We love roasting baby potatoes for convenience; you usually only need to cut a handful to make them all the same size. They are also a healthier alternative to french fries or mashed potatoes. With a crispy exterior and creamy interior, these roasted baby potatoes with fresh herbs are a great addition to any meal!
Three Must-Know Skills
For recipe success, learn how to:
Culinary Tips for Crispy Roasted Baby Potatoes
Since rosemary is a heartier herb, we toss it with the potatoes before cooking. Thyme is more delicate, so we add it at the end. If using dried thyme, add it at before cooking.
The sizes of baby potatoes can vary, so adjust cook time accordingly. Larger potatoes will take longer to cook. Reduce time by cutting potatoes in half and/or quarters if needed.
For best results when roasting, use our memorable acronym: ROAST WELL.
Right Temp
Set your oven to a high cooking temperature to achieve optimal caramelization. In general, anywhere between 400ºF and 500ºF is considered a roasting temperature.
Oil Generously
Don’t be scared of oil! Healthy oils add nutrition, satiety, and great flavor to roasted vegetables. Make sure every piece is thoroughly coated with oil; it’s better to use a little too much than not enough. Use oils with high smoke points, such as canola or avocado oil.
Alike Items
If you want to roast an assortment of vegetables at the same time, select ones that are similar and will cook in the same amount of time. Potatoes and carrots are both root vegetables that roast in about the same amount of time.
Skip Pan Liners
For best caramelization and browning, place the oil-coated vegetables directly onto the pan. Although parchment paper and foil make clean-up easier (we get it!), your vegetables won’t be quite as delicious.
Traditional Sheet Pan
When roasting, be sure to use a traditional sheet pan, with no more than a 1-inch rim along the sides. Deeper dishes cause vegetables to steam rather than roast – not optimal when trying to make crispy veggies! A metal pan also ensures browning.
Wash and Dry
You should always wash fresh produce before eating or cooking, but another important step when roasting is to make sure your vegetables are dry. Water generates steam, and again, we want to avoid steam to ensure the vegetables turn brown and crispy.
Even Cuts
It is important to make your pieces approximately the same size to ensure even cooking. Small pieces cook faster than large pieces. You might need to cut some of the potatoes in half or even quarters to match the smallest ones in the batch.
Leave Space
Spread the vegetables out on a sheet pan and leave plenty of space around each piece. If you overcrowd the pan, the vegetables will steam. Are you noticing a trend here? Steam is the enemy when trying to create crisp, roasted veggies!
When in doubt, use two pans. Yes, that might mean more dishes to clean, but we promise that it will be worth it!
Let them Cook!
Cooking requires patience. While it can be tempting to pull the vegetables from the oven once they are soft, make sure that they get that nice, brown exterior. You can stir them halfway through the cook time to brown on all sides, but it’s not totally necessary.
To learn more about how to roast vegetables, check out this article!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Baby Potatoes: use any color or mix of colors. Small fingerling potatoes will also work.
- Canola or Avocado Oil: substitute a lower-quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Fresh Thyme: substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- Fresh Rosemary: substitute 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
Recipe Variations
You can vary this recipe by changing up the herbs and spices. Oregano and Italian parsley would also be delicious additions.
Spice mixtures such as curry powder, garam masala, taco seasoning, or Italian seasoning create fun flavor variations. As always, use our recipe as a guide, then adjust to YOUR taste!
We love buying our spices from The Spice House. Click on the picture below to view & try out hundreds of flavorful spices and herbs!
Equipment Recommendations
For guaranteed recipe success, use the following pieces of equipment:
Health Benefits of Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes
Americans tend to eat their potatoes as French fries, but when deep-fried, most of the nutritional benefit of the potato is negated by the unhealthy preparation method. Roasting potatoes is a delicious and nutritious way to enjoy potatoes! Let’s explore the benefits.
Potatoes
Many people think that potatoes are unhealthy, and while we wouldn’t recommend eating only potatoes, they can certainly be a part of a healthy, balanced diet. The potatoes we want to eat less of are those that are highly processed, such as tater tots, french fries, chips, and modified potato starches (found in many packaged foods). Potatoes can provide a great source of important nutrients, such as potassium, Vitamin C, and fiber!
Canola Oil
Canola oil contains heart healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. It also has a high smoke point, making it ideal for high-heat cooking methods, such as roasting.
Fresh Herbs
Green herbs, like rosemary and thyme, not only add a pop of freshness and great flavor to a dish, but they add nutrition too! Herbs are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that promote health and help fight diseases.
How to Serve Roasted Baby Potatoes
Make a balanced plate by serving whole roasted baby potatoes with a green salad and a healthy protein, such as roasted fish or simple turkey meatballs.
Storage Tips
Allow roasted baby potatoes to cool, then store in an airtight container. Leftovers will last for up to 1 week in the refrigerator, but they will definitely lose some crispness as they sit! Reheat in the oven for best texture.
Want more roasted potato recipes?
Try out these flavorful favorites!
Roasted Russet Potatoes Base Recipe
Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, and Onion
Roasted Baby Potatoes with Fresh Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds baby/small potatoes
- 1 ½ Tablespoon avocado or canola oil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh, chopped thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Clean and scrub potatoes well. Do not peel. Cut larger potatoes to match the size of the smallest in the bag. Half or quarter as needed.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Add potatoes to bowl, and using a spatula, toss to evenly coat.
- Spread potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan. Roast ~28-30 minutes or until potatoes are brown and crisp and easily pierced with a fork.
- Transfer to a serving dish or leave on pan and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Enjoy!
