This Super-Crispy Lemon-Roasted Potatoes Recipe Is the Side Dish of Dreams

Peruse social media or any of your favorite food publications and you’ll quickly see that we, as a culture, are obsessed with crispy potato recipes. We’ve tried ultra-spiced, meticulously scored spuds that claimed to be the best in the world; light and crispy mashed potato puffs; and, of course, the Parmesan-crusted baby potatoes made famous on TikTok, just to name a few. And are we done? No, because the quest for crispy potatoes does not sleep. 

To start, peel and quarter 4 to 6 medium potatoes. Poppy suggests Maris Piper potatoes, which are a popular variety in the U.K., but if you can’t find those (they’re not easy to find in the U.S.!), just reach for your favorite medium-sized roasting potato. 

Transfer cut potatoes to a pot and cover them with cold water. Season the water generously with salt, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender all the way through, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes into a colander, then cover the colander with a clean kitchen towel (which Poppy notes to be the key to getting your spuds the crispiest), letting the potatoes “steam dry” — or cool — for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add vegetable oil to a high-sided baking pan and place in your oven before preheating to 350°F. Gently toss the potatoes in the colander to give their exteriors a rough, uneven surface.

When the oven is preheated, carefully remove the baking pan and place on a heat-proof surface. Transfer your potatoes to the tray and toss gently to coat in oil. Return the pan to the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, and, optionally, fine semolina in a small bowl and stir to combine. Thinly slice a lemon as well.

When the potatoes have roasted for 30 minutes, remove the baking pan from the oven and add the lemon juice mixture and sliced lemons. Give everything a good toss and return the pan to the oven to bake 30 minutes more. When you’re ready to serve, season potatoes to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Creamy on the inside, with a hearty, crisp exterior, these potatoes definitely deliver what their name promises. Are they the crispiest potatoes I’ve ever had? No, but it’s a trade-off you make for that super-tangy lemony flavor very reminiscent of Greek lemon potatoes. The dried oregano provided plenty of herby, earthy flavor, and the semolina added a pleasant subtle crunch (although it’s not at all necessary if you don’t have any on hand).

I loved that even though the pieces of potato were quite large and had a thick, crisp exterior, they were still tender all the way through. Be sure to test your potatoes with a paring knife or fork to ensure that they’re completely cooked before draining them. Cooking them to this point also makes it very easy to achieve those crispy-craggly golden edges — just give them a quick toss in your colander to rough up their exterior.