Roasted Spanish potatoes- A quick and easy recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do I have to boil potatoes before roasting them? ›

It isn't necessary to boil potatoes before roasting but you can. Your oven generates plenty of heat, enough to completely cook diced potato pieces in a reasonable amount of time. They'll be tender in the middle and have some crispness on the outside, mostly on the side in contact with the pan they were cooked on.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes.

These tips are completely doable, actually pretty much fail-proof. SOAK your potato chunks in cold water. This removes some of the starch and helps get them super duper crispy. Soak them at least one hour.

Neutral, low-cost oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, corn oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc., work well for roasting. These oils have a high smoke point, allowing the potatoes to get very hot to achieve maximum crispiness.

Parboiling helps soften the potato insides before the roasting begins, so you won't be tempted to burn the outsides in exchange for less undercooked insides. Boil the potato chunks for eight to 10 minutes—they won't be fully cooked, but they'll be ready for the next step.

Their dense nature and size mean that whether you love a white potato or a sweet potato, getting them tender to the core just takes a while. You can speed up the process when boiling or roasting or frying by cutting them up small or slicing them thin or even grating them.

Because potatoes are dense, with a relatively low water content compared to vegetables like broccoli or winter squash, they take a while to cook. If you roast them at too high a temperature, you risk browning the outsides before the insides are cooked through.

Don't underestimate the power of a preheated baking sheet. Placing your potato slices or wedges on a preheated baking sheet can kickstart the cooking process and help them to crisp up faster. Place the baking sheet in the oven while it preheats, then carefully transfer the prepared potatoes onto the hot sheet.

You might not be using enough oil. If you're not using enough oil to coat the potato, it won't get crispy as it bakes. You might be using the wrong type of potato. Potatoes with a high starch content, such as Russet potatoes, are better for baking because they become fluffy and crispy when cooked.

It is best to season the potatoes before or during cooking, rather than after they have finished cooking. When you season the potatoes before or during cooking, the salt and other spices can penetrate the potatoes and enhance their flavor throughout. This can help to create a more even flavor throughout the potatoes.

Is it necessary to peel potatoes for roasting? ›

It's up to you whether or not you peel your potatoes. Potatoes that are completely peeled and then cut into large chunks will crisp up nicely on all sides, whereas unpeeled potatoes that you've cut into wedges, or into halves or quarters, will become really crunchy only on their peeled sides.

Use parchment paper– non stick foil, or baking sheets will not do the trick. Parchment paper allows the potatoes to roast without sticking! Evenly spread out the potatoes – Don't stack them on top of one another – spread your potatoes out on the baking sheet and try not to overcrowd them.

How long can peeled and cut potatoes sit in water before cooking, before they begin taking on too much water? A: We usually recommend no more than 24 hours. You can keep the potatoes from absorbing the water by making sure the water is not salted, and is chilled (you can even add ice to the water).

Dense potatoes don't absorb seasonings easily, so you'll need to salt the water liberally so that the water the potatoes do drink up also carries in seasoning. And because potatoes are so timid in flavor, they need that salt to bring them out of their shells. Pour some salt in, then keep going.

Parboiling the potatoes allows the outside to get soft enough to rough them up, creating the best surface for crisping. Roughing them up before roasting creates a textured surface that crisps up nicely. Just the right amount of oil makes the roasted potatoes crisp without becoming greasy.

Raw or undercooked potatoes can contain solanine, a naturally occurring toxin that can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if consumed in large amounts.

Potatoes should be scrubbed before boiling, rather than soaked. Soaking potatoes in water can sap nutrients and flavor. To enrich the flavor of potatoes boil them in a favorite stock, or for a mild, sweet taste, boil in milk. Potatoes boiled in milk should be peeled thinly when cooled.