Looking to make crispy potatoes for a crowd? Try this method: parboil the potatoes first; then slice and roast them at high heat with olive oil and salt. Showered with herbs, they’re irresistible, and best of all they reheat well should you need to get prep work done ahead of time.

A platter of oven-roasted fingerling potatoes.

For years, I made fingerling potatoes one and only one way: parboiled; then pan-seared and showered with rosemary and thyme. I learned the method, which produces well-seasoned, perfectly textured potatoes every time, while working at Fork, where the line cooks would crisp up the sliced, par-boiled potatoes stovetop to order.

And this is where that method shines: small-batch cooking.

But what if you want to make crispy fingerling potatoes for a crowd? Pan-searing large batches of potatoes is not ideal — crowding the pan prevents the potatoes from browning properly, and standing at the stovetop monitoring batch after batch takes time.

A few months ago, I experimented with making a larger batch of potatoes, replacing the pan-sear with a high-heat roast. After slicing 3 pounds of cooled, parboiled fingerling potatoes, I spread them onto a sheetpan, dressed them with olive oil and salt, then placed them in the oven at 550ºF convection roast for 20 minutes.

It worked beautifully: the potatoes emerged crisp but tender with golden surfaces all around. Showered with fresh rosemary and chives, they were irresistible, and they looked pretty to boot.

If you are thinking about serving potatoes for a holiday gathering this weekend but aren’t quite up for making a gratin or a mash, I think you’ll find this recipe a godsend. The parboiled potatoes can be made hours or days ahead of time, and the fully cooked potatoes reheat beautifully, too. See the notes in the recipe on how to do so.

Crispy Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Step by Step

This recipe is written for 3 pounds of potatoes but you can easily scale it up or down depending on your needs. It seems as though stores typically sell fingerlings in 1.5 lb bags. Whole Foods:

Two bags of fingerling potatoes.

Hannafords. I actually prefer these non-multicolored fingerling potatoes, and I prefer small-ish fingerling potatoes, which are hard to find outside of farmer’s markets.

A bag of fingerling potatoes on a countertop.

Place the potatoes in a pot with a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme and a lot of salt:

A pot of water filled with fingerling potatoes covered with salt and herbs.

Cover with cold water and place on the stovetop:

A pot on the stovetop filled with water, herbs, salt, and fingerling potatoes.

Bring to a simmer:

A pot of potatoes boiling on the stovetop.

Then immediately turn off the heat and let the potatoes cool completely in the water. It will take about an hour for the potatoes to cool but you can do this hours ahead of time or even a full day ahead of time.

A pot of cooled fingerling potatoes.

Once cool, drain the potatoes:

Drained fingerling potatoes in a colander.

Cut the potatoes on the bias into half-inch pieces:

Sliced boiled fingerling potatoes.

Transfer to a sheet pan and dress with olive oil and kosher salt. Transfer to the oven for 15-20 minutes at 550ºF convection roast (if possible).

A sheet pan of fingerling potatoes dressed with olive oil and salt ready for the oven.

Meanwhile, gather some herbs:

Herbs on a cutting board.

Chop them finely:

A board topped with chopped herbs.

Remove the potatoes from the oven…

Roasted Fingerling potatoes on a sheet pan.

… then add the herbs:

Roasted fingerling potatoes showered with fresh herbs.

Use a spatula to release the potatoes from the pan and toss with the herbs:

Herbed roasted fingerling potatoes on a sheet pan.

Taste and adjust with more herbs to taste and more salt if necessary. Transfer to a serving platter.

A platter of oven-roasted fingerling potatoes.

Also works with other small potatoes. These are baby “golds”:

A plate of roasted baby yukon gold potatoes.
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A platter of oven-roasted fingerling potatoes.

Crispy, Herby Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

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5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Alexandra Stafford
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: Serces 6 to 8 as a side dish
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This recipe is inspired by a method I learned while working at Fork in Philadelphia nearly 20 years ago. There, the parboiled potatoes were pan-seared to order. Here, they are roasted, which allows for large-batch cooking. 

Notes:

  • Scale the recipe up or down as needed.
  • Parboil the potatoes hours or days ahead of time.
  • To make the potatoes ahead: roast them as directed, then let them cool completely. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat by spreading them onto a sheet pan and roasting them at 425ºF for 10 minutes or until heated through. 

Ingredients

For the parboil:

  • 3 pounds fingerling potatoes or other small potatoes
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • several sprigs of rosemary and thyme

For roasting:

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or half as much Morton or fine sea salt)
  • 2 tablespoons minced rosemary or a mix of rosemary and thyme
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped chives or a mix of chives and dill

Instructions

  1. Place fingerlings in a pot. Add the salt and herbs. Fill with water to cover. Place on the stovetop and bring to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat. Let the potatoes cool completely in their liquid before proceeding. It should take about 1 hour for the potatoes to cool in the liquid. 
  2. When you are ready to roast them, preheat your oven to 550ºF convection roast (if possible… otherwise preheat it to its hottest setting). Drain the potatoes. If your potatoes are small, slice them in half on the bias. Cut larger potatoes on the bias into 1/2-inch pieces. 
  3. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan. Sprinkle evenly with the salt. Pour the olive oil over the top. Toss with your hands to coat the potatoes evenly then spread the potatoes into an even layer. 
  4. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through if the potatoes are browning unevenly. 
  5. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Chop your herbs if you haven’t already, then shower them over the top. I like to use my long, offset spatula to release the potatoes from the pan and toss with the herbs. Transfer the potatoes to a serving platter and serve hot or at room temperature. See notes above for reheating. 
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Stovetop, Oven
  • Cuisine: American