Vegan Roast Potatoes
Crispy outside, fluffy inside, and packed with garlic and herbs. Perfect vegan roast potatoes.
Equipment
- 1 Large roasting tin big enough so potatoes aren’t crowded.
- 1 small saucepan for infusing the oil.
- 1 sieve to strain herbs from infused oil.
- 1 large saucepan for parboiling potatoes.
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs Maris Piper or King Edwards Potatoes (roughly 1kg) peeled optional, cut into chunks
- 4-5 tablespoons Sunflower oil (60-75 ml) or olive oil, vegetable oil, rapeseed oil or another neutral oil
- 2-3 cloves Fresh garlic sliced
- 2-3 sprigs Fresh rosemary
- 2-3 sprigs Fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon Paprika powder or smoked paprika powder
- Salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F [200°C (180°C fan)]. Make sure your roasting tin is ready and waiting - getting it hot right from the start helps everything crisp up beautifully.
Prepare infused oil:
- Add the sunflower oil to a small saucepan and warm it gently over low heat.
- Toss the sliced garlic into the hot oil along with the rosemary and thyme sprigs. Let everything infuse slowly for 5-7 minutes; you want the herbs to soften and release their aroma without letting the garlic catch or burn.
- Stir in the paprika right at the end. Strain the oil into a heatproof bowl and set it aside. (Your kitchen will already smell amazing at this point.)
Prepare potatoes:
- Add the chopped potatoes to a large pan, cover them with cold water (don't forget to salt it!), and bring to a boil. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the edges just start to soften - you don’t want them falling apart, just slightly tender. Drain them well, then give the pan a gentle shake to rough up the edges. This step is where that golden, crunchy exterior is born.
- Tip the potatoes into your roasting tin and drizzle over the infused oil. Season generously with salt and black pepper, then toss everything so each piece is coated and ready to crisp up.
- Pop the tray into the oven and cook for 40-45 minutes. Turn the potatoes once or twice during roasting to make sure they crisp evenly on all sides. You’re aiming for deep golden, crunchy edges and fluffy centers.
- Bring them straight to the table while they’re piping hot - perfect alongside a roast dinner or honestly just on their own with a little extra flaky salt.
Notes
- Space is your friend - For the crispiest results, don’t crowd the roasting tin. If the potatoes sit on top of each other, they’ll steam instead of crisp. Spread them out so every piece gets its moment to shine.
- Oil matters - Infusing the oil is what gives these potatoes that extra depth of flavor. Take your time with it - the low, slow heat keeps the garlic sweet and the herbs fragrant.
- Make-ahead options - You can parboil the potatoes earlier in the day (or even the day before) and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to roast. The infused oil can also be made ahead and stored in a sealed container.
- Paprika choice - Sweet paprika adds a warm, subtle flavor without overpowering the herbs. Smoked paprika works too if you want a deeper, slightly smoky edge.
- Potato varieties - Maris Piper and King Edward are the go-to for the perfect fluffy-inside, crispy-outside texture, but anything labelled as “floury” will do the job.
- Baking soda hack - to make your roast potatoes extra crispy on the outside, add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water when you're parboiling them!