CRISPY ROAST POTATOES
Crispy Roast Potatoes
Crispy smashed roast potatoes with bacon, spring onion, parsley, and olive oil.
Ingredients
- 24 ounces baby potatoes
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 rashers streaky bacon, roughly chopped
- 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, well-salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until a knife slides in easily but the potatoes still hold their shape. Drain thoroughly.
- Return the potatoes to the empty pot and shake them firmly to rough up the edges. You’re after a lightly craggy, fluffy surface rather than anything collapsing. Let them sit for a few minutes to steam dry.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Add the olive oil to a large roasting tray and place it in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until properly hot.
- Carefully add the potatoes to the hot oil. They should sizzle on contact. Lightly press the larger ones with a fork or masher to create more surface area. Season with the salt and black pepper, then turn gently to coat. Spread into a single layer, leaving space between them.
- Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the edges begin to crisp and colour.
- Scatter the chopped bacon over the tray and return to the oven. Roast for a further 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the potatoes are deeply golden.
- Remove from the oven and immediately scatter over the spring onions and parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Notes
If you are cooking these alongside a roast chicken and your oven starts at a lower temperature, the method shifts slightly to accommodate that gentler heat.
Prepare the potatoes exactly as written, including parboiling, roughing up, and steaming dry. When adding them to the oven, place them into a preheated tray with hot oil as usual, even if the oven is set to 350°F (180°C). That initial contact with hot oil still matters.
Roast for about 35–45 minutes, turning once halfway through. At this stage, the potatoes will cook through and begin to colour, but they will not yet be deeply crisp.
Add the chopped bacon and continue roasting. For the final 15–20 minutes, increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). This is where the proper crisping happens and where the potatoes develop their golden edges.
Remove from the oven once the bacon is crisp and the potatoes are deeply golden and crispy, then finish with the spring onion and parsley as written.
Sure, the temperature is much less, but because you are cooking first, and crisping second (rather than the other way around), it works.
Costs
- Total Cost: $6.26
- Cost per Serving: $1.56
Costs determined in April 2026 in Cleveland, USA, working with produce from ALDI, oil from Thrive Market, and salt and pepper from Whole Foods.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
351Fat
23 gSat. Fat
5 gCarbs
31 gFiber
4 gNet carbs
27 gSugar
2 gProtein
7 gSodium
1322 mgCholesterol
15 mgNutritional information is an estimate only, and depends on the ingredients you use.
