Step 1: Prepare the Potatoes. Wash and dry your red potatoes thoroughly. Then, chop them into uniformly sized ½-inch to 1-inch pieces. Consistency in size is key for even cooking and optimal crispiness. This ensures every piece cooks at the same rate.

Step 2: Season the Potatoes. Place the chopped potatoes into a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, along with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Toss everything together vigorously to ensure every potato piece is evenly coated. This initial seasoning is crucial for building flavor.

Step 3: THE CRITICAL STEP – Preheat the Pan with Oil. This is the secret to ultimate crispiness! Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil directly onto your large baking sheet. Place the baking sheet with the oil into the oven and preheat the oven to 400℉ (200°C). Once the oven reaches temperature, carefully remove the hot pan and place it on your stove or a heat-safe surface. The preheated oil provides an instant sizzle, effectively “frying” the potatoes as they begin to roast.

Step 4: Arrange Potatoes and Garlic. Carefully, but quickly, pour the seasoned potatoes onto the hot baking sheet, spreading them into an even, single layer. This ensures maximum contact with the hot oil and prevents steaming. Then, nestle the four whole garlic cloves (still in their husks) throughout the pan, distributing them amongst the potatoes.

Step 5: Roast to Perfection. Return the baking sheet to the preheated oven. Roast the potatoes for a total of 28-35 minutes, or until deeply golden brown and crispy. Halfway through the cooking time, at about 15 minutes, carefully flip the potatoes with a spatula to ensure even crisping on all sides. Once done, remove the pan from the oven and carefully pick out the roasted garlic cloves.

Step 6: Prepare the Garlic-Herb Infusion. While the potatoes are still hot, pour 2 tablespoons of fresh olive oil into a small bowl. Take each roasted garlic clove, still in its husk, and gently squeeze it. The soft, caramelized garlic paste should easily slide out. Add this garlic paste and the fresh chopped parsley to the olive oil. Use a fork to mash and combine everything thoroughly, creating a fragrant dressing. Only use a food processor if you prefer a very smooth paste and have a very small one, otherwise a fork works perfectly.

Soaking is typically done with very starchy potato varieties, such as Russet potatoes. This process helps to remove some of the excess starch from the potato surface, which can hinder crisping. For “waxy” potatoes like red or gold varieties used in this recipe, soaking is generally unnecessary as their lower starch content naturally promotes a crispier result without the extra step. So, for these garlic parmesan potatoes, you can skip the soak!

Minced garlic has a tendency to burn and become bitter when exposed to high heat for extended periods, like in roasting. The best way to avoid this is our signature trick: roast whole garlic cloves in their husks alongside the potatoes. The husk acts as a protective layer, allowing the garlic to soften and caramelize gently into a sweet, creamy paste. Once the potatoes are done, simply squeeze the softened garlic out of its husk and mash it into your finishing olive oil mixture. This method ensures you get all the wonderful flavor of roasted garlic without any of the bitterness.

While some recipes advocate for boiling potatoes before roasting to achieve a fluffy interior, I find it to be an unnecessary extra step for this particular recipe and a waste of another pot to wash! Our method of chopping the potatoes to a consistent size and using the hot pan technique creates perfectly tender interiors and super crispy exteriors without any pre-boiling. While restaurants might par-boil for efficiency in large batches, it’s not essential for a home kitchen to achieve excellent results.

While these potatoes are undeniably best served immediately for peak crispiness, you can prep some components in advance. You can chop the potatoes and store them in cold water in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours (drain and dry thoroughly before roasting). The garlic-parsley oil mixture can also be prepared a few hours ahead and kept at room temperature. For reheating, spread them on a baking sheet and reheat in a hot oven (around 375°F or 190°C) until crispy again, though they might not reach the exact same level of crispness as fresh.

Store any leftover crispy garlic parmesan potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, the best method is to spread them on a baking sheet and warm them in a preheated oven or air fryer at around 400°F (200°C) for 10-15 minutes, flipping once, until they are hot and have regained some of their crispness. Microwaving is not recommended as it will make them soft.

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  ▢
  
  
  2
  lbs
  red potatoes

• 
  ▢
  
  
  2
  tablespoons
  fresh chopped parsley

• 
  ▢
  
  
  ⅓
  cup
  olive oil

• 
  ▢
  
  
  ½
  cup
  grated Parmesan cheese

• 
  ▢
  
  
  4
  cloves
  garlic (unpeeled, in husks)

• 
  ▢
  
  
  1
  teaspoon
  salt (or to taste)

• 
  ▢
  
  
  1
  teaspoon
  black pepper (freshly ground is best)

• 
  ▢
  
  
  ½
  teaspoon
  crushed red pepper (optional, for a kick)

• Begin by thoroughly washing and drying your red potatoes. Chop them into uniform ½-inch to 1-inch pieces. In a large bowl, toss the chopped potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper until every piece is evenly coated.
• Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over a large baking sheet, ensuring the entire surface is coated. Place the oiled baking sheet into your oven and preheat the oven to 400℉ (200°C). Once the oven has reached temperature, carefully remove the hot pan (use oven mitts!) and place it on a heat-safe surface. Immediately and carefully pour the seasoned potatoes onto the hot pan, spreading them into a single, even layer. Distribute the four whole garlic cloves (still in their husks) evenly among the potatoes.
• Return the baking sheet to the preheated oven and roast for a total of 28-35 minutes. After the first 15 minutes of roasting, carefully remove the pan, flip the potatoes with a spatula to promote even browning, and return to the oven. Continue roasting until the potatoes are deeply golden brown and wonderfully crispy.
• Once roasted, remove the pan from the oven. Carefully pick out the roasted garlic cloves. In a small bowl, pour 2 tablespoons of fresh olive oil. Squeeze the soft, caramelized garlic paste from each husk into the olive oil. Add the fresh chopped parsley to the bowl and mash everything together with a fork until well combined, forming a flavorful paste.
• Transfer the hot, crispy potatoes to a clean serving bowl. Drizzle with the roasted garlic and parsley olive oil mixture. Top generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Toss all ingredients together gently to ensure the potatoes are beautifully coated. Serve immediately to enjoy the best crispiness and flavor!

1. Preheating the pan in the oven with the layer of olive oil is the ultimate secret to achieving the crispiest roasted potatoes. This technique essentially allows you to “fry” the potato exteriors while they roast, creating an unbeatable crunch. Be extremely careful when adding the potatoes to the hot oil, as it will splatter.
2. For superior flavor and texture, I recommend adding the Parmesan cheese after the potatoes have finished roasting. This prevents the cheese from burning or losing its distinct nutty flavor, ensuring it beautifully coats the already crispy potatoes.
3. To ensure maximum crispiness, avoid overcrowding your baking sheet. If necessary, use two sheets to give the potatoes ample space to roast rather than steam. A single layer is crucial!