Quick and easy Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes make the perfect side dish for any meal—great garlic-tasting crisp potatoes on the outside with a tender inside.
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We have used this recipe hundreds of times over the last 45+ years—perfect every time.
👍Why you will love this recipe
- A perfect starch side dish for everyday meals or eloquent dinners. Goes with chicken, beef, pork, or even fish.
- We always call them roasted "baby potatoes" using baby red potatoes, but other varieties with thin skins like yellow, purple, or new potatoes will all work.
- Only needs 4 ingredients, about 5 minutes of prep time,and 30 minutes in the oven.
- Almost any oven temperature will do if you are cooking something else—adjust the cooking time to compensate.
- A convection oven is preferred for both a crispier outside and faster cooking.
- No boiling or soaking is needed.
- A foolproof recipe with easy step-by-step photo instructions. It's very hard not to get perfect roasted potatoes every time.
Looking of other easy potato side dishes, check out Crispy Smashed Potatoes, Crispy Parmesan Baked Potatoes, or Crispy Baked French Fries.
🥔Ingredients
- Baby Potatoes—usually baby red potatoes, but any thin-skin small potatoes or new potatoes like purple, yellow, or fingerling potatoes all are fine.
- Garlic - fresh garlic is preferred, but garlic powder may be used.
- Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt
- Optional seasonings can add more flavor—dried herbs and spices can be added with the garlic, but fresh rosemary or thyme should be near the end of cooking, or they will burn—a sprinkle of black pepper just before baking if you wish.
- Optional Parmesan Cheese—sprinkled freshly grated as they come out of the oven.
👨🍳How to Oven Roast Baby Potatoes
- Prepare the potatoes by cleaning, trimming, rinsing, and patting them dry.
- In a large bowl, mix the trimmed potatoes with olive oil, garlic, and kosher salt.
- Spread the coated potatoes over an oiled-rimmed baking sheet with the cut side up.
- Place in a 400° convection or 425° conventional oven and bake until golden brown—about 30 minutes.
More details are provided in the step-by-step photos and the recipe card below.
⏲️How long to bake baby potatoes
The cooking time is almost always 30 minutes if you use the recommended size of potatoes and oven temperature of 400° convection.
- At 350° conventional oven, the roasting time is about 45 minutes.
- At 375° conventional oven or 350° convection oven, the roasting time is about 40 minutes.
- At 400° conventional oven or 375° convection oven, the roasting time is about 35 minutes.
- At 425° conventional oven or 400° convection oven, the roasting time is about 30 minutes.
- At 425° convection oven, the roasting time is about 25 minutes.
The size of the potatoes, the oven's exact temperature, and even the pan may vary the time.
This is an easy recipe to cook along with something else, and vary your timing for the potatoes. Remember, potatoes can stay hot for a long time when tented with foil.
When Are Potatoes Done?
With this recipe, just going by the browning and fork-tender almost always works.
If unsure, check the internal temperature—200° is good, but 190° is not done. I like to use 210°. Cook's Illustrated recommends 205° to 212°.
❓FAQs
Yes, you can trim the potatoes a day ahead and store them covered with water and refrigerated. Rinse and dry thoroughly before coating with oil, then cooking. The soaking does have the benefit of a little added crispiness.
Sure, anything with thin skin is fine, just not russets. Trim them down to the correct size pieces.
Store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days, and refrigerate them if you have leftovers. I don't generally freeze.
Use an oven, air fryer, stovetop, or microwave to reheat, but they are always better freshly cooked.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Start by preheating an oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional or combining with other dishes and adjusting the potatoes' cooking time accordingly.
Scrub your potatoes and cut them into pieces keeping the size about 1 inch or less thick. You can soak the potatoes for 15-30 minutes and then rinse to remove starch for a crispier surface but be sure to dry them before coating them with oil.
In a mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of crushed or minced garlic (2 medium cloves of fresh), and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Stir well until all the potatoes are well covered.
Spread evenly over a large rimmed oiled baking pan. Keep them separated so they can brown nicely. I like the cut sides up.
Bake for about 30 minutes until nicely browned. The internal temperature should be 200° plus.
Recipe
Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby potatoes - red or other thin skinned potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons crushed or minced garlic - approximately 2 medium cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Start by preheating an oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional or combining with other dishes and adjusting the potatoes' cooking time accordingly.
- Scrub your potatoes and cut them into pieces keeping the size about 1 inch or less thick. You can soak the potatoes for 15-30 minutes and then rinse to remove starch for a crispier surface but be sure to dry them before coating them with oil.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of crushed or minced garlic (2 medium cloves of fresh), and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Stir well until all the potatoes are well covered.
- Spread evenly over a large rimmed oiled baking pan. Keep them separated so they can brown nicely. I like the cut sides up.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until nicely browned. The internal temperature should be 200° plus.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- We always call them roasted "baby potatoes" using baby red potatoes but other varieties with thin skins like yellow, purple, or new potatoes will all work.
- Easy to scale to the number of servings you need. Use a serving size of ¼ to ⅜ pounds per serving.
- Cut into pieces but keep them about 1 inch or less thick. Larger thin-skin potatoes can be used and cut down. Do not use Russet potatoes.
- Don't skimp on the oil, and season to your taste.
- I suggested an oven temperature of 400° convection but match other things you are cooking and adjust the time.
- Usually, just the color is a good endpoint, but if unsure, a done potato has an internal temperature of at least 200°.
- Alternate oven temperatures are discussed in the post.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor note: This recipe was first published on April 10, 2012. The blog was not very busy yet, and few visitors saw it. I have re-edited the text and pictures. I have added a couple of new dog photos.
Deborah L
Delicious! And here's an option. Ran out of potatoes when family wanted this again. Took 2 cans whole potatoes, patted them dry, then seasoned and cooked per recipe. I eyeballed their doneness. They were already cooked. But just Meh out of the can. This made them great.
Dick Hynes
Senior guy learning to cook. You have become the "go to" source for cooking ideas. My wife is thrilled with the results.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Dick,
Welcome to the blog (old guy to old guy),
My wife loves my hobby also. She is a wonderful cook but sometimes I have to force her to do it now.
Let me know if you have questions, comments or requests.
Dan
Ginny Gass
Absolutely love, love these!
As per my grandma, I put the oven on 400 degrees. I then place the metal baking pan in the cool-oven for 10 minutes ( to get the pan very-hot). I then add the cut potatoes. I bake for approx. 30 minutes.
Note: The reason I place the pan ( without the potatoes ) in the oven first, is so the outcome will be a much-crunchier potato.
Steve
This same recipe with some parmesan at the end is also very good.
DrDan
Hi Steve,
You are definitely right about the parmesan, it goes well with this recipe. I sprinkle it on with about 5 minutes left.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Donna
These would have been a great side dish with my meatloaf (your tasty recipe) last night. Speaking of meatloaf, I ran out of ketchup, so we will be having meatloaf sandwiches tomorrow night after a trip to the store. Will attach this potato recipe to the meatloaf recipe...which I will definitely be making again! Off to leave rating and comment to that recipe now.
Donna
These were awesome with the leftover meatloaf last night. Finished up both tonight and both were just as tasty as the night I made them. Will def have both again!
Angela Upton
It was very easy to prepare and it was very good good ole soul food I live in the south Louisiana this is what we eat good good
Molly Mo
This is one of my favorite things to make!
Chris
One of our favorite side dishes, for sure!