Why Your Roasted Potatoes Aren't Getting Crisp

It's dinner time. Everything's finished cooking, piping hot, and ready to plate. Everything, that is, except those pesky roasted potatoes. They just aren't crisping up! You thought you put them in the oven early enough but they're still not there and now you're in the thick of a timing conundrum: Wait for the potatoes to crisp while the rest of the meal cools off or settle for soft spuds. It's disappointing either way. The good news is it's easy to troubleshoot the various reasons why roasted potatoes aren't making the crispy cut. Once you know what's driving a wedge between you and potato perfection, you can fix the broken system.

One of the most common reasons roasted potatoes miss the mark on crunch factor is simply overcrowding the pan. This is a critical misstep for spud lovers who want lots of potato since packing them in too tight creates and traps steam, which essentially soft-cooks the potatoes and makes them too moist to properly crisp. To steer clear of Soggsville, make sure there's plenty of space for air to move between those taters so they can get roasty-toasty on all sides.

Speaking of heat, the problem could also be the temperature. Don't be scared to crank the oven up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit — it's the one-second fix that ensures ultra-crispy roasted potatoes every single time. (Pro tip: If the rest of the meal is ready and the potatoes are almost but not quite crispy, switch your oven setting to broil for a few minutes to finish them fast.) 

Of course, the type of potatoes you choose to roast also has an effect on the end result. Although you can roast any kind you please (a lot of folks recommend russets), if you want to hedge your bets on crispiness stay away from starchier varieties. You can't go wrong with well-balanced Yukon Golds, which fall perfectly between waxy and starchy, giving you a crispy outside and creamy inside. Be sure to leave the skin on for an extra crispy texture and cut them into two-bite chunks (these are just a couple of the many tips you can follow for crispier potatoes).

To speed up the cooking process and guarantee a fluffy, crunchy contrast, parboil the potatoes first until they're fork tender (while making sure to avoid the preparation mistake causing roasted potatoes to turn out soggy). While they're parboiling, preheat the oiled pan in the oven.

Once parboiled, you can use the British technique of chuffing the potatoes before adding them to a pan for roasting. Basically, chuffing means to bust them up a bit by banging/shaking them against the walls of a colander or bowl post-parboil (but before oiling or seasoning). This increases the potato's surface area for the oil to cling to, resulting in a crunchier bite. Lastly, be sure to use a generous amount of whatever fat or oil you're using — 3 to 4 tablespoons per 2 pounds of a high smoke point oil (like avocado) works best for maximum crispness and retention of the potatoes' flavor.