The perfect roast potatoes, that are vegan and ideal as a side dish for a roast dinner, Christmas, or even on a weeknight. They are crispy on the outside, as well as soft and fluffy on the inside, with plenty of flavour in each bite. Plus, you only need 5 ingredients to make them!

I can hardly put into words my enormous love for potatoes. I mean, I can never get enough of them. Whenever I make roasties, even if just for myself, they seem to disappear in seconds.
Potatoes in general are amazing, but roasting them is really an incredible method for making a side dish that anyone can enjoy. That’s regardless of dietary preference. Crispy roast potatoes are an amazing all-rounder which often make an appearance for occasions such as Christmas.

Pair them with a plant based main course of your choice, and you’re good to go! Roast potatoes are also great for a Sunday roast dinner, but I often make this recipe to pair with a weeknight dinner. After all, it’s hard to resist when they are ridiculously easy to make!
How to make crispy roast potatoes
There are a few steps involved to making potatoes that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with no sogginess or chewy texture. I can say that these definitely won’t disappoint when you serve them up.

Plus, this method does not use a lot of oil, which puts them on the healthier side. You only need a couple of tablespoons to achieve an ideal texture.
Prepare the potatoes
The size of the potato chunks you use depends on your personal preference. I usually make them quite small, because I want most of the potato chunk to be crispy. But if you want a bit more of a fluffy centre, feel free to make them larger. Just keep in mind this will affect the roasting time: larger potato chunks can take up to an hour.

Peel and chop the potatoes, then soak them in cold water for around 30 minutes. This will get rid of any excess starches. Afterwards, drain and rinse them well.
Parboil the potatoes
Transfer the potatoes to a large pot of lightly salted water and parboil them for 9-10 minutes. This will lead to a fluffier texture on the inside, and also shorten the roasting time.

When ready, drain and rinse them, and shake them energetically in the strainer to fluff up the outside, so that it almost resembles mashed potatoes. This step is key for the best crispiness.
Season the potatoes
Firstly, add the olive oil to help the rest of the spices stick. You don’t need that much to achieve crispy roast potatoes. A ‘secret’ ingredient here is cornstarch. Once again, you don’t need a lot, but it really does help make food crispy.

Next, add dried herbs: I added thyme and rosemary, keeping it very simple. You can also add other spices of your choice, depending on the flavour you’re after. For instance, cumin and paprika work very well. Just make sure not to reason with salt before roasting, because this will make the potatoes soggy.
Roast the potatoes
Transfer the seasoned potatoes to a baking tray lined with a sheet of parchment paper. Make sure not to overcrowd the tray, leaving plenty of space between the potatoes.

Roast them at 200 degrees C (400F) for 25 minutes, then carefully remove the tray and use a pair of kitchen tongs to rotate each potato piece. Place back in the oven and roast for 20 minutes more. Before serving, make sure to season generously with flaky sea salt.

Which potato variety should I use?
For this recipe, using floury potatoes will result in a fluffy texture on the inside. This includes potato varieties such as Maris Piper, Kind Edward and Desiree. Russet potatoes also work well, although they have a bit more of a waxy texture.
Can I make vegan roast potatoes ahead of time?
Yes you can! I always prefer to serve them straight out of the oven for the best crispiness, but if you’re pressed for time, you can definitely make them ahead of time and they will be delicious nonetheless.

Keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to around 3 days. To reheat, place them on a baking tray and put back in the oven at 200 degrees C (400F) for around 15 minutes.
You can also freeze roast potatoes for up to 2 months. Before reheating, leave them to thaw fully in the fridge. After that, drizzle them with a little bit more olive oil and put back in the oven at 200 degrees C (400F) for 25 minutes.

How to serve crispy roast potatoes
Of course, roast potatoes make a great addition to a festive table during the holiday season. They are fantastic for occasions like Christmas and Thanksgiving. But here in the UK especially, potatoes like these are a Sunday roast classic.
You can serve them alongside:
- An easy vegan lentil loaf.
- A vegan nut roast.
- For another side dish option, make gluten-free stuffing with vegan sausage!
- Drizzle some gluten-free gravy on top.
- Homemade vegan sour cream also works really well as a sauce.
- A whole roasted cauliflower would also make a fantastic main course.

Let me know in the comments: what’s your favourite way to cook potatoes? If you give these vegan crispy roast potatoes a go, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@earthofmariaa) so I can see your recreations, and leave your feedback in the comments below together with a star rating.
Perfect Crispy Roast Potatoes (Vegan)
Equipment
- Large bowl to soak
- Saucepan
- Conventional oven
- Strainer
- Baking tray
- Parchment paper
- Kitchen tongs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs potatoes of a floury variety, such as Maris Piper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp salt to serve
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and chop them into bite-sized pieces, then soak them in cold water for around 30 minutes. afterwards, drain and rinse them well.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large pot of lightly salted water and parboil them for 9-10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 degrees C/400 F.
- Drain and rinse the potatoes, and shake them energetically in the strainer to fluff up the outside, so that it almost resembles mashed potatoes.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl and add the olive oil, cornstarch, dried thyme and dried rosemary. You can also add other spices of your choice, depending on the flavour you're after. For instance, cumin and paprika work very well. Just make sure not to reason with salt before roasting, because this will make the potatoes soggy.
- Transfer the seasoned potatoes to a baking tray lined with a sheet of parchment paper. Make sure not to overcrowd the tray, leaving plenty of space between the potatoes. Roast them in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Carefully remove the tray and use a pair of kitchen tongs to rotate each potato piece. Place back in the oven and roast for 20 minutes more.
- Season generously with flaky sea salt before serving.
Notes
Nutrition


Leave a Reply