Adding a little baking soda to the water when boiling potatoes is the trick to achieving crispy roast potatoes with fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth centres, according to recipe creator FoodByMaria.
The secret weapon for crispy potatoes
FoodByMaria describes baking soda as her “secret weapon” for the crispiest potatoes, a method she says took years of tinkering to perfect. She explained: “If you want perfectly crispy roasted potatoes that have crackly, golden exteriors with fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth centres, then look no further.
“The trick that makes these potatoes perfect? A little baking soda in the boil. It sounds weird, but this secret weapon roughs up the potato surfaces so they roast into crunchy perfection every time. Believe it or not, this method took years of tinkering to nail.”
Why baking soda works
Adding baking soda to the boiling water makes it alkaline, which helps break down the potato’s surface. This creates a roughened, starchy exterior with lots of texture, and more texture means more surface area, which translates to “deeper browning” and “extra crispiness in the oven”.
The recipe has received over 200 five-star reviews. Maria added: “Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just craving the perfect potato, this is a side dish you’ll bookmark and make again and again.”
How to make roast potatoes crispier
Ingredients (five servings):
- Six medium-sized potatoes, peeled and quartered
- Two to three tablespoons of sea salt
- One tablespoon of baking soda
- Three tablespoons of olive oil
- Three garlic cloves, pressed, grated or finely chopped
- One tablespoon of butter
- One teaspoon of onion powder
- Three tablespoons of fresh thyme, smashed to release the scent
- Black pepper
Method:
In a large pan of water, add salt, baking soda, and your potatoes, then parboil them for 10 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, preheat your oven and line one to two baking trays with parchment paper.
When the potatoes are done, remove them from the water and add them into a large bowl, then toss in seasonings such as salt and pepper, onion powder, oil, garlic, and butter. Stir everything in the bowl, put the potatoes on the baking tray, ensuring there’s some breathing room next to each potato, and place them cut-side down before roasting in the oven for 50 minutes.
Remove the potatoes at the 30-minute mark to flip them and distribute the thyme evenly on them before cooking for the last 20 minutes until golden brown to perfection.
