Celebrity chefs have shared their top tips for achieving the perfect roast potato, a staple of the Christmas dinner. From Nadiya Hussain's baking powder trick to Gino D'Acampo's Italian twist, there are plenty of ideas to elevate your spuds this festive season.
Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain recommends parboiling potatoes for seven to ten minutes, then draining and smashing them in the pan. She seasons them well and sprinkles on baking powder, which sizzles when it hits hot oil, creating an instant crunch.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall suggests roasting a mix of vegetables like parsnips, carrots, sprouts, and celeriac alongside potatoes for varied textures and sweetness. He emphasises ensuring the oil is very hot before adding the potatoes to achieve a golden colour.
Gino D'Acampo takes a different approach, using new potatoes with skins on, mixed with sliced red, yellow, and green peppers, garlic cloves, rosemary, olive oil, salt, and pepper. He roasts them at 180°C for one hour and 20 minutes, shaking every 20 minutes.
Joe Swash adds a chicken stock cube to the hot oil before adding parboiled potatoes, allowing them to absorb the stock for extra flavour. Nisha Katona uses olive oil, garlic purée, salt, and brown sugar to coat potatoes before roasting, creating a sweet and savoury glaze.
Mary Berry advises preparing potatoes ahead by cooking them slightly under, then re-roasting on the day. She recommends parboiling in salted water, shaking to fluff, then tossing in semolina or flour before roasting with a little oil.
