Easy Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary

Published: Nov 7, 2016 · Modified: Feb 22, 2024 by Nicola · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

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Thin and crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside and packed with so much flavor you'll think you've died and gone to foodie heaven: these easy roasted potatoes with garlic and rosemary are the best in the world - easily! Make them for Thanksgiving, make them for Christmas or make them right now because that's what I'm doing and my entire house smells amazing!

These easy roasted potatoes are one of my most popular recipes - on the blog and in real life! It's been a few years since I originally posted the recipe, so I decided an update was in order. Over the past 2 years, I've learned a lot about cooking (not to mention blogging and food photography!) so I thought you deserved a new and improved recipe, along with sparkly new photos which show you just how awesome this winter side dish really is.

My boyfriend adores these easy roasted potatoes, my dad is convinced he invented the recipe himself and my mother-in-law loves them, too. Not because she thinks they're delicious. But because every time I serve them, she gets to tell me how much better hers are than mine. Isn't family great?

Anyway, to get on my boyfriend's good side (I need him to help me clean the house on Sunday!) and to get on my MIL's good side (she arrives tomorrow to stay with us for 10 days -scream!-) I'm making these potatoes right now. The entire house is full of a delicious smell that 100% reminds me of Christmas. I love trying out new herbs with roasted potatoes, but at Christmastime, it's just got to be garlic and rosemary. End of.

In the original easy roasted potatoes recipe I posted, I suggested chopping the garlic into large chunks and cooking it with the potatoes that way. The garlic would always burn in the hot oven, so you'd have to scoop it out half way through to avoid a gross bitter taste. But not any more!

Now, instead of chopping up the garlic. Simply peel the white outer skin off, leave the purple skin in tact and toss the whole cloves in the baking dish with the potatoes. This saves some serious prep time and messy fingers while still imbuing the potatoes with the sweet garlic flavor everyone goes mad for. Plus, you end up with whole cloves of roasted garlic, a.k.a. the best thing in the world.

As is always the case with my recipes, these easy roasted potatoes are healthy! Well, healthier than ordinary roasted potatoes anyway. Everyone always says that the best fat in which to roast potatoes is duck fat, but I don't agree. I've made my own duck fat roasted potatoes and they just tasted fatty and greasy. Even my french fry-loving boyfriend agreed.

In my opinion, the best fat for making roasted potatoes is olive oil. Which is totally awesome because olive oil is one of the healthiest oils there is. A small drizzle of olive oil has got so much flavor that when you combine it with the rosemary, garlic, onion and salt it really is like a flavor explosion in your mouth. But in a good way. Not like the biting into an over-boiled disgusting brussels sprout way.

If you really want to know how amazing these easy roasted potatoes are, make them! But while you're waiting for the water to boil, know this: these potatoes are the only ones we serve in the Happy Healthy Motivated household on Christmas Day. Seriously. No mashed potatoes, duchess potatoes, hasselback potatoes or scalloped potatoes. These easy roasted potatoes are honestly so amazing that I just make a huge batch of them and happily watch as everyone devours them before even touching the meat.

Need some more inspiration as to what to serve with your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? Try this lightened-up brussels sprouts gratin recipe.

What type of potatoes do you always serve for Thanksgiving or Christmas in your house?

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