Crispy Baked Potato Wedges with Rosemary Recipe
Calling all my French fry fans! This Crispy Baked Potato Wedges with Rosemary Recipe is a different way of getting the perfect fries without actually frying. These fries are beyond crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and salted to perfection! And the best part is you don’t have to worry about hot oil splattering all over your stove — your oven will be doing all the work. Russet potatoes are tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, dried rosemary, and tajin and then baked in the oven. These fries are an incredibly easy side dish that…..warning.….will disappear fast!!
Oh how I love french fries!! But what I don’t love is dealing with hot oil and the inevitable splatters that wind up all over my stove top. If you feel the same way, you’ll love this recipe! Fun fact – growing up I rarely ate fast food. My mom was very into making home-cooked meals, and even on road trips, my parents would drive right by all the fast food restaurants and stop at a local burger spot instead. The one exception was the occasional stop at McDonald’s for fries. And to say my brother and I LIVED for those occasional stops, would be an understatement!
Speaking of fried food, I know everyone seems to be in love with their air fryer. I haven’t taken the leap yet, mostly because they’re so big! I don’t think I can squeeze one more gadget or appliance in my kitchen. If you make this recipe using your air fryer, I’d love to know how they turn out! It just might be what convinces me to clear off some counter space and buy one!
The only question left is…..what are you serving these rosemary potato wedges with? Burgers and fries are a perfect pairing, but don’t sleep on serving these with roast chicken, sheet pan miso spiced salmon, pork tenderloin or chicken Parmesan.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- What’s not to love about fries? The biggest plus of this recipe is not having to deal with a hot pot full of oil! They’re baked in the oven, so your stovetop will stay splatter free!
- It’s so easy — potatoes + olive oil + salt + rosemary+ tajin….that’s all you need!
- So versatile! I can’t think of a recipe fries don’t go with!
Ingredients
- Potatoes — Yep this is pretty much a no brainer — they are absolutely the star of the dish. You can’t have fries without potatoes! The best potatoes to use are Russet and Yukon gold potatoes. I wouldn’t recommend red potatoes because they’re waxy and have less starch, so they’ll end up soggy instead of crispy. After you peel the potatoes (only if you want — this step is totally optional!) and cut them into wedges, they’re put in a large bowl of cold water. You can leave them in the water overnight or for a few hours. The water draws out the starch so your fries will be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The cold water also firms up the potato cells which results in crispier fries. Storing them in water means you can prep them early in the day to save time.
- Extra virgin olive oil – A generous amount of olive oil is crucial for crispy fries. You don’t have to use an incredibly expensive or fancy olive oil. Personally, I find Kirkland brand to work great and, even though it’s more expensive than it used to be, it’s more economical than other brands.
- Salt and Black Pepper – Potatoes need salt, so season generously. The salt adds flavor, along with the freshly ground pepper. I highly recommend using freshly ground pepper which has a bigger pop of flavor than preground pepper.
- Tajin – This spice is a blend of chili peppers, lime and sea salt and adds a punch of flavor to the fries. It’s on the milder side and not overly spicy, so if you don’t love heat, don’t worry, this won’t make you break out in a sweat. You can usually find it in the Mexican food area of your grocery store, but if you can’t find it check out their website for store locater.
- Rosemary – Rosemary adds a woody herbaceous element to the fries. If you don’t have fresh rosemary use dried instead.
Substitutions and Additions
- Sweet potatoes would be an excellent substitution for Russet and Yukon potatoes.
- Instead of tajin, sprinkle potatoes with garlic powder, cajun seasoning, sumac, za’atar, smoked paprika or old bay seasoning before baking.
- If you don’t have rosemary, sprinkle fresh chopped Italian leaf parsley over fries after baking.
- Sprinkle fresh herbs like chives, cilantro, or thyme on fries after baking.
- Add a little bit of chilli flakes for heat.
- Add fresh garlic cloves to the baking sheet and toss fries with roasted garlic when they’re done.
Let’s Make This Step by Step!
Step One: Peel (you can also leave the skin on) and cut potatoes into wedges
Step Two: Place potatoes in a large bowl and cover with cold water.
Step Three: Let potatoes sit in cold water for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 24 hours. Then drain in a colander and pat dry with paper towels.
Step Four: Put potatoes on a baking sheet or baking tray and toss with olive oil and spices. If you want clean up to be a breeze, put a piece of parchment paper on the baking sheet before adding the potatoes.
Step Five: Bake at 425 degrees for a total of about 30-45 minutes. Toss them every 15 minutes until potatoes are golden brown on all sides.
Step Six: Place potatoes on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb some of the oil.
Step Seven: Serve and enjoy!
Troubleshooting and Extra Tips
- This is a great recipe to make in advance. Prep the potatoes and put them in a bath of cold water at least 1 hour (and no more than 24) before baking.
- Spread out the wedges evenly in an even layer on the sheet pan to allow them plenty of room to get crispy and brown. If you pile them on top of each other they will steam and get mushy instead of crispy.
- The cooking time will vary depending on how big your wedges are, so adjust accordingly.
- If you bake them early, reheat them in a 425 degree oven for 5 minutes before serving.
- Don’t forget your favorite dipping sauces! Mix mayo with tajin for a zippy sauce, or go old school and mix mayo and ketchup together.
Serving Suggestions
Sauces: There are so many dipping sauces that work! For an elevated sauce try my lemon garlic aioli or creamy cilantro sauce.
Burgers: The obvious choice to serve these with, right? My Asian Burgers with Spicy Mayo would be perfect and so would my Grilled Chicken Burgers.
Grill: Anything off the grill needs a side of fries! If you’re looking for ideas, my Grilled Kalbi Flank Steak, Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri and Beer Can Chicken are perfect!
Dessert: Don’t forget something sweet — like my Easy Grilled Peaches with Maple Brown Sugar Butter, Blackberry Dump Cake, or Brown Butter Raspberry Tart
How to Store and Tips for Leftovers
If you happen to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in your fridge. To reheat, put them on a baking sheet and roast them in a 425-degree oven. To ensure your leftover fries get nice and crispy, the oven must be really hot! Don’t use a microwave unless you enjoy mushy fries.
