I wanted potatoes that were crispy, fluffy, properly seasoned and didn’t require a degree in French cookery. Parmentier potatoes are basically roast potatoes that have been chopped into little golden nuggets of joy. Then we added red onion and Parmesan and, frankly, things got a bit out of hand.
Crispy edges. Fluffy middles. Sweet, caramelised onion. Salty Parmesan. What’s not to like?
Floury potatoes work best for this recipe but if you’re using a waxier variety, parboil for an extra 2 minutes.
Ingredients
Method
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into roughly 2cm cubes. Try to keep them reasonably similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Parboil the potatoes in well-salted water for 7-8 minutes. You're aiming for the outside to start softening, whilst the inside remains firm.
- Drain thoroughly and leave the potatoes inn the colander for a couple of minutes so the steam can escape. Don't skip this step – dry potatoes crisp up much better!
- Tip the potatoes into a large bowl. Add the olive oil, sea salt, plenty of black pepper, garlic granules, thyme, onion powder and smoked paprika. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Spread the potatoes out in a large roasting tray. Don't overcrowd them – give them room to roast rather than steam. Roast at 220C (200°C fan oven) for around 45 mins.
- After 20 mins scatter the finely diced red onion over the potatoes and give everything a gentle turn. Return to the oven and continue cooking until the potatoes are golden and properly crisp. The onion should be soft, sweet and beginning to caramelise.
- With 5 minutes of cooking time remaining, sprinkle the finely grated parmesan over the potatoes and return to the oven. Let it melt into all of those lovely crispy edges without allowing it to burn.
- Serve immediately while they're hot, crispy and at their absolute best.
Cush’s Notes
Don’t overcrowd the roasting tin. If the potatoes are packed together they’ll steam instead of roasting. The smoked paprika is optional but it adds a lovely smoky note and a bit of colour. Adding the red onion halfway through cooking is the trick – it gets soft and sweet without turning into charcoal. The parmesan – that’s the upgrade. It takes these from really good potatoes to bloody excellent potatoes! They’re brilliant alongside a roast, steak, chicken or pretty much anything that deserves a proper potato on the side. If you find yourself eating them straight from the roasting tin, we won’t judge!