Roasted Heart Potatoes
Today, I’m going to share the secret behind the crispiest roasted potatoes. And of course it doesn’t hurt that they are heart-shaped. Roasted Heart Potatoes are so cute and perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or just because.
updated post from 2012
HOW TO MAKE ROASTED HEART POTATOES FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
I first made these crispy Roasted Heart Potatoes years ago, in 2012. Ever since I made an effort to make them every Valentine’s Day. Even if it’s just one or 2 potato hearts on a plate. Sometimes less is more.
POTATOES FOR ROASTING
- Yellow Yukon Gold potatoes are great all-purpose potatoes.
- Or you can use Russet/Idaho, Maris Pipers (UK) potatoes to make these dainty oven-roasted heart potatoes.
- To make roasted heart potatoes, use medium-to large-sized potatoes. It’s easier to cut out shapes from larger potatoes.
- Learn more about the kinds of potatoes for roasting, frying, or salads via the Kitchn.com
MARINADE
Prepare the marinade to your taste. I keep it super simple with 4 ingredients: oil, salt, black pepper, and caraway seeds. On occasion, I add a little bit of paprika, too. Whisk all the marinade ingredients and set aside.
I’m a big fan of caraway seeds. But if you are not a fan, you can skip them and use herbs instead. Rosemary works great, or bay leaves, along with pressed garlic. It is best to add garlic at the last minute, about 5 minutes before the timer runs out. Toss the potatoes with pressed garlic and return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
CUT OUT HEART POTATOES
- To cut out heart-shaped potatoes, I use small metal cutters.
- It is best to use a metal cutter for the job.
- It’s easier to cut through the potato with a metal cutter than it is with a plastic one (step 1).
- Peel and slice potatoes to about 1/4 inch (6mm) thick (step 2).
- Then cut out small hearts out of potatoes using metal cutters (steps 3-6).
- Place scraps and potato heart cut-outs in a bowl with water to prevent them from oxidizing or turning brown or grayish on the surface (steps 7-8).
PARBOILING FOR POTATO CRISPNESS
I’ve been parboiling potatoes in salty water for who knows how long. It was one of those happy kitchen accidents and stuck like a super glue. This was way before I understood the science behind why parboiling makes super crispy roasted potatoes.
There are two ways to parboil potatoes: in water and salt alone, or in water with salt and baking soda. Some folks prefer to parboil potatoes in an alkaline solution using baking soda. We are talking about a small amount: about 1/2 tsp baking soda per 2.5 liters of water, plus 2 teaspoons of table salt, to create an alkaline environment that helps to accelerate loosening of the pectin that holds the potato together. This breaks down the potato surface into a starchy slurry that transforms into a crisp, golden crust in the oven. However, using baking soda has its drawbacks. If you use too much, it can make potatoes taste soapy. And if you’re like me, I believe that you can achieve the same by tossing and roughing up parboiled potatoes with marinade.
- How parboiling works
- It’s important that you add potatoes to already boiling water, not into cold water. This accelerates the breaking of starch on the potato’s surface, making the outside softer than the inside. And that is what you want.
- As you parboil potatoes in salty water, starch and sugar from the potatoes are drawn to the surface and coat the potatoes.
- After draining, let the potatoes sit in a large colander for 5-6 minutes to allow the steam to dissipate.
- Transfer them to a bowl, add the oil or prepared marinade, and give the potatoes a good shake to rough up the surface and coat them thoroughly with potato starch and sugar.
- Then, in the oven, as the potatoes roast, the sugar-and-starch layer turns into a super-crispy shell.
HOW TO PARBOIL POTATOES
- Season water with salt, bring to a rapid boil.
- Add the prepared heart-shaped potato cut-outs and cook for 5-7 minutes. Small hearts take very little time to parboil. For large potatoes, it will take longer.
- To check if the potatoes are parboiled, pierce one with a fork or knife. It should slide in easily with just a little resistance. Porboiled potatoes shouldn’t be falling apart.
- Drain into a colander and let ‘steam dry’ for 5-6 minutes before transferring them into a bowl (steps 3-4).
MARINATE AND BAKE POTATOES
- Pour the marinade over the hot, surface-dry potatoes.
- Toss the potatoes to loosen and distribute the starches and sugar, ensuring an even coating (step 2). Allow to marinate for 5 minutes.
- Use a unlined roasting baking sheet; alternatively, line it with foil or parchment, and apply a thin layer of oil to the foil (step 3-5).
- Spread marinated heart potatoes in a single layer onto the baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 415°F (215 °C) for 20-30 minutes.
- Flip potatoes halfway through with a spatula. Bake until golden and crispy.
Roasted potatoes are a great side dish but they often take forever to bake. I love par-cooking method because it speeds up the baking/roasting and it produces super crispy potatoes every time.
Whether you are making heart shaped potatoes, cubes or if you are using fingering potatoes, baby Dutch you can use this easy par-cooking method to make crispy potatoes fast. And what’s great it also works on a grill!
HEART SHAPED ROASTED POTATO SUCCESS TIPS
For the best result, use a metal cutter. While some plastic cutters might work, you’ll have to push hard to cut thru a raw potato, and there is a risk that the plastic cutter might break in the process.
Use large potatoes suitable for roasting. Yukon Gold, Idaho (US), Maris Piper (UK)
To cut out shapes, it’s best to slice potatoes to 1/4-inch (6mm) thick.
After parboiling, heart shapes can easily lose their shape when tossed vigorously. Toss or stir them gently for a little longer without causing the heart shapes to distort.
Let the parboiled potatoes cool slightly before tossing them with olive oil or a marinade. This allows the steam to escape; otherwise, potatoes steam rather than roast in the oven.
Parboiled potatoes can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. Allow them to cool before storing in the fridge.
Before roasting, spread them onto a baking sheet and let them come to room temperature while the oven is preheating for 10-15 minutes.
Before adding salt, taste one of the parboiled potatoes and adjust the seasoning as needed. To season, you can use olive oil, salt, and pepper, or add your favorite herbs and spices. Feel free to experiment, but keep it simple when serving the potatoes with sauces; just olive oil and pepper are all you need.
Roast potatoes in a single layer.
HOW TO MAKE ROASTED POTATOES AND CARROTS IN THE OVEN?
It’s super simple. Roast them together. Toss washed carrots with parboiled potatoes and roast until fork-tender and crispy. You can use your favorite marinade or try my Honey Glazed Roasted Carrots.
ROASTED POTATOES AND OTHER VEGETABLES?
Yes, you can roast other vegetables with potatoes. My favorites are cauliflower, sliced onions, and broccoli. Toss all vegetables with parcooked potatoes and marinade, if using, and bake until fork-tender and crispy.
WHAT GOES WELL WITH ROASTED POTATOES?
- I love them with sour cream or Sour Cream Tartar Sauce.
- Roasted Chicken
- Garlic Lemon Roasted Asparagus
- Roasted Vegetables
- Fried Cheese
- Salmon
MORE POTATO RECIPES
- Potato Galette with Garlic Cream
- Potato Hamburger Buns (our favorite)
- Slovak Lokshe (Potato Tortillas)
- Low-Fat Scalloped Potatoes
- Roasted Potato Garlic Asparagus Salad (dressing is amazing!)
Roasted Heart Potatoes
Ingredients
Parcooked Potatoes
- 6 large potato (Idado, Maris Pipers), all-purpose 2lb
- 2 quarts water
- 2 tsp table salt
Marinade
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp table salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp caraway seeds optional
- 1/2 tsp paprika optional
- 1/2 tsp dry rosemary 1 tbsp fresh if using, optional
Instructions
Preheat Oven
- Preheat oven to 415℉ (215℃)
- Use a heavy duty baking sheet unlined, or line the baking sheet with aluminum foil/parchment, brush with oil
Parboiling
- Fill a pot with about 2 quarts ( 2 liters) of water and add 2 teaspoons of table salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Peel 6 large potatoes, and slice them to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a small metal cookie cutter, cut out as many hearts as possible. Reserve scraps in water; you can also par-cook scraps or make mashed potatoes.
- Cook heart potatoes in the simmering water for 3-6 minutes, until they can be pierced with a fork or knife that slides in easily with just a little resistance. Porboiled potatoes shouldn’t be falling apart.Drain the potatoes, let them cool until the steam dissipates, and they are dry on the surface.
Marinade
- In a small dish, combine all the ingredients for the marinade: olive oil (1/4 cup), salt (¼ teaspoon), whole caraway seeds (1 ½ teaspoons), pepper (1/8 teaspoon), paprika(1/2 teaspoon). Whisk well.
- Pour the marinade over parboiled potatoes.Toss potatoes to coat with marinade and starch formed during parboiling. Allow to marinate for 5 minutes.
Roasting
- Spread marinaded potatoes evenly onto the baking sheet. Or use a ceramic/glass baking dish.
- Roast potatoes at 415℉ (215℃) for 20-30 minutes. Halfway through, flip the potatoes and continue baking until they are golden yellow, crispy, and fork-tender.
- Tip: If your oven has a broiler, broil potatoes for an additional 5 minutes or until they are golden brown
Notes
- Can I make parboiled potatoes ahead of time? – Parboiled potatoes can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. Allow them to cool before storing in the fridge.
Before roasting, spread them onto a baking sheet and let them come to room temperature while the oven is preheating for 10-15 minutes. - Allow potatoes to cool before roasting -Let the parboiled potatoes cool slightly before tossing them with olive oil or a marinade. This allows the steam to escape; otherwise, potatoes steam rather than roast in the oven.
This post was originally published on January 26th, 2012. On January 7th, 2020, I updated this post with step-by-step photos, written text, and a video.
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I’m going to make these for Christmas and cut them into tree shapes. I’ll also be making them with some sweet potatoes too.
That is a brilliant idea. Thank you.
Found your recipe and decided they would go perfectly with my valentines dinner on Monday night but I wanted to practice so I made a small batch for my husband to eat when he got home from work. I tasted them of course and… I just took the second batch out of the oven lol