Crispy Roasted Potatoes and Onions
These Crispy Roasted Potatoes and Onions are an easy and versatile side dish that goes with just about everything! Thinly sliced, crispy potatoes with creamy centers, jammy roasted onions and herby rosemary. 5 simple ingredients is all it takes!
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This is a classic, old-school recipe that's been passed down from my mom and my grandma - just like my Italian Meatballs, Marinara Sauce, Spiedini and Fish Chowder.
Parts of the potato get crispy like a potato chip, while others get creamy and soft, like the inside of a French fry. The onions get jammy and caramelized in spots while others gets slightly, delightfully charred.
These crispy oven roasted potatoes and onions are such an easy side dish, they're loaded with flavor and are super simple to make.
Why this recipe works
- Easy, beginner friendly - anyone can make roasted potatoes and onions!
- A traditional potato recipe passed down from generations of Italian home cooks.
- Roasted on a large baking sheet to allow the potatoes and onions to get crispy.
- Just so happen to be gluten free and vegan.
Essential Ingredients
- Potatoes - Red skinned potatoes were always what my mom and grandma always used for oven roasted potatoes, but they can be made with any kind of potatoes, like russet potatoes or baking potatoes. However, it will turn out better with waxy potatoes such as red skins, Yukon gold potatoes or even plain white potatoes. The size of the potato doesn't matter. I prefer to leave the skin on, but if you're opposed you can peel the potatoes first.
- Onions - I prefer to make this recipe with yellow onions, but red onions, sweet onions, white onions or even shallots can all be used as well.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil to give the roasted potatoes and onions lots of rich flavor.
- Pepper - The flavors in this recipe are very simple, so it's important to use freshly ground black pepper, which will taste fresher and have more flavor than pre-ground pepper.
Helpful Equipment
- Mandoline Slicer - You can slice the potatoes and onions by hand using a knife, but a mandoline slicer makes it faster, easier to achieve uniform slices that cook more evenly. I recommend using a cut-proof glove.
Step by step instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the sliced potatoes and onions to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, freshly ground black pepper and rosemary. Toss until the potatoes and onions are all evenly coated.
- Spread the potatoes and onions out on the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then use a spatula to toss the potatoes and onions around and flip some of them over. This doesn't have to be perfect, just make sure you move them around a bit.
- Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp in spots. Serve immediately.
How to Serve Roasted Potatoes and Onions
These potatoes pair beautifully with just about any kind of protein. You can serve them alongside other roasted meats like chicken, pork chops, steaks, pot roast, stews and with all different kinds of seafood. They're a versatile side that go with just about anything! These potatoes are gluten free and vegan, making them a great choice for entertaining or serving a crowd. Red Wine Braised Short Ribs, Herb Roasted Chicken, Roasted Beef Tenderloin or Dijon Herb Crusted Lamb.
Tips for success
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper for easier clean-up and no stuck-on potatoes or onions. Potatoes and onions will stick to aluminum foil.
- Don't skimp on the olive oil! It helps the potatoes and onions get nice and crisp.
- Use waxy potatoes like red skinned potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes for best results.
- Slice the onions thicker than the potatoes so they don't burn. Onions have a lot of natural sugars, so they cook faster and can burn more easily.
- If you don't have a mandoline, don't stress about getting evenly thin slices. My mom and grandma always used a knife.
- Try to arrange the potatoes and onions in a single layer on a large baking sheet to maximum surface area for crispiness and even cooking.
- Don't open the oven. These potatoes need high heat to get nice and crisp. If you constantly open the oven to check on them, the temperature will drop and they'll take longer to cook.
- Try adding some other vegetables to the sheet pan along with the potatoes and onions for variation and added nutrition. I love adding jalapeños or red peppers, or other root vegetables such as parsnips, carrots, celery root, sweet potatoes, yams, turnips, radishes or rutabagas.
- I love the simplicity of the flavors in this recipe, but you can change up the vibe by adding different spices and herbs.
Faq About Roasted Potatoes and Onions
You can use any other woody herb such as thyme, oregano or sage. Avoid soft herbs like basil or parsley. You can also add different spices like garlic powder, onion powder or paprika.
Boiling or soaking potatoes in water prior to roasting can remove some of the starch, making them crispier. You can do so for this recipe if you want but it isn't necessary.
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Crispy Roasted Potatoes and Onions
Ingredients
- 1 ½ - 2 lbs red skin or other waxy potatoes unpeeled, sliced about ¼ inch thick
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced about ½ inch thick, thicker than the potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary needles or about 1 teaspoon dried
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Add the sliced potatoes and onions to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary. Toss until the potatoes and onions are all evenly coated.
- Spread the potatoes and onions out on the sheet pan in a single layer.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then use a spatula to toss the potatoes and onions around and flip some of them over. This doesn't have to be perfect, just make sure you move them around a bit.
- Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp in spots. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper for easier clean-up and no stuck-on potatoes or onions. Potatoes and onions will stick to aluminum foil.
- Don't skimp on the olive oil! It helps the potatoes and onions get nice and crisp.
- Use waxy potatoes like red skinned potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes for best results.
- Slice the onions thicker than the potatoes so they don't burn. Onions have a lot of natural sugars, so they cook faster and can burn more easily.
- Use a mandoline slicer to slice the potatoes and onions. If you don't have a mandoline, don't stress about getting evenly thin slices. My mom and grandma always used a knife.
- Try to arrange the potatoes and onions in a single layer on a large baking sheet to maximum surface area for crispiness and even cooking.
- Don't open the oven. These potatoes need high heat to get nice and crisp. If you constantly open the oven to check on them, the temperature will drop and they'll take longer to cook.
- Try adding some other vegetables to the sheet pan along with the potatoes and onions for variation and added nutrition. I love adding jalapeños or red peppers, or other root vegetables such as parsnips, carrots, celery root, sweet potatoes, yams, turnips, radishes or rutabagas.
- I love the simplicity of the flavors in this recipe, but you can change up the vibe by adding different spices and herbs.
Can I made these the day before and reheat? I’m going camping.
Yes, but the texture will be a bit more tough. You can cook them fresh over a camp fire! Just put them in a heavy duty in foil packet (or individual packets). They'll be a little different, but still delicious!
Excellent and so simple. I'll be making this dish often.
SO happy you enjoyed the recipe!
I'm 76 years old and I've eaten this all my life. Potatoes were, and still are, great for feeding and filling little tummies. And my grandmother taught my mother so this is a long time favor for us. My grandmother grew green peppers and when she had one or two that were ready to be picked, we got to go out and pick them and she fixed 'em right up and threw them in there with the potatoes and onions. My mother would add long, skinny green beans sometimes but I'm thinking any vegetable would make the dish even better.....if that's possible. Carrots were a favorite for my grandmother. Mother, green beans. My grandmother, carrots. Me? Clean the veggies, prepare whatever you want to roast, cook and devour!!!! My old, tired body is always looking for something simple and tasty and this truly fits the bill. And it fits right in to my tiny retirement income.
What a wonderful story! I'm so glad you like the recipe 🙂
Will make today! Looks so tasty!
Thanks! Hope it turned out great for you!
Excellent!!!
Thank you so much!
Fantastic! The only thing I did differently was adding a 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika. These are wonderful. Side note, I'm a Coley too! Also originally a Nicole but my brother couldn't pronounce that so I became Coley. At 46 I always know if it's a friend or co-worker by how they address me!
I love to meet a fellow Coley! We are a rare bunch. 🙂 and I also love the addition of smoked paprika to the potatoes. Yum!
I used russet potatoes, red onions and tossed them together in a bowl with everything salt and garlic pepper before layering out on the cookie sheet. Then I topped with a few rosemary sprigs from my garden and these came out fantastic and a wonderful side to prime rib!
SO happy to hear it! 🙂
This was a simple recipe with only a few ingredients but produced fancy results. My family said this recipe was a keeper. Definitely a nice change from roasting cubed potatoes and even mashed potatoes. Thank you!
SO glad to hear that! Thanks for the rating!
Can I use Russet potatoes? I have 8-10 large russet potatoes
Yes! The texture will be slightly different but they will still turn out great.
Love the simplicity of this recipe! No sticking whatsoever with the parchment pro-tip. Great flavor!
Thanks Anj!! <3
These look absolutely amazing. My husband makes these for me every now and then, and it's all I ever want for my birthday anymore. It's amazing how such a simple dish can absolutely sing when done right. Thank you for sharing and hope you're well.
So true!! I have a special place in my stomach for the classics. Hope you're well too. 🙂