What are the best potatoes for roasting? The best potatoes for roasting are often considered to be Desiree potatoes, but like anything else, it depends on your personal taste. So rest assured, if you’ve scoured every supermarket and found that all the Desirees are gone, there are a ton of other potatoes that make for wonderful roasts.
However, with over 4,000 types of potatoes out there, finding the best roasting spuds can get a little overwhelming. Some potatoes are good for mashing but not for chips, and some spuds are better boiled than roasted. While we obviously can’t go over all 4,000 types of potatoes, we can help you find the best potatoes for roasting.
RELATED: Are potatoes good for you?
Why are potatoes so popular all around the world?
Versatility aside, potatoes are relatively easy to grow. Because of this, potatoes have become the third most important food crop in the world, and a staple in cuisines around the world, from India’s aloo gobi to Italy’s gnocchi to Australian potato scallops.
Potatoes are also considered quite healthy despite their high carbohydrate content. According to HealthLine, potatoes are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals, and can also help prevent osteoporosis, maintain heart health, and reduce the risk of infections.
What potatoes are best for roasting?
Out of the 4,000, what are the best potatoes for roasting? Essentially, you’re looking for potatoes that have thin skin with a texture that’s a perfect balance of waxy and starchy. As for how to roast these potatoes, we’ve also provided some simple ingredients that go great with these spuds.
Yukon Gold potatoes
Origin: Ontario, Canada
Why it made the list: These average-sized yellow spuds are some of the best potatoes for roast dishes because they’re not too waxy, not too starchy, and don’t flake as easily as other potatoes when subjected to high heat.
Best roasting recipe: It’s not hard to roast a great Yukon, you just need some garlic, herbs, salt and pepper, and olive oil.
Red potatoes
Origin: Peru
Why it made the list: Red potatoes have a rich and earthy flavour that’s perfect for roasting. It is also a potato that has high moisture and low starch content, which means its shape doesn’t change much during cooking. Another advantage of choosing red potatoes for roasting is that, because of its thin skin, you don’t have to peel it before eating.
Best roasting recipe: For a great roast red potato, opt for a simple mixture of olive oil, salt and pepper – it’s that easy!
Desiree potatoes
Origin: The Netherlands
Why it made the list: As mentioned above, Desiree potatoes are considered one of the best roasting potatoes because they embody a perfect firm and creamy texture when cooked.
Best roasting recipe: For a simple roast Desiree potato dish, all you need is oil and butter, garlic, and finely chopped rosemary leaves – the flavour of the potato speaks for itself!
Kipfler potatoes
Origin: Austria
Why it made the list: Famous for their nutty, buttery, creamy texture, Kipfler potatoes have yellow skin and even lighter yellow flesh.
Best roasting recipe: For something a little different, try roasting Kipfler potatoes with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and chives.
Purple sweet potato
Origin: South America
Why it made the list: Sweet potatoes are either soft when boiled, baked, or mashed, and crispy when fried. As their name suggests, sweet potatoes are sweet enough to be turned into dessert! Like regular potatoes, they are also full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Best roasting recipe: For a savoury sweet potato recipe, try roasting the potatoes with olive oil, salt, garlic, pepper, and balsamic vinegar.
Russet potatoes
Origin: Massachusetts, USA
Why it made the list: These large potatoes with dark brown skin are starchy, flaky, and dry. They’re perfect for mashing as they fluff up real good. Russet potatoes are also the best potatoes for French fries.
Best roasting recipe: For roasted potato strips, all you’ll need is a little olive oil, parsley, garlic, and salt & pepper.
Sebago potatoes
Origin: Maine, USA
Why it made the list: As one of the most widely used potatoes worldwide, Sebago potatoes have light brown to almost white skin and matching white flesh, and are pretty much fat-free.
Best roasting recipe: All you need for a good Sebago roast dish is some olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt.
Dutch cream potatoes
Origin: The Netherlands
Why it made the list: It’s in the name – these potatoes are creamy! They also have a nice buttery flavour.
Best roasting recipe: We recommend cooking these potatoes with sunflower oil or canola oil, rosemary, and just a smidge of duck fat.
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