Princess Diana’s 1-ingredient hack for the crispiest potatoes is a game-changer

It’s also a sneaky way to add a little more protein to your menu...

As someone who was raised in a meat-and-potatoes Midwest home, I’ve rarely met a potato I didn’t love. Mashed, baked, scalloped, or hasselbacked; any which way you make them, count me in for a serving … or two.

Regardless of the cooking style, though, there is one entire category of potatoes that I’ll always pass on. Soggy spuds. Compared to the crisp coating of a well-prepared potato, something like a limp fry or a damp-skinned baked Russet is just so disappointing. I find myself wistfully thinking, “I know your potential!”

Since texture is such an important factor for me, over the past decade, I’ve been adding crispy potato tips to my arsenal like one might cut flowers and add them to a vibrant bouquet. Emily Blunt swears by boiling them, roughing them up, drying them, then baking on a preheated pan. A chef pal of mine says you can’t beat the results by frying, freezing, then frying again.

There’s even an entire highly-engaged r/Cooking thread dedicated entirely to the topic of crispy potatoes, where folks debate whether we should be air frying, roasting in high-smoke-point duck fat, tossing in cornstarch, or increasing the surface area by smashing or turning them into potato tornadoes. (Is anyone else overwhelmed yet?)

Just when I thought I had learned all the hot potato tips, I discovered one more that might just be my go-to method from here on out.

Tips

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The 1 Secret Ingredient That Makes Princess Diana’s Potatoes Ultra-Crispy, No Extra Oil Required 

All of the aforementioned strategies can certainly increase the likelihood you’ll end up with crispy potatoes, true. But many of those methods involve a fair amount of time or generate more dishes than I’d prefer to deal with. One of the best solutions is one of the easiest, if you ask Princess Diana’s former chef Darren McGrady. 

During a video with Delish, chef McGrady dished about his 15 years as a cook for the British royal family. Almost as an aside, he slipped in a trick it sounds like he discovered by accident: To accommodate Princess Diana’s preference for low-fat foods, he tossed potatoes in egg whites before seasoning and roasting them dry—no extra oil, butter, or duck fat required.

Since fat helps boil off any external moisture and aids in creating an evenly-crisp crust on a food, it’s normally a boon to boost the crunch factor on potatoes. Here, egg whites step in to play a similar role. 

Chef McGrady is in good company by relying on this secret ingredient. It’s the same that chef Dan Kluger utilizes in the Crispy Salt and Pepper Potatoes featured in his 2020 cookbook Chasing Flavor: Techniques and Recipes to Cook Fearlessly.

The Science Behind This Crispy Potato Hack

Egg whites are about 88% water. When they’re tossed with a food then introduced to heat, the H2O evaporates, promoting a pleasantly delicate crispy quality that’s as close to a fried potato as I’ve ever experienced in a scenario without added fat. Plus, the egg white acts as a binder, helping the paprika (chef McGrady’s signature spice here) or your favorite spice blends stick and flavor the potatoes.

One large egg white has less than 1 gram of fat and 3 ½ grams of protein, so this just so happens to be a sneaky way to add a little more of that macronutrient to your menu if you’re in your proteinmaxxing era.

How to Make Princess Diana’s Favorite Crispy Potatoes 

Chef McGrady doesn’t divulge his step-by-step approach in the video, but he tees us up to make our own home run side dish. 

To recreate a similar recipe at home:

• Preheat. Place a sheet pan on the center rack of the oven, then set it to 425°F. Both will preheat together.
• Prep the potatoes. Meanwhile, scrub and rinse small Yukon gold or Red Bliss potatoes. If they’re larger than 1 ½ inches in diameter, cut them in half. In a large mixing bowl, add egg whites. Using a whisk or fork, mix the egg whites until frothy. Add the potatoes to the egg whites, then toss well to coat the exterior of every potato. Dump the coated potatoes into a strainer to allow any excess egg white to drain away. Season as desired.
• Roast. Carefully remove the hot sheet pan from the oven, then evenly distribute the potatoes. Cook for 25 to 35 minutes (this will vary based on the size of your spuds). 
• Eat ASAP. Once golden brown and crispy, remove the pan from the oven and serve with your favorite entree. (Princess Diana was apparently fond of chicken breasts and stuffed peppers.) Time is of the essence here because the longer the potatoes sit, the more condensation they might build up, which can result in sogginess over time.

To stick with the easy and healthy theme, I paired my princess-approved potatoes with Sheet Pan Chicken Parmesan. (Bonus: This conveniently roasts in the oven for about the same time as the potatoes). After falling in love with this easy 3-ingredient side dish, I’m already dreaming about pairing them with eggs at breakfast, tossing them into salad bowls at lunch, and featuring them as part of holiday menus.

Related: Don’t Toss the Yolks! Save Them For These 11 Sweet and Savory Egg Yolk Recipes

Read the original article on Better Homes & Gardens