The best oil for crispy roasted potatoes, according to a chef

Reach for this oil for the best flavor and crispiness.

Crispy, salty, savory roasted potatoes might be the best side dish of all time. When done right, there are few things better. Everyone loves them, and the spuds pair with just about everything, from chicken and beef to salmon.

The key phrase in that last paragraph is when done right. There are few things sadder than limp, flavorless roasted potatoes. The best roasted potatoes are “crispy, almost crunchy with a creamy interior,” says chef, food writer, and owner of the snack brand S’NOODS, Lauryn Bodden. “The texture contrast is the dish.” She has extensive experience as a personal chef and recipe developer, and has roasted countless potatoes in her day.

Since the dish usually needs only potatoes, oil, and salt, all of the ingredients—and what you do with them—are important. I already know the best kind of potatoes to use for great roasted potatoes, but what about the oil?

The Best Oil for Roasting Potatoes

Bodden, my roasted potato expert, admits that “olive oil is the default for most people, and it’s honestly what I use half the time out of convenience.” But this choice is at a price. “Its flavor turns acrid/bitter at the higher oven temperature needed for the best roasted potato. And you lose the fruity notes you paid for,” she says.

Instead, Bodden recommends avocado oil. The oil has a high smoke point, which means you can crank up the heat on your potatoes to get real crispiness. “It’s also neutral, so it lets the potato taste like a potato rather than the fat you cooked it in,” says Bodden.

Bodden recommends using three or four tablespoons of oil per two pounds of potatoes. You want the potatoes to be evenly coated so they crisp properly in the oven.

Beyond roasted potatoes, Bodden reaches for avocado oil for all high-heat cooking, from searing to roasting to frying. Any brand will do; look for 100% avocado oil with a smoke point of up to 500°F.

Bonus Tips for Extra Crispy Roasted Potatoes

Bodden has plenty of tricks up her sleeve when it comes to roasting potatoes. For crispy, creamy potatoes that will never let you down, follow these steps:

1. Parboil first. Boil the potatoes just until tender, then drain well and shake them around in the colander to rough up the exteriors. “The roughed-up edges will become those crunchy bits at the end of roasting,” says Bodden.
2. Dry well. After boiling, let them sit in the colander until nice and dry. “Water is the enemy of crispy, so the oil can’t do its job if there’s a film of moisture,” Bodden notes. Once dry, add to a baking sheet, toss with oil and salt, and spread into a single layer.
3. Crank up the heat. Bodden likes to roast potatoes at 450°F, and suggests you do the same if your home oven can handle it. And don’t toss them too much; “Let the potatoes form a crust before moving them around,” she says.

Read More: The Only Way I’m Roasting Potatoes From Now on (It’s Genius)

Read the original article on Simply Recipes