Garlic Butter Roasted Potatoes

I think I found the holy grail of roasted potatoes! As you probably know, I roast potatoes all the time, and I use the (pretty much) the same method: I toss potato wedges, cubes, rounds, whatever in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast at 400 degrees until browned and tender. That's a great go-to recipe, but I find that sometimes the potatoes are dry. Not buttery in the middle. I don't know if it's the potato (maybe it's been sitting in the produce aisle too long?), or the technique. It doesn't happen every time, but enough times that I wanted to try something new.

First, I changed the pan. I roasted the potatoes in a baking dish instead of on a baking sheet or roasting pan. I figured the high sides would help tenderize the potatoes before browning the outside. That part was a success - after 30 minutes, I could tell they were getting perfectly moist and tender in the middle. But now I wanting browning and caramelization. So I took the lid off, raised the oven temp and gave them another 30 minutes.

Success!!! The perfect roasted potatoes! Buttery in the middle, caramelized and golden on the outside. And, for this recipe, I used red potatoes, but I know this technique will work with Yukon gold and russet too. Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Garlic Butter Roasted Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered

1/4 cup butter

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Fresh chopped scallions or parsley, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small saucepan, combine the butter and garlic. Set the pan over medium heat and cook until the butter is foamy and the garlic is lightly toasted. 

Transfer the potatoes to a shallow baking pan, pour over the butter and toss to coat. Season with the salt and pepper. 

Cover the pan with the lid or foil. 

Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Increase the oven temperature to 400, remove the lid/foil and bake for 30 more minutes, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender, stirring halfway through cooking.

Garnish with chopped scallions or parsley leaves if desired. Enjoy! 

Serves 4