Ina Garten Tuscan Roasted Potatoes and Lemon

Ina Garten Tuscan roasted potatoes and lemon is a crispy side dish with Yukon Gold potatoes, garlic and caramelized lemon, ready in 1 hour 10 minutes. Try this simple sheet pan side dish for Sunday dinner or Thanksgiving, since it's hands-off and full of rosemary flavor.

Turn the potatoes with a metal spatula every 20 minutes, because that is how every side gets browned and crisp. Skip the turning and the bottoms burn while the tops stay pale and soft.

Ina Garten built this dish after tasting potatoes roasted with lemon at London's River Café, the Italian restaurant run by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray. She roasts thin lemon slices right alongside the potatoes so the burnt, caramelized edges flavor everything on the pan, and it first appeared in Cooking for Jeffrey (2016).

Source: Cooking for Jeffrey (2016)

Ina Garten Tuscan Roasted Potatoes and Lemon

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Course: Side DishCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Calories

165

kcal

Diced potatoes roast until the edges turn deeply browned and crackly while the centers stay tender. The garlic goes sweet and the lemon slices caramelize into chewy, tangy bites, all on one pan.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled and 1-inch-diced
  

• 8 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled (see note)
  

• 2 large or 4 small branches fresh rosemary
  

• 1/2 large lemon, cut in half through the stem and thinly sliced crosswise
  

• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• Fleur de sel
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Then get out a large sheet pan, since the potatoes need room to spread in one layer.
• Toss everything together: Put 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, 8 smashed garlic cloves, 2 rosemary branches and 1/2 sliced lemon on the sheet pan. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, toss until coated, then spread everything in one layer.
• Roast and turn: Roast for 50 to 60 minutes, turning the potatoes with a metal spatula every 20 minutes. They are done when the outsides are browned and crisp and the insides are tender.
• Check the garlic and lemon: By the end, the garlic will be browned and sweet and the lemon slices caramelized. Discard the rosemary branches at that point, since they will have turned dry and brittle.
• Season and serve: Sprinkle the potatoes with fleur de sel while they are still on the pan. Then serve them hot, so the edges stay crisp.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, John Boos maple cutting board, 18 x 12, Le Saunier de Camargue fleur de sel. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

What is the easiest way to smash and peel the garlic?

Lightly smash each clove with the side of a chef's knife, which loosens the peel so it slips right off. Then smash the peeled clove once more, so it roasts into soft, sweet pieces.

Can I use a different kind of potato?

Yukon Gold potatoes work best here because their creamy flesh holds up and the skins crisp without peeling. Red potatoes are a fine swap, but starchy russets tend to fall apart when you turn them.

Can I make these roasted potatoes ahead of time?

Roasted potatoes taste best straight from the oven, since they lose their crunch as they sit. If you need a head start, dice the potatoes and slice the lemon a few hours ahead, then toss everything together just before roasting.

How do I reheat leftover roasted potatoes?

Spread them on a sheet pan and reheat in a hot oven until the edges crisp up again. The microwave makes them soft and soggy, so I skip it.

What is the most common mistake with this recipe?

Crowding the pan is the biggest one, because the potatoes then steam and never get those burnt, crisp edges. Use a big enough sheet pan so everything sits in a single layer.