Easy to make, crispy Parmentier potatoes are small cubes of potato roasted with herbs and garlic. This recipe is a great alternative to traditional roast potatoes, as Parmentier potatoes cook much faster, making them perfect for midweek dinners.
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Parmentier Potatoes
These little crispy cubed roast potatoes, flavoured with garlic and herbs, might just be my new favourite side dish.
With just 4 ingredients (plus seasoning), they are seriously easy to make, come together in a flash and make a quick, tasty alternative to traditional roast potatoes. They go with everything, and I’ve been known to eat them on their own. They’re so much nicer than other potato snacks!
With about 5 minutes hands-on time they are perfect for a mid-week supper. All you need to do is peel, cube, par boil and then roast.
Unlike most roast potatoes, Parmentier potatoes are also great reheated. This means you can prep in advance and reheat to serve. Alternatively, make a double batch and eat them two nights running. (They are also delicious for breakfast with a fried egg and bacon.)
What are parmentier potatoes?
Parmentier potatoes are simply potatoes cut into small cubes and then roasted with rosemary and garlic. The name is a tribute to Antoine Parmentier, a man who had an enormous influence on our eating habits.
We often forget how new potatoes are to our diets, but in the 18th century this American import was more often used as animal feed. Parmentier changed all that.
Parmentier was a true enlightenment scientist. A chemist, agriculturalist, nutritionist, food scientist and baker, he was also a powerful advocate of vaccination against smallpox. He saw the potential for the potato to improve food security when grain crops failed. His work established the potato as a staple food in France and across Europe.
Today, parmentier potatoes is not the only recipe named in his honour. Hachis parmentier is the French name for shepherd’s pie and there are many more variations on the theme!
Why make parmentier potatoes?
- This parmentier potatoes recipe is very easy to make.
- Parmentier potatoes are delicious – crispy herby, garlic potato!
- They are super speedy – ready in about 40 minutes, with only about 5 minutes hands on time.
- They go with everything, and are easy to reheat making them perfect for making ahead.
Parmentier potatoes – ingredients
- Potatoes – Use a variety that is sold as good for roasting or chips. Russets or Maris Piper are perfect.
- Rosemary – Fresh is so much better than dried. However, you can use about a teaspoonful of dried rosemary instead. You can also use other woody herbs, such as oregano, thyme or marjoram.
- Olive oil – I like a good extra virgin, but you can use rapeseed or other vegetable oils. Duck or goose fat makes a great alternative too.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic is best, but you can use a pinch of dried, or leave it out.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to make parmentier potatoes – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints, and tips for how to make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Peel and cut the potatoes into 2 cm (just under an inch) cubes. Try to cut as evenly as you can so they are as close in size as possible. This will ensure that they all cook at the same rate.
Add to a pan of salted water and bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 6 minutes.
Fuss Free Tip
Par boil the potato cubes on a simmer rather than a rolling boil in order to keep their shape.
While the potatoes are simmering, pre-heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan)/ Gas 7. Add the olive oil to a baking tray / roasting tin and put in the oven to heat.
Step Two – Drain the potatoes and allow to steam dry for a couple of minutes.
The drier the potatoes are, the better they will crisp up. Don’t shake them in an attempt to speed up the draining. This will just break them up.
Step Three – When the potatoes are dry but still warm, add them to the roasting pan. Gently turn them to coat them in the oil.
Season with pepper and salt and then return the pan to the oven to roast for 20 minutes.
Fuss Free Tip
Keep the potatoes to one layer in the pan, to let them crisp up. If you crowd them, they can steam rather than roast. If necessary, divide between two or even three trays. (I’ve got slightly too many in the tray above, so try to have them better spread.)
Step Four – Peel the garlic, strip the rosemary leaves from the woody stalk and finely chop.
Step Five – Add the chopped rosemary and garlic to the potatoes. Gently fold through. Add another drizzle of olive oil if the potatoes look dry. Then return to the oven for another 15 minutes to finish cooking and crisp up.
Fuss Free Tip
Adding the garlic and rosemary half way through adds all the lovely flavour, but makes sure the garlic and herbs don’t burn.
Once crispy and golden, your potatoes parmentier are ready to enjoy, straight from the oven.
Serving Suggestion / Goes With
These are perfect with a roast, casserole or stew. Try them with savoury mince, or hunters chicken, I’ve also been known to eat an entire bowl on their own!
Variations
- Rosemary is the classic herb to use but you can vary this with other woody herbs to suit your main dish.
- Try using flavoured salts.
- Add a little spice – perhaps a little chilli?
- Lift this potatoes parmentier recipe to another level by roasting in duck fat.
Storage / Freezing?
Best served freshly baked from the oven.
Store leftovers in an airtight box in the fridge. You can reheat them by frying in a little oil, or spread out in one layer on a baking tray. Cook for about 15 minutes in a pre-heated oven (200°C / 180°C fan / Gas Mark 6) or until they are hot, or alternative fry in a little oil.
Hints and Tips
- Choosing the right kind of potato makes a big difference. Floury potatoes are much better than waxy ones for roasting, because they are much better at developing that crispy crust. I use Maris Piper or Russets.
- Never skip the par boiling. You get a crispier potato with a fluffy centre if you par boil. Make sure that you let the par boiled potatoes steam dry before you add them to the hot oil.
- If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can use dried, but fresh really are so much nicer. I cut up and freeze fresh herbs, and these work well. If you do use dried herbs, then add about a teaspoonful, not a tablespoon!
- When you turn the potatoes and add the garlic and herbs, do it gently to avoid breaking the potatoes.
- Don’t throw the garlic and herbs in at the start of cooking. They will burn and ruin the dish. Burnt garlic tastes terrible.
FAQS
They are little cubes of crispy roasted potatoes, typically flavoured with herbs and olive oil. The dish is named for Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, who is credited with making potatoes popular in France.
Usually 7–8 minutes on a gentle simmer. If you cut them into pieces that are less than 2 cm / 1″ square, they will only need about 6 minutes.
Drain and let them sit in the sieve or colander, so the cooking water can evaporate.
More Potato Recipes
- Greek Lemon Potatoes – Baby potatoes roasted with oregano, lemon and feta
- Easy saute potatoes – crispy crunchy slices of fried potato
- Potato Curry – Lightly spiced and made with canned potatoes for a super speedy dinner
- Roasted Baby Potatoes – Crispy baby potatoes, roasted with garlic and olive oil.
- Roasted New Potatoes – An easy and unusual dish of potatoes with onion, capers and olives.
- Potato Salad – The classic potato salad, lightened up with a simple ingredient swap.
- Potato and Egg Salad – A classic summer boiled egg salad with new potatoes, tomatoes, beans and a zesty dressing.
Parmentier Potatoes
Ingredients
- 600 g potatoes (suitable for roasting – Maris Piper, etc.)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbs rosemary (fresh)
Instructions
- Peel and cut the potatoes evenly into 2 cm (just under an inch) cubes. Add to a pan of salted water and bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 6 minutes.
- While the potatoes are simmering preheat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan)/ Gas 7. Put the olive oil in a baking tray / roasting tin and place in the oven to heat.
- Drain the potatoes and allow to steam dry for a couple of minutes.
- When the potatoes are dry but still warm, add them to the roasting pan. Gently turn them to coat them in the oil. Season with pepper and salt and return the pan to the oven to roast for 20 minutes.
- Peel the garlic, strip the rosemary leaves from the woody stalk and finely chop.
- Add the rosemary and garlic to the potatoes. Gently fold through. Add another drizzle of olive oil if the potatoes look dry. Then return to the oven for another 15 minutes to finish cooking and crisp up.
- Once crispy and golden, your parmentier potatoes are ready to enjoy, straight from the oven.
Notes
- Best served freshly baked from the oven.
- Store leftovers in an airtight box in the fridge. You can reheat them by frying in a little oil, or spread out in one layer on a baking tray. Cook for about 15 minutes in a pre-heated oven (200°C / 180°C fan / Gas Mark 6) or until they are hot, or alternative fry in a little oil.
- Choosing the right kind of potato makes a big difference. Floury potatoes are much better than waxy ones for roasting, because they are much better at developing that crispy crust. I use Maris Piper or Russets.
- Never skip the par boiling. You get a crispier potato with a fluffy centre if you par boil. Make sure that you let the par boiled potatoes steam dry before you add them to the hot oil.
- If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can use dried, but fresh really are so much nicer. I cut up and freeze fresh herbs, and these work well. If you do use dried herbs, then add about a teaspoonful, not a tablespoon!
- When you turn the potatoes and add the garlic and herbs, do it gently to avoid breaking the potatoes.
- Don’t throw the garlic and herbs in at the start of cooking. They will burn and ruin the dish. Burnt garlic tastes terrible.
- This recipe is worth 6 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion
Natasha
One of the best ways to eat potatoes, full of flavour and wonderfully crispy. We ate our leftovers cold the next day with salad and they were just as tasty.
Wendy M
Really popular in our house. Very easy to make and utterly delicious.
Chloe
Great tip about adding the garlic and herbs half way through roasting, burnt garlic is such a downer in roasted dishes so that’s a game changer!
Helen
I know – burnt garlic is simply horrid, but so many people seem to throw it in at the start of cooking!
Denise
The burnt garlic thing can really spoil the flavors as it is overpowering. Very tasty way to serve potatoes and just the right amount of seasoning.
William Harris
Very tasty and moreish. Such a good alternative to chips and roast potatoes.