Home | Course | Side Dishes | Greek Roasted Potatoes
By Kevin
published Mar 14, 2022, updated Apr 22, 2024
4.67 from 6 votes
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Greek roasted potatoes are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and delicious all the way through! A classic Greek basting technique soaks and bakes these lemon garlic potatoes with a bit of olive oil and semolina flour for a crunchy bite and creamy, fluffy center.
Who doesn’t love a good roasted potato side dish? And with bright, herbal Mediterranean flavors to the mix, that side dish just might become the center of the whole meal. If you’re not afraid of ridiculously tasty lemon garlic potatoes, read on!
With freshly squeezed lemon juice, oregano, and a semolina and olive oil pan sauce, these unassuming wedges are about to become the talk of the dinner table.
This basting method takes a little longer, but the results are so worth it! It’s like marinating meat — the potato flesh soaks up the seasonings in the water, flavoring them from the inside out. Meanwhile, the olive oil and semolina flour keep the outside nice and crispy.
Table of Contents
- Crusty
- Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- How to Make Greek Roasted Potatoes
- Recommended Tools
- Storing and Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Crispy Greek Roasted Potatoes Recipe
Serve with Greek souvlaki or any baked chicken dish. I like cool, refreshing tzatziki with my Greek roasted potatoes and sometimes tahini yogurt sauce when I’m in the mood for something richer.
Tip From Kevin
Crusty
What makes for a crusty exterior? Semolina! This golden, high-protein flour is a sweet, nutty flour popular in Mediterranean cooking — especially pasta. The coarse texture browns deliciously on the potatoes and helps to form a nice golden crust on the potatoes while they roast. A fine cornmeal is the next best choice!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Potatoes – It’s important to cut them down to the right size so they cook through quickly and evenly. It’s best to peel to properly season and brown the flesh.
- Water – Greek roasted potatoes are braised in liquid, allowing the flesh to actually soak up the seasonings — that’s what makes them so delicious! To add even more flavor, you can use chicken or vegetable broth.
- Olive Oil – Use extra virgin olive oil, which is most stable at the temperature used in this recipe.
- Lemons – Get the best, most fresh flavor with freshly squeezed lemon juice! For a stronger lemon flavor, you could also zest the lemons to sprinkle onto your potatoes before serving.
- Garlic – If using jarred, minced garlic, use one tablespoon.
- Oregano – Feel free to substitute with another Mediterranean herb of your choosing: thyme and parsley would be my top two recommendations. Or use any combination of the three!
- Semolina – This golden, high-protein flour is a sweet, nutty flour popular in Mediterranean cooking — especially pasta. The coarse texture browns deliciously on the potatoes while they roast. Cornmeal is the next best choice.
How to Make Greek Roasted Potatoes
- Prepare the Potato Wedges. Peel the potatoes. Slice them lengthwise, turn them flat, and slice lengthwise again. Turn those pieces over and slice lengthwise again for a total of 48 wedges. Place them in a roasting pan.
- Whisk the Basting Sauce. Add the water, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and semolina to a bowl and whisk together. Pour into the pan, evenly covering and coating all of the wedges.
- Season & Bake. Season with salt and pepper, slide the pan into an oven preheated to 400 degrees F, and bake for 40 minutes.
- Baste & Bake. After 40 minutes, use a baster or spoon to cover the lemon garlic potatoes with the rich pan sauce. Bake for another 30 minutes, baste once more, and bake for a final 10 minutes before removing from the oven to cook.
- Let Cool & Serve. Allow Greek roasted potatoes to cool for a few minutes before serving.
- Roasting Pan – Use a pan that can hold the basting liquid. A roasting pan is best for this, but you could also use a 9×13 baking dish with tall sides.
Storing and Reheating
Greek roasted potatoes can be stored for up to 4 days but are really at their best right out of the oven.
Reheat in the oven to restore that crunch! Preheat to 400 degrees F and bake for 10 minutes. Check to see if they’re warmed through and cook for another 5 minutes if they’re not soft enough. Then, broil for a few minutes to get them extra crispy again!
Frequently Asked Questions
Should potatoes be soaked or boiled before roasting?
Soaking and boiling both work to remove starch, soften the wedges a tad, and reduce cooking time.
But these lemon garlic potatoes are cut into relatively small wedges, so they cook pretty quickly. And I find that I spend just as much time boiling and waiting for them to cool as I would have if I’d just roasted them to begin with!
What type of potato works best for roasted potatoes?
The ideal spud is the Maris Piper — found all over the United Kingdom and Europe, but impossible to find in the States because it is prohibited from import.
So what’s the best choice for us in the U.S.? I’d say Yukon Gold or Russet. Yukon Golds are more flavorful and a little less starchy so they roast to a dark, more golden brown with a creamy middle. Russets, being starchier, get crispier on the outside and fluffier in the center.
How can I keep my Greek roasted potatoes from sticking?
Rinsing the wedges removes some of the starch and will go a long way. After rinsing, coat them well in the roasting liquid — it contains oil, which will help prevent sticking.
Once they’re cooked all the way, they shouldn’t stick to the pan. Give them a nudge with a metal spatula. If they don’t give, roast for another 5 minutes and try again.
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Crispy Greek Roasted Potatoes
4.67 from 6 votes
Greek roasted potatoes are basted and baked in flavorful Mediterranean spices and herbs. These easy, lemony wedges are an amazing side dish!
Servings: 8
Prep: 14 minutes mins
Cook: 1 hour hr 19 minutes mins
Total: 1 hour hr 33 minutes mins
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6) (See Note 1)
- 3/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 2 lemons juiced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp semolina
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Peel and slice each potato lengthwise (end to end). Turn each half over, (so flat side is down) and cut in half lengthwise again. Turn each piece over and cut each wedge lengthwise. You should have 48 potato wedges total.
Place potato wedges in a large roasting pan or 9×13-inch deep baking dish with sides.
To a bowl, add water, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano and semolina; whisk to combine. Pour mixture over the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Using a baster or spoon, coat the potatoes with sauce and put back into the oven for another 30 minutes. Baste once more and bake another 10 minutes. The semolina helps to form a nice golden crust on the potatoes.
Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 310mg | Potassium: 1219mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 23IU | Vitamin C: 69mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Course: side dishes
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Author: Kevin
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!
Kevin
I was bitten by the cooking bug as a kid cooking and baking along side my mom. After an ROP restaurant course in high school, I went to work in restaurants and catering. My love of travel and food has led me across the world and I love to share those foods with family and friends.
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