Definitely a cut above the usual roasted potatoes! The unique thing about Greek Lemon Potatoes is that they are cooked in a heavily flavoured lemon garlic broth so they suck up all that flavour before roasting to golden perfection. They’re utterly addictive!
Greek Lemon Potatoes: A fresh spin on roast spuds
Welcome back to the final instalment of GREEK WEEK!!! We started the week with Greek Chicken marinated in the most incredible yogurt marinade, served up a big pan of homemade Greek Baklava on Wednesday and we’re finishing up the week with the much anticipated Greek Lemon Potatoes!
We’re serving all these with a side of fresh Greek Salad and Tzatziki for dolloping (in the Greek Chicken recipe) – and see here for more Greek recipes.
Plate smashing is optional – but loads of garlic in everything is not!
Let’s be clear about one thing up front:
These are not your usual roasted potatoes
Don’t get me wrong. Throw spuds in the oven drizzled with oil, salt and pepper, and I’ll happily munch my way through them.
Make the effort to follow a few extra steps to make the crunchiest roast potatoes you’ve ever had, and it’s like all my Christmases have come at once. Thick, craggy crusts, perfectly seasoned, fluffy insides.
But these roasted Greek Lemon Potatoes….
These are unlike any other roasted potato I’ve ever had because they’re flavoured all the way through. Flavoured with all THIS ↓↓↓
How I cut potatoes for this recipe
We want chunky pieces for this recipe so they hold up to the relatively long cooking time. I cut medium potatoes into 3 pieces, as pictured below, and large potatoes into quarters or thick wedges.
HALF BRAISED, HALF ROASTED
The idea behind Greek Lemon Potatoes is that they are braised in a lemon-garlic flavoured broth so they suck up all that flavour, then you continue roasting them until the liquid evaporates, leaving behind just the oil to roast the potatoes until golden.
The concept sounds easy enough, but actually, it’s quite tricky to do in one pan. I swear, it’s scientifically impossible to roast potatoes until golden without the garlic burning. It’s one or the other – golden garlic or golden potatoes (unless, like I do with my Herb Roasted Potatoes, you add the garlic midway through cooking).
Also, I kept ending up with burnt ridges on the potato from the lemon juice and broth that caramelises on the base of the pan, and a disappointing lack of golden crusts promised by recipes I used.
After two, three, five, seven attempts, I threw every recipe I read out the window (virtually) and settled on an easier, less risky way of making Greek Lemon Potatoes so they come out as golden as possible: Braise in one pan to suck up flavour, transfer to a tray to bake until golden, drizzled with the flavoured oil from Pan 1.
How to make Greek Lemon Potatoes (my safer way)
You can skip the transference step if you want. But just be mindful that you’ll need to keep a super close eye on the potatoes and they won’t be as golden as you see in these photos, you’ll likely end up with thin dark burnt ridges and the garlic with burn (gee, I’m really making this sound appetising! 😂)
In the interest of total transparency …
Because I hate recipes that lie, I want to be 100% clear about expectations: these are not the crispiest roast potatoes in the world. I truly think it’s scientifically impossible to get seriously crispy roast potatoes once they’ve been submerged in all that lemon and broth (believe me, I tried my heart out!).
So if seriously crunchy potatoes is what you are after – and I’m talking seriously thick crunchy crust and they stay crisp for ages – use this recipe: Truly Crunchy Roast Potatoes.
But these Greek Lemon Potatoes do have nice crispy edges and some crispy surfaces (see video and photos) and in any case, you won’t miss major crunch factor because these have so much more flavour than any other roasted potato.
It was actually scary how much of these I was able to consume in one sitting. I just couldn’t stop – they are so darn good!! – Nagi x
MORE POTATO GOODNESS
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Greek Lemon Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg / 2.5lb potatoes , starchy (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml chicken stock/broth , low sodium (Note 2)
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml olive oil
- 1/3 cup / 85 ml lemon juice
- 5 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp salt (Note 3)
Garnish (optional)
- Lemon wedges, fresh oregano leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan).
- Peel potatoes and cut large ones into thick wedges - about 3cm / 1.2" thick - and medium ones into 3 (see photo in post).
- Place in a roasting pan with all the other ingredients. Toss well.
- Roast for 20 minutes. Turn potatoes, roast for a further 25 to 30 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed by potatoes/evaporated and you're left with mainly oil in the pan.
- To crisp the potatoes (optional): Transfer potatoes to a separate tray. (Note 3) Tilt the original roasting pan and scoop off as much of the oil as you can (some juices is ok), then drizzle over the potatoes.
- Transfer potatoes to oven and roast for 20 - 25 minutes, turning once or twice, until potatoes are golden and a bit crispy.
- Return the pan with the garlic juices to the oven for the last 5 - 10 minutes or so to reduce down and make the garlic golden. (Optional, Note 4)
- Transfer potatoes to serving platter. Drizzle over the reduced garlic pan juices (or toss potatoes in the pan). Serve, garnished with lemon wedges and oregano if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
When Dozer stole a dog treat at the pet shop while I was trying to take cute photos of him eyeing off the treats…..
I made these to go with the slow roasted Greek lamb… Absolutely amazing!
Well done Nagi. I lived on a Greek island for 5 years and these potatoes were my favourites. Only difference in the cooking method that I experienced In my island village was they do the first cook covered and then uncover for the crisping up with the oil and then as you do, pour over the residual liquid once done. Delicious!
This was delicious! Perfect addition to my BBQ this evening. Totally worth doing the transference step. Can’t wait to check out your other recipes. Thank you!
My potatoes came out oer cooked started to get mushy and it wouldnt brown,
too salty. liquid did not evaporate had to leave in oven 20 mins. what am i doing wrong. I put on bake the 1 st for 25 mins. then 2nd bake started to boil..??????
I love these lemon taters and will make them every opportunity I get. I even got approval from a critic that said they tasted better than the potatoes at a local Greek restaurant. Thank you, Nagi.
I made these and your slow cooked lamb and Israeli cous cous salad. Totally wonderful combination. The zing from the lemon with the garlic and oregano packed a flavour punch. My new fave way to do potatoes.
Can I make this a day ahead and crisp up before serving? What about fresh oregano from my garden instead?
Hi Rhonda, you sure can, just leave the crisping step until you are ready to eat. Fresh oregano unfortunately wont work here as it will burn in the oven. N x
I cooked these potatoes for my family, and they loved them. I think these are my favorite potatoes to make when I do a roast.
I was wondering if you could leave out the garlic but use garlic flavored olive oil instead?
It’s not quite the same but you can definitely do that! N x
MMMMM!! 😋A tasty alternative to regular roast potatoes. Thumbs up and empty plates from all of members in my family.
Thank you Nagi… again, a winner recipe from your website!
We love this! Even my 1 yo destroyed this thing! That’s the only one he would pick from his table!
BEST POTATOES EVER
Thanks so much Sandra! N x
OMG!!! BEST potatoes ever. I have always struggled baking potatoes as I did not want to use a lot of oil. Down side not crispy. But these are amazing. Thank you!! New staple in my repertoire. Every recipe I have made from you tastes amazing. I am so happy I found you!
I bet the flavour was amazing though Sandra! N x
Hey Nagi, just put these potatoes in the oven and soooo excited how these will turn out. I really love your recipes, keep making some over and over again, but also keen to try new ones, as they’ always turn out delicious 🙂
You’ll love them Laura! N x
I made these tonight Nagi, with the Greek chicken and some steamed greens. Oh. My. God! These are the best potatoes ever! So flavoursome. I was sorry that I didn’t do more. Thank you x
Seriously Nagi, how do you do it?? Every recipe of yours that I try is A* D-E-LICIOUS!! I love this summery take on roast potatoes. YUM!!
Thanks so so SO much Naomi!! N x
Amazing…. I did these tonight with the slow cooked lamb from this site and they were a huge hit ( as was the lamb). Will do again.
Perfect Tory! N x
This was my first time making these potatoes. So glad I went with your receipt because they were a huge hit at home! Thank you
You’re so welcome Alina! N x