I Asked 4 Chefs for the Ultimate Roasting Potato, and This One Came Out on Top

Ina Garten and Emily Blunt set the internet on fire—and crashed the Barefoot Contessa website—when Garten shared a teaser of Emily's English Roasted Potatoes on Instagram. That moment in May 2020 showed us that it's not just the editors at Dinogo who swear by roasted potatoes.

Like Emily, we all have our personal method for roasting potatoes. Some prefer cast iron or the air fryer, while others stick to the trusty sheet pan in the oven. When it comes to seasoning, the debate rages between adding cheese, a spritz of lemon for a Greek twist, or kicking things up with spicy additions like chili powder or gochujang.

No matter which technique or seasoning you swear by, there’s one thing we all agree on when it comes to roasting potatoes: you’ve got to start with the potatoes.

With over 200 varieties of potatoes available in the U.S., choosing the right one at the store can feel overwhelming. So we turned to the experts—chefs who regularly roast potatoes both at home and in their restaurants—to get their insights on the best potatoes for roasting.

Introducing Our Expert Panel of Potato Enthusiast Chefs

• Matt Ayala, executive chef at Francois Frankie in Chicago, Illinois
• Kevin Gillespie, chef and co-owner of Red Beard Restaurants in Atlanta, Georgia
• Thomas Melvin, executive chef at Vida in Indianapolis, Indiana
• Mickey Woods, chef de cuisine at Evelyn’s at Hutton Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee

The Top Potatoes for Roasting

Potatoes range from waxy to starchy. Starchy varieties are perfect for baked potatoes and French fries, while waxy potatoes are great for soups, casseroles, and potato salad. All-purpose potatoes, which sit somewhere in between, are versatile enough for roasting, mashing, smashing, and frying.

For roasting, the perfect potato strikes a balance between waxy and starchy. These varieties consistently deliver great results and have a natural flavor that chefs love. Our panel ranks these potatoes among the top three for roasting:

1. Yukon Gold
2. German Butterball
3. Fingerling Potatoes

With three out of four chefs giving their vote, Yukon Gold takes the crown as the best potato for roasting. Known for its perfect balance of waxy and starchy, Yukon Gold crisps up beautifully on the outside while staying fluffy, creamy, and moist on the inside, says Matt Ayala, executive chef at Francois Frankie in Chicago.

Yukon Gold potatoes naturally have a subtle sweetness and buttery flavor, which makes them perfect for roasting. 'You get built-in richness without needing extra fat,' says Ayala. Plus, their moisture content (a hallmark of waxy potatoes) allows them to hold their shape while roasting, unlike starchier types that tend to fall apart. It's no surprise that Blunt calls for Yukon Golds in her famous roast potato recipe!

When we asked chefs for their top choices for mashed potatoes, Yukon Golds also made the cut, ranking among the top three. So, if you're planning to stock up on one type of potato for a dinner party or the holidays, you can't go wrong with Yukon Gold.

Taking second place, chefs rave about German Butterballs (often called simply 'Butterball'). Like Yukon Gold, they have a round, yellow appearance and a mild buttery flavor. What sets them apart is their thin, flaky skin, which often appears slightly webbed.

Kevin Gillespie, chef and co-owner of Red Beard Restaurants in Atlanta, Georgia, loves this potato variety because it's 'not quite as waxy as other small potatoes, which makes the roasted interior delightfully fluffy.' Mickey Woods, chef de cuisine at Evelyn’s at Hutton Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, agrees, adding that they are just waxy enough to hold their shape during roasting.

Ranking third among the best potatoes for roasting: fingerlings. These small, elongated potatoes have a subtly sweet, nutty flavor and hold their shape well during roasting, giving you a satisfying texture with each bite, says Ayala.

One downside of fingerlings is their irregular shape and size, which means you'll need to slice them to ensure a consistent texture and even roasting, explains Thomas Melvin, executive chef at Vida in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Least Ideal Potatoes for Roasting

Chefs agree that potatoes at either extreme of the waxy-to-starchy spectrum aren’t the best choices for roasting.

'Potatoes that are too waxy, like new potatoes, tend to stay too firm,' says Ayala. Waxy potatoes take longer to roast, and 'without enough starch, they won’t get crispy,' Ayala adds. New potatoes, red potatoes, and purple potatoes fall into this category.

On the other hand, ultra-starchy varieties like Russet and Kennebec potatoes crisp up beautifully on the outside but often fall apart during roasting. Their interior texture is more fluffy than creamy. These spuds are better suited for baked potatoes or French fries, according to Woods.

Expert Tips for Perfect Roasted Potatoes

Starting with the right potatoes is just the beginning—these professional tips will ensure your next batch of roasted potatoes turns out to be your best yet.

• Parboil in baking soda-spiked water. Melvin explains that this starchy, alkaline slurry coats the potatoes, promoting a crispy exterior. Plus, giving the potatoes a headstart on cooking softens them enough to keep the centers tender and creamy. Boiling also generally introduces little nooks, crannies, and soft ridges that Ayala adores because they “increase the potatoes’ surface area, allowing maximum crispiness when roasted at a high temp.” For every 4 cups of water you use to boil the potatoes, add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Parboil for 10 minutes.
• Add fresh herbs and garlic part-way through the cooking time. Woods recommends tossing your clean potato pieces with olive oil, salt, and black pepper before roasting. Once the spuds just begin to brown, press pause (translation: remove the sheet pan or skillet from the oven or the tray or basket from the air fryer) and toss the potatoes with chopped garlic and fresh parsley, thyme, and/or rosemary. Transfer them back to the appliance and cook until golden brown. “This prevents the garlic and herbs from burning, which can happen if you add them too early,” Woods says.
• Preheat your pan. If you’re roasting in the oven, to maximize the crunch factor of the outside of your roasted potatoes, preheat your sheet pan or skillet inside the oven. We employ this strategy in TikTok Parmesan-Crusted Roasted Potatoes and will now use this secret for all future roasted potato renditions at home.