These vegan roast potatoes are simply the best! Crispy on the outside, soft & fluffy on the inside, what's not to like? Infused with fresh thyme, rosemary and garlic & with crunchy polenta coating they are out of this world!
Who doesn't love golden and crispy roast potatoes? For me it's the best part of vegan roast dinner for sure.
My vegan roasties with their crispy polenta coating and fluffy middle are simply perfect and really easy to make too!
Whether it's Christmas dinner or just simple Sunday roast, I hope this fail-safe vegan and vegetarian friendly roast potatoes recipe will become your go to!
If you like these roasties, try them with my ultimate Vegan Lentil Roast or Orange Glazed Tofu Roast!
Jump to:
🥔 Which potatoes are best for roasting?
When choosing your potatoes make sure you go for floury type. Varieties like Maris Piper, King Edward or Desiree are the most popular here in the UK.
If you're not sure which potatoes to go for simply ask your green grocer or (if buying from the supermarket) look out for those marked as "roasting potatoes".
🥘 Ingredients and substitutions
Potatoes - As per above any type of floury potato will be fine here. Maris Piper are my personal favourites, great all-round variety.
Oil - I would highly recommend cold-pressed rapeseed oil here. It's a neutral oil which is what you want plus as far as oils go, pretty good for you too. You could use any other neutral tasting oil here (e.g. sunflower) that can withstand being heat up to high temperature.
Garlic - I've been adding garlic to my roast potatoes since day one. It gently infuses the oil the potatoes are cooked in with gentle garlicky aroma. Throw in as many unpeeled garlic cloves as you want.
Fresh herbs - Similar to garlic they infuse the oil with their lovely aroma. Any woody herbs will do here but I usually go for what I grow in my garden i.e. thyme and rosemary. Fresh sage would be another one if you happen to have some.
Polenta - Now we are getting into the crispy outside bit. Lots of people swear by coating their roast potatoes in flour but for me it's polenta! The thing I love about it is that it adds extra texture (especially if you use coarse variety).
If you happen to be on a gluten-free diet, polenta is naturally gluten-free too.
You can, of course, leave it out but then why would you?
Nutritional Yeast aka Nooch - My secret ingredients in my roasties and although it's completely optional, I do love the cheesy and nutty flavour (which isn't overpowering at all) that it imparts on my vegan roast potatoes.
It comes in the form of flakes which will not want to stick to your potatoes much. However, what I found is that if you do sprinkle them over the potatoes and shake them around a bit, the flavour somehow sticks lol.
You can always whizz it quickly in a blender to turn it into powder which will make it stick better. I never bother though.
Salt - Make sure to season your potatoes well with good quality salt. Sea salt or Pink Himalayan Salt are my two favourites.
🍽 Equipment
To roast potatoes I use my large 3-ply stainless steel roasting tin which I've had for over 10 years now. It is a bit of an investment piece but one that will last you for years to come.
Of course you don't need one exactly like it to make great vegan roast potatoes. Use the biggest roasting tin you've got though to give your potatoes some room as they cook.
You will also need a saucepan (the size of which will depend on the amount of potatoes you need to par-boil) and a colander for draining and fluffing up the potatoes before roasting.
Last but definitely not least, good kitchen tongs for transferring those potatoes onto roasting tray and turning them to cover evenly in oil.
💭 Pro Tips
- Keeping the potatoes evenly sized is important as it will help them cook at the same rate which is what you want.
- Always par-boil your potatoes by starting them in cold water. Let them come to rolling boil and from that point time 2-3 minutes after which you drain them. I find this way gives me potatoes that are cooked and easy to fluff up but not falling apart.
- Ensure your oil is super hot when adding your potatoes to the roasting tin. You want to hear that sizzle the moment the potatoes touches it.
- Don't overcrowd roasting tin with potatoes and ensure they are all nicely covered in oil.
- Fluffing up the potatoes on a colander after draining is essential for getting that crispy outside. Fluffed up potatoes will make it easier for your coating to stick but even without any coating at all they will give you that gorgeous crispness we're all after.
- Don't skip on turning the potatoes couple of times during cooking to ensure that they cook, colour and crisp up evenly.
🥡 Storing vegan roast potatoes
As you can imagine vegan roast potatoes are best when served straight away, there is no two ways about it!
I don't know about you but I am also quite partial to a cold roast potato if we happen to have any leftovers (doesn't happen very often though lol).
Having said that, if you've got yourself some leftovers they can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days and the best way to reheat them would be in the oven (to keep some of that crispness). On this occasion please do forget you own a microwave!
📖 Variations
This recipe provides you with some basics but remember you can always deviate and add your own stamp to it.
Depending on what you're serving your vegan roast potatoes with try different herbs or even spices (smoked paprika here I come).
Sprinkle of vegan parmesan or some lemon zest perhaps? Why not.
❓ FAQs
That goes without saying. If you want that crispy outside and fluffy inside, par-boiling is the way to go.
As I start my potatoes in cold water, I usually par-boil them for 2-3 minutes from the moment water reaches rolling boil.
Yes you can. The potatoes can be peeled and parboiled and coated ahead of time and then kept in the fridge until you're ready to roast them.
You could even freeze them at this point and roast directly from frozen but keep in mind the roasting time will increase accordingly (check out step 3 in this freeze-ahead roasties recipe for timings).
Follow my recipe for vegan roast potatoes keeping in mind three main points:
1. Par-boil
2. Drain on colander and fluff up
3. Roast in hot oil
How to make crispy vegan roast potatoes?
Ingredient quantities & detailed instructions to be found in recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Peel the potatoes and depending on their size half, quarter or (if on a small side) leave whole. Try and keep them similar size for even cooking.
Put peeled potatoes in a saucepan and cover them with cold water, season with some salt and put the pan onto boil. Feel free to cover the pan with a lid at this point.
Pour oil in a large roasting tin, place it in the oven and preheat to 180C fan/350F/Gas Mark 5.
Once water has come to rolling boil, turn the heat down slightly so that it retains steady boil and from that point cook the potatoes (uncovered) for 2-3 minutes. Once the time is up drain the potatoes in a colander.
Shake the colander up and down, back and forth few times to fluff up the potatoes a bit. They should be firm enough to retain their shape but looking a bit fluffy on the outside.
Next, put the potatoes back into the saucepan you used to cook them in and sprinkle over the polenta and nutritional yeast (if using).
Shake the pan vigorously for a bit to evenly coat the potatoes in polenta, nutritional yeast mix.
Take roasting pan out of the hot oven (take care not to burn yourself) and gently put the potatoes into the pan (I like to use kitchen tongs for that) and ensure they are nicely coated in oil.
Add few sprigs of fresh rosemary and/or thyme to the roasting tin and few unpeeled cloves of garlic. Season with salt and pepper and put back into the oven.
Roast the potatoes for approximately 45-50 minutes, turning them twice.
Enjoy!
Have you tried my Vegan Roast Potatoes?
Please consider giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in recipe card below and share your views or tips in the comments.
😋 More delicious side dish ideas
Sage and Onion Stuffing (Vegan)
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar & Walnuts
Vegan Onion Gravy
Braised Red Cabbage
Easy Cranberry Compote (Sauce) with Rosemary
Baked Polenta Chips (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan and Garlic
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Never miss another recipe by subscribing to our newsletter today.
📋 Recipe
Vegan Roast Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 kg floury potatoes see notes
- 90 ml cold pressed rapeseed oil see notes
- 40 g polenta see notes
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional
- few garlic cloves unpeeled
- fresh thyme and rosemary see notes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and depending on their size half, quarter or (if on a small side) leave whole. Try and keep them similar size for even cooking.
- Put peeled potatoes in a saucepan and cover them with cold water, season with some salt and put the pan onto boil. Feel free to cover the pan with a lid at this point.
- Pour oil into a large roasting tin, place it in the oven and preheat to 180C fan/350F/Gas Mark 5.
- Once water has come to rolling boil, turn the heat down slightly so that it retains steady boil and from that point cook the potatoes (uncovered) for 2-3 minutes. Once the time is up drain the potatoes in a colander.
- Shake the colander up and down, back and forth few times to fluff up the potatoes a bit. They should be firm enough to retain their shape but looking a bit fluffy on the outside.
- Put the potatoes back into the saucepan you used to cook them in and sprinkle over the polenta and nutritional yeast (if using).
- Shake the pan vigorously for a bit to evenly coat the potatoes in polenta, nutritional yeast mix.
- Take roasting pan out of the hot oven (take care not to burn yourself) and gently put the potatoes into the pan (I like to use kitchen tongs for that) and ensure they are nicely coated in oil.
- Add few sprigs of fresh rosemary and/or thyme to the roasting tin and few unpeeled cloves of garlic. Season with salt and pepper and put back into the oven.
- Roast the potatoes for approximately 45-50 minutes, turning them twice.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional information is approximate, per serving based on 4 servings and should be treated as a rough guideline only.
- Use floury potatoes for your vegan roast potatoes - Maris Piper, King Edward or Desiree are amongst the most popular ones in the UK.
- Use any neutral tasting oil like cold pressed rapeseed or sunflower oil.
- Polenta creates that lovely crispy layer on roast potatoes and adds some texture too especially if you use coarse variety.
- Leftover vegan roast potatoes can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. To keep the crispness reheat them in the oven not a microwave.
- Keep the potatoes roughly the same size.
- Always par-boil your potatoes by starting them in cold water. Once they reach the point of rolling boil start 2-3 minute countdown.
- Ensure your oil is super hot when adding your potatoes to the roasting tray.
- Don't overcrowd roasting tin.
- Fluffing up the potatoes on a colander after draining is essential for getting that crispy outside.
- Don't skip on turning the potatoes couple of times during cooking to ensure that they cook, colour and crisp up evenly.
Please leave a comment & rating if you've made my recipe! Feel free to ask questions too, I reply to all!