Greek Lemon Potatoes

Greek Lemon Potatoes
Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Sylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
About 1 hour
Rating
4(5,700)
Notes
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For the dreamiest roasted potatoes — with creamy insides and very crispy outsides — follow this classic Greek method of roasting peeled potatoes in equal parts olive oil, lemon juice and chicken stock. The potatoes soak up the flavorful liquid, allowing the insides to remain tender while the outsides crisp in the oven’s high heat. You can follow the same method for russet potatoes, though the final result will be less moist.

Learn: How to Cook Potatoes

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • ½cup chicken broth or water
  • ½cup olive oil
  • ½cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 3 to 4 large lemons)
  • 1tablespoon kosher salt
  • 3pounds large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6), peeled then halved lengthwise and crosswise
  • 1tablespoon dried oregano (optional)
  • Flaky salt and black pepper, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

349 calories; 19 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 666 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed sheet pan, combine the chicken broth, olive oil, lemon juice and kosher salt. Toss the potatoes in the liquid to coat, then arrange the potatoes in an even layer, cut-sides down. Sprinkle the oregano over the potatoes, if using.

  2. Step 2

    Roast the potatoes, flipping halfway through, until fork-tender, dark brown and crispy on top, 55 to 60 minutes. (If the potatoes are cooked through but not as crispy as you’d like, run them under the broiler for a few minutes.) Sprinkle with flaky salt and black pepper as desired.

Ratings

4 out of 5
5,700 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

This recipe seemed familiar to me, like I had seen it before under a different name. Then I made it and realized, it was "Satan's Recipe for Burnt Potatoes and Ruined Sheet Pans." Proceed with caution. The high oven heat and long cooking time evaporates the liquid (for what it's worth, my sheet pan had no problem containing the potatoes and liquid, so don't worry about that - you have bigger problems here) and the sugars from the lemon juice scorch and burn. Use a lower temp, and watch closely.

This is a new favorite. I make it as written. Yes the stock is essential and yes you can substitute vegetable stock and make this vegan. Everyone I serve it to asks for the recipe. I just read all the “helpful” comments and am surprised to see so much concern over the mess. It is totally worth the five minutes it takes to scrub the pan. Just let it soak first. Besides, it’s a sheet pan, not a bed sheet. It’s supposed to look like it’s been used.

Frankly, this recipe works even better to simply toss the potatoes in the lemon juice and olive oil, add the seasonings, and roast on a baking sheet. Skip the stock altogether. The stock doesn't add all that much flavor anyway.

Love this recipe, but the potatoes are so much better when you let them marinate in the liquid for a few hours before baking. That way, the lemon flavor infuses completely through each piece, just like at good Greek restaurants.

You can use a casserole dish, but the potatoes may not get as browned. A half baking sheet can fit 1.5 cups of liquid; to make the sheet sturdier for moving to the oven, stack two baking sheets.

Toss everything in a large bowl then transfer to the sheet pan for less mess. Add a tablespoon of flour to the mix for crispier potatoes.

Better effect if potatoes par boiled in a stock / white wine / garlic mixture, drizzled in olive oil, allowed to cool then fast roasted at 220C until crisp. Chopped fresh Rosemary, Sage or Oregano added during roasting .

Love the "Satan's Recipe." I laughed out loud!!! Seriously, the best suggestions are to toss the potatoes in the seasonings then bake.

.5 olive oil .5 chicken stock .5 lemon juice 1.5cups liquid That’s needs a roasting tin not a rimmed baking sheet.

I just made this in two Pyrex casserole dishes, and it came out beautifully.

Add a slight sprinkling of corn starch to the potatoes once in the pan. Guaranteed crispness!

Amatuer question here- pouring a cup and a half of just free liquid into a rimmed baking sheets seems like a bold move, especially since my pan tends to warp past 425. Would it be ok to combine ingredients and toss in a large bowl instead? I'm assuming all that liquid is to keep everything moist during that long roast at high temp, but it sounds like a mess waiting to happen.

I lined my baking pan with foil, tossed the potatoes/liquid in a bowl, and then followed the recipe as written. I thought it was simple, lovely, and easy. Will make again.

I spent two years finding the perfect potato recipe. This. Is. It.

Just use a shallow roasting pan. Or get better baking sheet. Go to your favorite online store and look for "Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet". They are inexpensive, do not warp, and will likely outlive you (unless you are very very young!)

Strain the lemon pulp from the juice. Much less burnt mess on the pan. Also, lower heat works fan. Love the corn starch dusting idea.

This one is a keeper! I’ve made it in a Pyrex roasting pan and in a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. The technique is great. The Yukons I find in market are HUGE so I end up cutting each half into fourths with excellent results. Crispy and definitely delicious! Pro tip: Use the spent lemons to add wonderful flavor to whole or filets of branzino (you can then roast or grill the fish). Serve with (the NYT recipe for) “taverna salad” and you’ll be transported to Greece!

One of my favorite recipes. I make this all the time. SO delicious. I let the potatoes marinate for at least an hour if I have time, but if not, still good! I also used foil on the baking sheet, so mess is not an issue.

Made this verbatim but added a chunky chopped red onion and made this in a pyrex baking dish instead of a sheet pan. Let marinade for about an hour and then baked at 425 for 45 before finishing at 450 for the remainer.

Winner Ali, WOW!

Can't you just line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up?

Made this in a large enameled cast-iron dutch oven (it was a hot day and running the oven seemed like too much heat). Works great in the oven. In either method, marinating and then adding a bit of liquid while cooking improves results. Worked out really well. A delicious recipe!

Yummy this recipe is delicious. Made it with smaller baby potatoes, it came out absolutely perfect, potatoes were crunch and slightly caramelized on the outside and creamy in the inside. Used a lot of lemon.

Use pre-heated cast iron and change ratios to Lemon 1-oil 1/2-stock 1/2. Add pepper and some finely chopped garlic at the beginning as well.

I made this in a casserole dish, and the clean-up was a breeze. Yes, there was some caramelization, but that added to the taste and created a kind of pan sauce, most of which scraped off to coat the potatoes. Don't believe the naysayers, just use ceramic or glass!

After flipping the potatoes, I added more chicken broth, this added to the amazing juiciness of the interior and also prevented the scorched earth from happening. I kept an eye on the pan and kept dad and chicken broth so that there was a wonderful jammy layer on the bottom that I developed on the potatoes and serving them. A family favorite, and will do it again!

These were different & good. Used parchment paper, 425 for heat, purple potatoes (might try Yukon golds next time) & definitely mix in a mixing bowl.

made this verbatim-only difference (that I think was necessary) is I made it in a Pyrex Glass Baking Dish . Perfect! So tender

Best potatoes I’ve ever made however, in deference to grandmas Fitzgerald and O’Brien, we all need to start calling these Irish Lemon Potatoes

The temp is too high and the potatoes came out burnt. I will look elsewhere for a recipe for this dish.

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