The Wild (and Genius!) Trick for the Fastest Crispy Roasted Potatoes

Oh, potatoes, how do you do it? Whether mashed or baked, fried or roasted, you deliver the comfort and joy I crave without breaking the bank. The roasted potato may be the best of all, encompassing the crisp, crunchy shell of a French fry with a lush, creamy middle. That is, if you know the trick to making them.

Once you learn the British trick of “scuffing” the potatoes, and then apply it to (gasp) canned potatoes, you can crank out delectably crisp roasted potatoes without breaking a sweat.

If you aren’t familiar with canned potatoes, you might see them on the shelf and just keep walking, but I recommend giving them a chance. For just 99 cents, you can buy 15 ounces of peeled, cooked small potatoes. If you think about it, skipping the peeling and cooking time is a big part of the reason most of us buy frozen French fries instead of making them from scratch. The same idea applies with using canned potatoes for crispy roasted potatoes. It may just change your life.

How To Make Crispy Roasted Potatoes With Canned Potatoes

The smooth exteriors of canned potatoes are slick, so your butter and herbs will slide right off unless you rough them up a little. Drain two cans of potatoes in a colander, then transfer them to a cutting board to halve them lengthwise. Return the halved potatoes to the colander, then rub them over the holes (or wire mesh) of the colander until some of the starch from the potatoes fills the holes and even pops through the other side. Just put your hand into the colander and move it in a circle; don’t get too vigorous and break the potatoes. This creates a starchy coating that cooks into a crispy shell.

Because the canned potatoes are already cold, it’s easy to toss them with melted butter, or if you have it, bacon or duck fat. Solid fat just makes better-tasting potatoes—use two tablespoons of fat for two cans of potatoes. Vegans can use coconut oil or a good margarine. Add some minced sturdy herbs like rosemary or thyme, and half a teaspoon of salt. 

Preheat a heavy baking sheet in a 425°F oven for five minutes. This creates a hot surface that starts “frying” the potatoes on contact. Drizzle the hot pan with a tablespoon of high-heat oil, like canola or avocado. 

Once the potatoes are on the hot pan, use a metal spatula, the bottom of a mug, or another pan to press the potatoes into a slightly thinner, more even shape. Some will break a bit, but try to get them to one-half to three-quarter-inch thick. 

Roast the potatoes for 20 minutes, then flip them with a spatula and roast for 15 minutes longer or until crisp and golden. The hot oven works like a fryer!

Serve the golden brown spuds immediately. They're great with a sprinkle of cheddar or Parmesan, or dipped in your favorite condiment.