Is there anything better than crisply roasted potatoes? Perhaps only when they’re given a little extra oomph, as in this recipe—tender, sweet baby or creamer potatoes get tossed with whole cumin seeds, and paprika, plus plenty of salt and olive oil (always good in almost any potato dish). Serve them alongside simply prepared chicken, steaks, chops, meaty fish, and even meatloaf. I particularly recommend pan-roasted salmon.
The recipe also includes directions for using your oven’s convection setting, for even more browning and crispiness. For more about convection cooking, how it works, and what it does, read this post.
Serves 6
- 2 pounds baby or creamer potatoes (red, white, or a combination), cut into 1/2-inch wedges (see note)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Preheat an oven to 450°F (or 425°F using the convection setting).
In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, oil, cumin, salt, and paprika. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet, arranging the potatoes in an even layer, and bake until browned and tender, about 30 minutes (or about 20 minutes on convection).
NOTE By "1/2-inch wedges" I mean wedges where the back side of the wedge is about 1/2-inch wide. For 1 1/2- to 2-inch diameter potatoes, that will mean cutting them into 6 wedges each.
