Mary Berry Twice-Cooked Roast Potatoes Recipe

Mary Berry’s twice-cooked roast potatoes are wonderfully crisp on the outside and fluffy in the centre. The method of parboiling the potatoes before roasting creates that classic golden crust that makes roast dinners so special. This recipe is simple, reliable, and perfect for Sunday lunches or festive meals. The difficulty level is easy, and the total cooking time is about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Ingredients

For the Potatoes

• 1.5kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 4 tbsp goose fat or vegetable oil
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Optional for Extra Flavor

• 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 1–2 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme

How to Make Mary Berry Twice-Cooked Roast Potatoes

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 220°C or 200°C fan. Place a sturdy roasting tin with the goose fat or oil inside the oven so it heats up while you prepare the potatoes.
• Parboil the potatoes: Place the peeled potato chunks into a large pan of salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 8–10 minutes until the edges are starting to soften but the centres remain firm.
• Drain and roughen: Drain the potatoes well in a colander. Shake the colander gently to rough up the edges of the potatoes. This helps create the crispy outer texture.
• Coat with flour: Sprinkle the potatoes with plain flour, salt and pepper. Toss lightly so each piece is evenly coated.
• Roast the potatoes: Carefully remove the hot roasting tin from the oven and add the potatoes. Turn them in the hot fat so they are well coated. Roast for 40–50 minutes, turning once or twice, until deeply golden and crisp.
• Add flavourings: If using garlic and herbs, add them to the roasting tin during the final 10 minutes of cooking for extra flavour.
• Serve: Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with a little extra salt and serve immediately while crisp.

Tips for Perfect Roast Potatoes

Why are my roast potatoes not crispy?

The roasting fat must be very hot before adding the potatoes. Always heat the tin in the oven first so the potatoes start crisping immediately.

Which potatoes work best?

Floury varieties such as Maris Piper, King Edward, or Russet potatoes create the fluffiest centres and the crispiest edges.

Should I shake the potatoes after boiling?

Yes. Gently shaking them in the colander roughs up the outer edges, which helps create a crunchy crust during roasting.

Can I make them extra crispy?

Adding a light coating of plain flour before roasting helps develop a thicker golden crust.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve alongside a traditional Sunday roast chicken or roast beef
• Pair with gravy and Yorkshire puddings
• Add to festive Christmas or holiday dinners
• Serve with roasted vegetables and herb stuffing

Storage

Room Temperature

Roast potatoes are best eaten fresh from the oven. They can sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours before serving.

Refrigerator

Store leftover roast potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot oven for 10–15 minutes to restore crispness.

Freezing

Cooked roast potatoes can be frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat directly from frozen in a hot oven until heated through and crisp.

Nutrition

• Calories: 240 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 32g
• Protein: 4g
• Fat: 11g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Sodium: 320mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

FAQs

Mary Berry Twice-Cooked Roast Potatoes Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: Side DishCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Crispy, golden Mary Berry twice-cooked roast potatoes with fluffy centres. Perfect for Sunday roasts and festive dinners.

Ingredients

• 1.5kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

• 2 tbsp plain flour

• 4 tbsp goose fat or vegetable oil

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)

• Fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and place a roasting tin with fat or oil inside to heat.
• Place peeled potato chunks in salted water and boil for 8–10 minutes until edges soften.
• Drain well and shake in the colander to rough up the edges.
• Sprinkle with flour, salt and pepper and toss to coat.
• Add potatoes to the hot roasting tin and turn to coat in the fat.
• Roast for 40–50 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp.
• Add garlic and herbs during the final 10 minutes if using.
• Serve immediately while hot and crispy.

Notes

• Use floury potatoes like Maris Piper for best texture.
• Always heat the roasting fat before adding potatoes.
• Do not overcrowd the roasting tin so potatoes crisp evenly.