Easy Roasted Red Potatoes

thefoodcharlatan.com
servings: 6
Ingredients

2 pounds red potatoes
3-4 cloves garlic, smashed and left whole
3 & 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
cracked black pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
fresh dill, rosemary, thyme, or parsley, to garnish (optional)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, to garnish (optional)

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Wash and scrub your potatoes to make sure they are nice and clean, then spread them out to let dry. It doesn't take too long.
Slice each potato in half or in quarters, for large potatoes. All the potatoes should be roughly similar in size, for even roasting.
Place all the potatoes on a rimmed 11x17 inch baking sheet.
Add 3-4 cloves smashed garlic. You can mince the garlic and mix it into the potatoes if you like, but I just leave them smashed and whole.
Drizzle the potatoes and garlic with 3 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil.
In a small bowl, combine all the spices: 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt, a bit of cracked black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (this adds flavor not heat), and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
Sprinkle the spices over the tops of the potatoes. Use your hands to massage the oil and spices into the potatoes. Make sure each potato gets coated.
Arrange the potatoes on the pan so that they are cut-side down.* The potatoes should not be touching each other (or they will steam in the oven instead of roasting. We want them nice and crispy!)
Roast the potatoes at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Take the pan out of the oven and use a spatula or tongs to carefully flip the potatoes over (so that the other cut-side that is still white is now touching the pan.) If there is any oil pooling in the center of your pan and it's causing the potatoes to not brown, soak up some of the oil with a paper towel and discard.
Place the pan back in the oven and continue roasting for another 15-20 minutes (the total roasting time is 45-50 minutes).
Take the potatoes out of the oven and serve immediately. Garnish with chopped herbs (such as dill or parsley), and just before serving, toss with 1 tablespoons white wine vinegar. This step is optional, but oh so tasty! It gives these potatoes the perfect zing! Shredded parmesan on top is also a great option.