Golden Crispy Baked Potato Wedges

Crispy and golden baked potato wedges that are fluffy on the inside and packed with flavor, this recipe is a delicious family-friendly side to so many meals. Make the best super easy crispy roasted potato wedges with these tips!

Potato wedges are a heartier, thicker-cut potato slice. Similar to a french fry but much thicker and very often coated with a flavorful seasoning.

Roasted potato wedges are fluffy pillows on the inside but have a crunch on the outside that is unbeatable. These made a great side dish to most meats and are delicious.

I find potato wedges are just as popular as fries when you serve them, but a great alternative to everyday potatoes.

Ingredients For Potato Wedges

• 4 Large Russet potatoes 4 large potatoes is about 2 lbs of potatoes. Russet potatoes work best for this recipe, but red potatoes are also a great choice. Yellow potatoes work better for soups because they tend to break down more when cooked.
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder optional- but my family likes it added in and notices when it’s gone
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons oil vegetable oil, peanut oil or avocado oil works best

What Kind Of Potato Can I Use?

I like to use russet potatoes with this recipe. Yukon gold is another great choice as they tend to be a little firmer potato.

Sweet potatoes also work with this recipe, just skip soaking them.

No matter what kind of potato you choose, you’ll need about two pounds of potatoes for this recipe.

If you love these potato wedges, you should try my broccoli cheese twice-baked potato recipe too. Gooey cheese with tender broccoli all stuffed inside a delicious golden potato. This delicious recipe makes a great side dish or appetizer! Or dry my flavorful Lemon Greek Potatoes. These potatoes are delicious as a side for so many meals!

How to Cut Potato Wedges

I used to be a little overwhelmed making potato wedges at home until I learned how to cut them evenly. Cutting the potatoes evenly makes a big difference for your potatoes being crispy on all sides.

Rinse your potatoes well before you start cutting them to get any dirt from growing in the ground off of them.

• Start by cutting your potato in half the long way to make two halves
• Cut each potato half now in half so you have four pieces.
• Next cut each of those pieces in half so each potato makes eight even pieces.
• Repeat with each potato!

How Do I Make Baked Potato Wedges?

Making potato wedges requires a little prep, here’s how you prepare them!

• Slice and soak your potatoes in hot water for 10 minutes or cold water for 45 minutes.

• Dry well with paper towels. It’s really important to get the potatoes as dry as possible on the outside because it will help the outside become crispy.

• In a bowl mix all of the spices together including paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt and pepper.

• Coat the potatoes wedges evenly with oil and seasoning in a large bowl. You can use your hands or a silicone spatula.

• Place on the baking sheet evenly so the potatoes are not touching. Bake wedges at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

• Flip and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Why soak the potatoes in water?

Soaking the potatoes in hot water helps to soften the inside of the potatoes and removes some of the starch on the outside. Soaking in hot water should only be used for roasted potatoes, other methods of cooking potatoes should be soaked in cold water.

These are large chunks of potato. By presoaking them in hot water, the potatoes then steam on the inside when cooking so they are soft and pillowy on the inside. With only a little oil on the outside of the potatoes, this creates a soft potato on the inside and a crispy potato on the outside for pan-roasted potatoes. This handy tip was featured on America’s Test Kitchen.

Safety Note– Do not soak potatoes in hot water and then attempt to deep fry them, always soak potatoes in cold water for deep frying. When the water is hot, it will then boil faster than the oil heats up creating air pockets. This can cause the water to bubble more quickly inside the steaming potato pieces and creates air pockets. The release of the air pockets can cause the oil to pop unexpectantly. When frying this could cause an accidental burn. Always soak potatoes for frying in cold water.

With oven fries like this recipe, the potatoes don’t cook as hot or as fast as they do in oil. The air pockets don’t form in the oven baked potatoes as easily. This does in general cause oven potato wedges to be less crispy than traditional fried french fries.

If you’re concerned about safety using hot water, you can also soak these potato wedges in cold water instead for at least 45 minutes.

How do I make sure my potato wedges are crispy

Getting a golden brown outside on your roasted potatoes can make the all the difference in how your potatoes taste. Here’s what you can do to make sure your wedges are crispy.

• Dry Potatoes Well – After soaking your potatoes, dry them really well on the outside
• Bake On The Pan With No Liner– Baking potato wedges straight on the pan makes them the crispiest. But for easier cleanup, use aluminum foil or parchment paper still keeps them crispy
• Mix Oil With Potatoes Well– Coat them evenly with oil to make sure the entire outside of the potato is well coated
• Use An Oil With A Higher Smoke Point – I prefer avocado oil, but you can also use sunflower oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil or corn oil. Learn more about why the smoke point is important with oil here.

Since these potatoes are cooked at a higher temperate, more delicate oils like olive oil, butter or coconut oil begin to break down, burn or smoke while your potatoes are roasting. Extra virgin olive oil can be used, but you’re pushing the upper end of the smoke point of that oil. I prefer the other oil options listed above for this recipe.

Try these Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Fries too! They are delicious as a vegetable side or appetizer!

Can I Start With Leftover Baked Potatoes?

Yes, you can absolutely start this recipe with leftover baked potatoes. Skip soaking the potatoes, just slice them and add the seasonings and oil.

The potatoes will roast up a little faster if they are made from leftover baked potatoes. Start watching them a little more closely after about 20 minutes to keep your potatoes from burning.

Love potato recipes? My ham potato soup with peas recipe is another great recipe for leftover potatoes, or try the Loaded Baked Potato Salad for a delicious cold recipe that’s great for crowds.

When to serve potato wedges

• Serve as a side for dinner
• Try these as an appetizer
• Great for a family game night
• Double the recipe and serve at a party

If your family loves warm crispy snacks, you should also try the homemade air fryer mozzarella sticks and the super quick and easy pigs in a blanket in the air fryer or oven.

Will My Kids Like This Recipe?

This recipe is really family-friendly and delicious. This recipe is a crowd-pleaser at any party, but also simple enough to make for dinner.

If you’re trying to encourage your kids to eat a wider variety of foods, these potatoes can be a great in-between. Potato wedges are similar enough to french fries that most kids like them. Potato wedges are a great way to give a picky kid exposure to a food they likely like, but presented in a different way.

Using the spices included in this recipe can also help your child start learning to love more flavorful food if they don’t already. This recipe is also great for the kids who just loves to dip.

What dipping sauces should I add?

• Ketchup– Always popular!
• BBQ Sauce– our family favorite!
• Sweet Chili Sauce and Sour Cream– common around the world to serve with both dips together
• Guacamole – Really good, it’s one of my personal favorite dips!
• Mustard – Yellow or stone grown brown mustard
• Buffalo sauce
• Sriracha sauce
• Ranch is another favorite choice for dipping!

You can also toss a little parmesan cheese or fresh parsley on the potatoes at the end right before serving. Yum!

How Do I Make These Potato Wedges In The Air Fryer?

This recipe does work well in the air fryer, they are delicious and crispy! Here’s how you make these potato wedges in the air fryer.

• Follow the instructions for slicing, soaking and seasoning the potatoes as instructed by the recipe.
• Put the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer on the air fryer setting at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
• Give them a good shake and flip, then put them back in the air fryer for another 10-12 minutes BUT check for doneness about every 4-5 minutes after flipping. Then enjoy!

AIR FRYER TIP: Some air fryer machines run at different temperatures even if they say they are at 400 degrees. The first time you make this recipe it’s important to check the potatoes often after you flip them to avoid overcooking them.

The great thing about air fryers is it circulates the hot air so well that it is easy to check them, and pop them back in the machine quickly. This is different than how an oven which will lose 15-25 degrees every time you open it. An oven takes more time to come back to temperature which can make the overall cook time a little longer if you open the oven too often.

What to serve with potato wedges

Potatoes are a great side to many different kinds of proteins, here are a few of our favorites you can try.

Turkey Burger Sliders– perfect size for the kids

Marinated Chicken Kabobs– These can be baked or grilled

Oven-Baked Pork and Zucchini Meatballs– These make a great meatball sandwich

Crockpot Pork Loin– this recipe also makes a mean pulled pork sandwich

Instant Pot Honey Balsamic Pork Tenderloin – This quick an easy pork tenderloin has the BEST sauce!

Beef and Veggie burgers– These burgers are super little kid friendly.

Roasted Baby Carrots With Honey Glaze– A quick and easy side dish that is a crowd-pleaser!