You will love potatoes a thousand times more after making these Greek Lemon Potatoes (patates lemonates). The spuds are simply seasoned with oregano and baked in a flavorful lemon- and olive-oil-infused broth, creating the juiciest, most flawlessly tender roasted potatoes with a delightful crust.
I have for you one of the most delicious potato recipes ever: Greek Lemon Potatoes. Every word in that name is a promise of things beautiful, and this recipe definitely lives up to that promise.
I adore Greek food, and I especially love these Greek Gigantes -- a wholesome and delicious dish of giant lima beans cooked in a tasty tomato sauce. So the idea of Greek-flavored roasted potatoes had me hooked from the start.
Roasted potato recipes are pretty ubiquitous and everyone has their favorite recipes, as do I (these rosemary roasted potatoes and air fryer potatoes!). But a problem one frequently encounters while roasting potatoes is they can turn a little dry.
These Greek lemon potatoes braise inside a flavorful, lemony broth, so they drink in all of that delicious broth before beginning to crisp up on the outside. The result is a potato that's crusty on the outside and absolutely melt-in-the-mouth tender and flavorful inside.
Table of Contents
Easy, one-pot recipe with just six ingredients!
There are so many reasons to love these Greek potatoes. Here are just a few:
- Delicious. The olive-oil- and lemon-infused broth helps the flavor seep deep inside the potatoes instead of keeping them on the surface, creating a really flavorful, fork-tender potato with the most delightful, slightly spongy texture.
- Six ingredients. You likely have all ingredients needed to make these Greek lemon potatoes on hand already.
- 10 minutes hands-on time! All you need to do is cut the potatoes and mix them up with the other ingredients in a baking dish.
- One-pot. All the ingredients come together in the baking dish -- no need to break out a bowl to mix them.
- Soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free and vegan. The recipe is friendly to all diets.
Ingredients
Check recipe card below for exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Potatoes. I used baby potatoes but you can also use regular-sized Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes. Stay away from very starchy potatoes, like russet potatoes.
- Garlic. You can tweak the amount of garlic you add, I love a good bit, about six large cloves.
- Lemon juice and zest. Lemon juice is a key flavoring ingredient in this Greek lemon potatoes recipe, as the title suggests, and you need ⅓rd of a cup (approximately two large lemons). I also like adding the zest of the lemon into the recipe because the essential oils in the zest add more amazing citrus flavor.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Vegetable stock. You can use water but the stock adds more depth and flavor to the potatoes, so use it if you can.
- Oregano. Fresh oregano is preferred, but if you don't have it you can use dried oregano.
How to make Greek Lemon Potatoes
Place potatoes in a baking dish in a single layer.
Sprinkle on the oregano, garlic, lemon zest, salt and ground black pepper.
Pour the olive oil, lemon juice and vegetable broth or water into the baking dish. Mix everything well.
Bake the Greek lemon potatoes in a preheated 400-degree Fahrenheit/205-degree Celsius oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Halfway through baking, toss the potatoes so they roast evenly.
Helpful tips
- Cut the potatoes into 1-inch chunks or wedges. If using baby potatoes, halve or quarter them depending on how big they are. The potatoes will spend a good bit of time in the oven, so cutting them into larger pieces will ensure they cook evenly without falling apart.
- Arrange the potatoes in the baking dish in a single layer, but don't use a too-large baking dish either. The liquid needs to come up the sides of the baking dish so the potatoes braise in it (although it won't submerge them). The baking dish I used is about 2 ½ quarts.
- To make the potatoes crispier, you can let them bake about 10-15 minutes longer, but keep an eye on them to ensure they brown evenly, and turn them around if needed.
- Don't waste the garlicky bits in the bottom of the dish--they taste amazing, so be sure to scrape them up!
- For an added pop of freshness, garnish the roasted Greek potatoes with chopped fresh parsley or fresh oregano.
Versatile side dish
These Greek lemon potatoes work as a side with nearly any entree recipe. I serve them with veggie burgers, rice dishes, stews and pasta. They would also work beautifully with recipes like Irish tofu steaks or a Greek salad or this Greek themed bowl.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to four months.
- Reheat: Thaw the potatoes and reheat in a baking dish in a 400-degree oven until warmed through and crusty again.
More yummy potato recipes
If you love these Greek Lemon Potatoes, be sure to check out more vegan Mediterranean recipes on Holy Cow Vegan!
Greek Lemon Potatoes
Equipment
- 2 to 3 quart Baking dish
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds yellow or red potatoes (cut into 1-inch chunks. If using baby potatoes halve or quarter them depending on their size).
- ⅓ cup lemon juice (approximately two large lemons)
- Zest of two lemons
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 6 cloves garlic (minced or crushed through a garlic press)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the potatoes in the baking dish in a single layer. Sprinkle on the oregano, garlic, lemon zest, salt and ground black pepper.
- Pour the olive oil, lemon juice and vegetable broth or water into the baking dish. Mix everything well.
- Bake the Greek lemon potatoes in for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Halfway through baking, flip the potatoes around so they roast evenly.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
Recipe notes
- Cut the potatoes into 1-inch chunks. If using baby potatoes, halve or quarter them depending on how big they are. The potatoes will spend a good bit of time in the oven, so cutting them into larger pieces will ensure they cook evenly without falling apart.
- Arrange the potatoes in the baking dish in a single layer, but don't use a too-large baking dish either. The broth needs to come up the sides of the baking dish so the potatoes braise in it (although it won't submerge them). The baking dish I used is about 2 ½ quarts.
- To make the potatoes crispier, you can let them bake about 10-15 minutes longer, but keep an eye on them to ensure they brown evenly, and turn them around if needed.
- Don't waste the garlicky bits in the bottom of the dish--they taste amazing, so be sure to scrape them up!
- I used 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. The potatoes baked with this quantity of salt are not too salty, so if you like them saltier add more salt to taste. If the vegetable stock you use is salted, factor that in.
- For an added pop of freshness, garnish the roasted Greek potatoes with chopped fresh parsley or fresh oregano.
- Refrigerate: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to four months.
- Reheat: Thaw the potatoes and reheat in a baking dish in a 400-degree oven until warmed through and crusty again.
Dagmar Degree
Thank you for all the delicious recipes you pop into my mailbox!
These potatoes are delicious +++ The flavors are totally absorbed into the potatoes. I will add them to my regular dishes and I think they’re a nice dish to bring to a function
I made them last night and ate at least half of them…..by myself!
I didn’t make anything else bc I’m at the tail end of eating my frozen veg from last year and everything in the fridge. Fresh things are coming from the CSA share sometime this month. I noticed the Irish tofu steaks and will make them tonight to go with the reheated potatoes.
Vaishali
Hi Dagmar, yes, these potatoes are quite addictive, aren't they? I laughed when you said you ate half of them by yourself because that's what I do too, each time I make these! In fact it took all my willpower to hold some back for the others. 😀 Happy you loved the recipe!
Joan
Do you cover these during baking? Thank you 😊
Vaishali
No need to cover!
MPaula
When I saw the photo, I thought there were beets in it! I wonder if beets would cook in the same amount of time? I suppose I could bake them separately and dirty another dish.
Joan
I have been anxious to try this recipe ever since I saw it. Snce I discovered my local Greek restaurant uses chicken broth in their potatoes, which I found all do the same, I have been missing those lemony, roasted potatoes. This recipe hits the spot!! Plenty of that lemony flavor I love!! I cut the potatoes in chunks, next time I will try wedges. I thought the time would overcook the potatoes but it was just right. Perfect!! Thank you!!
Vaishali
So happy you tried it, Joan!
Nita
Hi. Your potato recipe sounds wonderful but we are doing the forks over knives diet which is basically vegan, but no added oils. So whole food, plant based. What would happen if I left the cool out of this dish?
Melissa
Would love to know the answer to this question! I am trying to limit my oils as well....
Vaishali
Hi Nita, you can skip the oil and just use 1/4th cup more veg stock.
Anthony Ellis
First-time I've made this dish what a delight, the lemon zing really set's it appart from other potato dishes will definitely be making it again.
Vaishali
So happy you tried it!
Loukia Kaisari
Delicious dish! Very popular here in Greece. I always add garlic and I will make it with vegetable stock next time
Vaishali
Hi Loukia, I do actually add a couple of cloves of garlic, not much, but it adds a great flavor hit. I hope you try it with the vegetable stock -- it really improves the taste. 🙂
Anonymous
Loved the photographs-
Vaishali
Thanks -- credit to Desi! 🙂