Delicious rosemary roasted potatoes -- four ingredients, BIG flavor!

Got new potatoes? Try this flavorful but simple side dish of rosemary roasted potatoes. They're garlicky, infused with amazing rosemary flavor, crunchy on the outside and butter-soft inside. You'll love how easy they are to make and how many kudos you get when you serve them to your family.

Rosemary roasted potatoes on a white plate with sprigs of fresh rosemary and a spoon with a green napkin on the side.

New potatoes are in season in Spring and I can't think of a better way to eat them than in this delicious and super easy dish of roasted rosemary potatoes.

The potatoes bake up crunchy and golden on the outside but are soft and creamy on the inside. The rosemary and garlic infuse the potatoes through and through, making every bite a purely delightful gastronomic experience.

Make these at dinner today--you're family will thank you for it!

Why you'll love these rosemary roasted potatoes

They're easy to make. This dish couldn't get any simpler, and is great for both beginners and experienced cooks. If you follow instructions it's quite foolproof.
They're delicious. Rosemary and potatoes are a classic combination, and they make magic together in this simple but elegant dish. The garlic enhances all that flavor even further.
They're gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free and vegan. In other words, everyone can eat them.
They're seasonal. Both rosemary and potatoes are wonderful gifts of Spring and a great addition to your diet, particularly this time of year.

Spotlight on rosemary

Lush rosemary plant with sun falling on it, against a background of blue shingles.

Rosemary, along with sage, sits right there on top of my list of favorite savory herbs, for good reason. With its distinct fragrance rosemary has the ability to enhance almost any dish, and it plays extremely well with veggies that need an assertive flavor boost, like potatoes, beets, beans, cabbage and squash.

Cooking with rosemary is great for your health because this herb has anti-cancer properties, the ability to improve memory and concentration as well as digestive health, and it can reduce the risk of infections. Rosemary is also rich in phytochemicals, which are good for your eyes, liver and respiratory health.

Rosemary is a perennial in zones 8 onward in the United States, so it's a great plant to grow in your herb garden, and if you live in zones 7 and below you can bring it indoors to let it overwinter (a lesson I learned the hard way after losing my rosemary plants to our temperamentally harsh Maryland winters).

I love rosemary in recipes like these roasted golden beets, roasted Brussels sprouts, pan roasted zucchini, and garlicky roasted asparagus and potatoes.

Ingredients and substitutions

1 ½ pounds baby potatoes or new potatoes. Red or yellow potatoes or a mix is fine. You can also make this recipe with regular sized yellow or red potatoes.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. You can use another unflavored vegetable oil like avocado oil.
2 tablespoons rosemary. If you use dry rosemary, cut down to 2 teaspoons as the flavor is more concentrated in dry herbs.
5 cloves garlic. You can use less, I like lots of garlic in this recipe. If you use garlic powder, and you can, use a teaspoon, taste, and add more if you want to.
1 teaspoon salt. This is salty enough for me but it might not be for you. You can always increase or decrease the salt according to your preference. Kosher salt or sea salt or pink salt are all great here.
1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Again, use more or less according to your tastes and tolerance for heat.

Step-by-step instructions

STEP 1. Preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius.

STEP 2. Make the rosemary-garlic marinade:

In a bowl mix the olive oil, minced rosemary, minced or crushed garlic, salt and ground black pepper.

Set aside for a few minutes while you prep the potatoes. This helps the oil infuse with the herbs and reduces chances of burning in the oven.

Marinade ingredients including rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil in glass bowl.

Marinade ingredients for potatoes rosemary roasted in small bowl.

STEP 3. Prep the potatoes:

If the potatoes are small, halve them. If they are larger, quarter them. If you use regular sized potatoes you can cut them in one-inch cubes.

STEP 4. Toss potatoes in marinade:

You can do this by placing the potatoes in a bowl, drizzling the marinade over, and then mixing it all up. Or you can simply spread the potatoes on the baking sheet (I like lining it with aluminum foil for easy cleanup but it's not necessary), then drizzle the marinade over the potatoes and toss. Make sure the potatoes are spread in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Marinade drizzled over new potatoes for garlic and rosemary potatoes in bowl.

Marinade mixed with potatoes in glass bowl.

Step 5. Roast the potatoes:

Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake 15 minutes. Stir the potatoes, then return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 15 minutes more or until the potatoes are golden on the outside and soft inside.

Rosemary roasted potatoes on an alumimum foil

Storage and advance meal prep instructions

Make ahead: This is an easy dish to add to your meal plans. Marinate the potatoes ahead of time and leave them in the fridge for up to two days. The longer the potatoes marinate, the better they will taste.
Refrigerate: Store leftover rosemary roasted potatoes in the fridge for up to three days.
Freeze. Cool the potatoes and freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to four months.
Reheat: If the potatoes were frozen defrost them completely. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and reheat in a 350-degree preheated oven for 5-10 minutes or until warmed through.