Ultra Crispy Baked Potato Wedges
Everyone loves these ultra crispy baked potato wedges! This recipe is easy and turns out perfectly every time. Make these potato wedges whenever the French fry craving strikes!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
Let’s make homemade crispy potato wedges. Yessss. These potato wedges are impossibly crispy and crackly on the outside, with tender, pillowy potato insides. They’re the perfect homemade solution any time the French fry craving strikes.
These wedges are generously seasoned with pepper, garlic powder and onion powder before baking, which makes them mysteriously and utterly irresistible.
Since these potato wedges are baked in heart-healthy olive oil, rather than deep-fried in canola oil, they are far more redeeming than your average French fries. They’re as healthy as fries can be, basically.
Here’s the secret to making ultra crispy potato wedges: Soak your raw potato wedges in hot water for 10 minutes before baking. This step releases some of the starch in the potatoes and lets them absorb moisture, which leads to crisp outsides and moist interiors.
In fact, with this method, the outsides almost seem to have a double layer of crispness. It’s magical. Granted, you could skip the soaking step if you’re in a hurry, but your potato wedges will be about 80 percent as awesome. (I’ve tried.) We owe a thank you to the geniuses at America’s Test Kitchen for this little trick.
Tips to Make the Best Potato Wedges
Start with quality Russet potatoes, preferably organic since they’re on the dirty dozen list for produce highest in pesticide residue. Look for smooth, firm potatoes. You’ll need about four medium potatoes.
Slice the potatoes into even wedges so they bake evenly. You’ll find instructions below. The last cuts are the most important, when you’re slicing the quartered potatoes into wedges.
Soak the potatoes for 10 minutes. I’ve used hot tap water, but readers warned that pipes leach impurities into hot water, so you maybe better off using water warmed on the stove, or in your tea pot. (Warm it just until it’s hot to the touch, not boiling.)
Season generously with garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Garlic and onion powder are magical with potatoes, offering a more complex but subtle flavor. I’ve used them in my recipes for mashed potatoes, roasted breakfast potatoes and hash browns.
Arrange the potatoes evenly across the pan, so each wedge has a flat side against the pan. You’ll need a legit half-sheet pan (affiliate link) to make them all fit. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to divide them across two pans.
Flip halfway through baking. This is a little tedious, but essential to achieving evenly golden, crispy edges all over. You should be able to flip a few wedges at once with a spatula, then scoot them around a bit so they’re in an even layer again.
Don’t pull them out of the oven too early. They should be deeply golden. Crispy potato wedges or bust!
Sprinkle with parsley for bonus points in the looks department. And don’t forget the ketchup. Or mayonnaise, mustard, cheese sauce, whichever strikes your fancy.
Watch How to Make Potato Wedges
Potato Wedge Serving Suggestions
Potato wedges are a great snack on their own, with ketchup, mayonnaise or aioli. Or, serve them as a side with:
- Burgers: Try these sweet potato and black bean veggie burgers.
- Chili: My go-to vegetarian chili or butternut chipotle chili.
- Falafel: Serve crispy homemade falafel on sandwiches or salads. Just be sure to soak your chickpeas for 4 to 24 hours in advance.
- Grilled cheese sandwiches: My go-to grilled cheese, or balsamic roasted veggie-stuffed grilled cheese.
- Mac and cheese: Classic stovetop mac and cheese or creamy vegan mac and cheese.
More Potato Recipes to Make
If you love this recipe, you definitely don’t want to miss my crispy baked sweet potato fries. Here are more irresistible potato recipes to try:
- Best Baked Potato
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Delicious Crispy Hash Browns
- Perfect Roasted Potatoes
- Roasted Breakfast Potatoes
Please let me know how these potato wedges turn out for you! I always work so hard on my recipes and I’m so eager to hear how they turn out for you. If you get a chance, share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #cookieandkate!
Ultra Crispy Baked Potato Wedges
Everyone loves these ultra crispy baked potato wedges! This recipe is easy and turns out perfectly every time. Make these potato wedges whenever the French fry craving strikes! Recipe yields 6 servings.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes (6 smallish or 4 medium), scrubbed clean (I didn’t peel mine)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
- Cut each potato in half lengthways, then in half lengthways again to make quarters, and then cut each half in half lengthways on the diagonal to make two wedges (you’ll end up with 8 wedges per potato; make sure they are about the same thickness and size).
- Place the sliced potatoes into a large bowl and cover them with hot water (I used hot water from the tap, but others have suggested that pipes can leach impurities into hot water, so it may be best to use cool tap water that has been heated on the stove). Let them soak for 10 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and lightly pat them dry with a lint-free tea towel. Place the potato wedges on the prepared pan and drizzle them with the olive oil. Sprinkle the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and a generous amount of pepper on top.
- Toss until the potatoes are evenly coated in oil and spices, then arrange them in even columns across the pan so each wedge has a cut side against the pan. (If they don’t all fit in an even layer across your pan, you’ll need to use two pans for this recipe—divide them evenly across both pans, and rotate the pans when you flip the potatoes halfway through baking. They may be done baking earlier than specified below so keep an eye on them toward the end.)
- Bake for 30 minutes, then flip the wedges over (use a spatula and you should be able to flip several at a time). Arrange them in an even layer and return the pan to the oven.
- Bake until the wedges are deeply golden, crisp and easily pierced through by a fork, about 25 to 30 more minutes (the fries near the outside of my pan were done at 25, so I removed them and put the pan back in the oven for 5 more minutes to finish off the rest).
- Sprinkle with parsley, if desired, and serve while hot.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my crispy baked French fries.
Change it up: These potato wedges make great cheese fries, too. Once they’re done baking, sprinkle generously with shredded cheddar cheese. Return them to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until golden and bubbly on top. I like to sprinkle them with thinly sliced green onion before serving.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
These look amazing! I can’t wait to try them this weekend with a yummy veggie burger. I like to sprinkle a little smoked paprika or chili powder in the seasoning mix for a nice kick.
That sounds tempting, Elizabeth. Thanks for sharing! Let me know what you think when you try them. Unless you did already, what did you think?!
Good to know! I’ve seen that soaking tip but skipped it out of laziness, so good to know that’s what makes all the difference! Yay for crispiness!
It does! Crispy is the way to go, for sure.
I go a step farther and boil the potato wedges for about 5-8min, this helps release more starch and ensures that they are light and fluffy in the middle. After boiled I spread them on a kitchen towel and pat them dry. Then proceed with seasoning.
I take it even farther then soak, I boil them, and they come out light and fluffy in the middle every time. Pat dry after boiling then season away.
Would I get the same results with sweet potatoes?
I’m just about to try using sweet potatoes, I’ll let you know how they turn out :D
Please do!
Hey Vikki, I’m really not sure! I will have to try this technique on sweet potato fries soon. I usually mix a little corn starch or arrowroot starch along with the olive oil and salt to make my sweet potato fries more crispy, but they don’t turn out THIS crispy. Please let me know if you give the hot water soak technique a try!
Does this method work to make awesome sweet potato fries too?
Hi Dawn, I’m really not sure! I will have to try this technique on sweet potato fries soon. I usually mix a little corn starch or arrowroot starch along with the olive oil and salt to make my sweet potato fries more crispy, but they don’t turn out THIS crispy. Please let me know if you give the hot water soak technique a try!
Hi, I enjoy your posts and have made several of your recipes. Thanks! I take cooking classes here in Mississauga through loblaws. One of our cooks recommended using foil lined baking sheets for maximum crispiness. Parchment tends to steam ….you might want to try that to see if it’s even more crispy. The cooks name is Patricia Moynihan….she’s one of my favourite chefs….she did recipe development with Kraft for 15 years and currently does recipe development for food land Ontario….plus she does food styling….I take her advice seriously.
Thanks Christine! Sounds like Patricia is a great resource. I rarely use aluminum foil because I try to avoid aluminum exposure in food, and I’m always afraid of my food sticking to it!
Good point about the aluminum. Will do some research on the side effects. It can be sprayed so food doesn’t stick and there is non stick foil on the market…a little pricey though.
I’m so lucky to have the resources through loblaws cooking classes. Some classes even have the presence of the in store dietitian.
I’m going to try your crispy wedges. Thanks for being so inspirational.
These were great!! Turned out very crispy!
Aha! You have finally caught up to the way I adapted my Mom’s recipe for classic Greek roast potatoes! :-) Now, go all the way with some dried oregano plus thyme (the latter is optional) and a squirt of lemon at the end.
Sounds delicious! Thanks for the comment and review, Antonia.
When drizzling on the olive oil, I tend to use too much to get the potatoes covered. So I put the potatoes, or any veggies, in a plastic bag, drizzle the olive oil then shake them up. (I come home from the market with a couple of extra plastic produce bags and save them for this purpose).
Great tip! Thank you, Deb for sharing.
Yes! So excited to try this! I also am wondering if it will work with sweet potatoes? Maybe do another sweet potato fry recipie! Also, while you are focusing on adding “staples” to your blog can I request a good veggie broth / stock recipie? I usually cook my grains in stock and would love a homemade option and your blog is my go to for consistent, yummy recipes :)
Hey Sarah, I’m hoping to try the soaking method with sweet potatoes soon but haven’t had a chance yet! I’ll add veggie broth to my recipe list. Thank you for your kind words. :)
Wonderful! I live in Guatemala and Russets are imported. I like to use locally grown produce so did regular white potatoes. The soak in hot water appears to be the trick, because they came out crispy and delicious (also with a bit of coriander and ginger as my diet doesn’t allow garlic or onion). Received your cookbook as a gift before I left the states and love your recipes.
Thank you, Paula!
Can’t get over how crispy these look! My homemade baked fries have never turned out that crispy…so I’m looking forward to trying this method with soaking them in the hot water first!
Let me know what you think of them!
These taste great
Thank you, Ashley!
Thanks Kate!!!! :) The potato wedges turned out great. I also sprinked home rosemary leaves on the potatoes, and the potatoes turned out really tasty. Thanks for letting us in on the trick of soaking the potatoes in hot water for 10 minutes prior to baking.
You could also par-boil potatoes before baking to achieve crusty outside and fluffy in
Oh, that does sound tasty Sid. Thanks for sharing! If you would want to leave a star review, I would appreciate it.
These were very good dipped in your Sunshine salad dressing – yum! I used only 1 potato and tried to adjust the rest of the recipe. Also, I cut the potato into 16 wedges instead of 8, so there were relatively thin slices. I spread it evenly on a baking sheet and baked for 20 mins, turned them over and baked another 25 mins and they were a littled browned and some edges were crisp. But not all that crisp. I might have used too much olive oil.
Oh, I will have to try that!
I have used a similar recipe in the past. However it recommends placing the potato wedges in chilled water instead of hot water. Do you know how the water temperature affects the potatoes?
You know, I’m not really sure. I adapted this technique from America’s Test Kitchen—my hunch would be that maybe using cold water requires a longer soak than hot water? I see a lot of French fry recipes that recommend soaking fries in cold water for several hours, and these fries only need 10 minutes in hot water.
I made these last night, and they were a hit!! I thought that the recipe might have had too much seasoning, but it was perfect. They are worth the extra time to soak and bake them. I will definitely be making them again. My favorites were the smaller wedges that were on the edge of the pan, so next time I may make my wedges a little smaller. Great recipe!
I’m glad you thought it was perfect! Thank you, for your review.
Thanks, Kate! I sent these to my husband to make for dinner and they were incredible! I’ve never been successful with getting a satisfying crunch on oven baked fries – this method was perfect! We’ll be making again and again.
Yes, love that! Thank you, Courtney.
I know the recipe say Russet potatoes but do you think these would work with smaller red potatoes?
We have a lot in our pantry that need to be used up.
Hey Ciarra, it might be worth a shot! Potatoes vary considerably in starch content and texture, so I can’t say for sure. Please let me know how they turn out if you give them a try!
I love your recipes and getting your emails in my inbox, but was so disappointed today when I saw you reference the “Dirty Dozen”. The crops listed in the “Dirty Dozen” are actually clean and organic produce is not free of pesticides. The pesticide levels on the “Dirty Dozen” are very low and organic growers often use more harmful pesticides because they are not allowed to use some products conventional growers use. But that is a whole other topic. I don’t want your readers believing this misperception. For more information, read: https://vitals.lifehacker.com/why-you-shouldnt-buy-organic-based-on-the-dirty-dozen-1689190822 or check out https://www.acsh.org/news/2017/04/17/dont-believe-everything-you-read-ewg-about-pesticides-food-11150.
Hi Shannon, thank you for this information. It’s the first I’ve heard of it. I’m honestly, sincerely trying to provide the best resources to my visitors that I can, and I am very sensitive to implying that any whole foods are “bad” for any reason. All my best.
I love potatoes so I definitely need to try these! Thanks for sharing these tips :)
You’re welcome!
Kate! These crispy baked potato wedges are the new food love of my life! Seriously! They are better than any deep fried french fries or oven baked fries I’ve ever had. Soaking the potatoes in hot water is the secret of all secrets in achieving the perfect crispiness on the outside while keeping the insides soft…exactly what everyone wants in a french fry. I used avocado oil, which has a high smoking point and they were to die for! Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes. Love your blog :)
New food love, that’s great! You’re welcome. Thanks for the review, Suzette!
Another delicious recipe!!! The potato wedges were amazing – crisp on the outside and the spices were perfect!!! Will definitely make this one very often.
Thanks Kate
Great! Thank you, Marisa.
These look absolutely delicious. I love potato wedges but the only time I eat them is at KFC so I’m going to ask my wife to try this out next time we have a barbecue. Probably on the weekend. The cheese variation sounds awesome too.
I highly recommend these over KFC :) Thanks for the review!
Yes, homemade is always best.
You’re welcome.
I do these with fresh garlic and rosemary. They’re yummy!
That sounds delicious, Ann! Thanks for sharing.
Loved these. Made them last night for dinner. We were in such a hurry to eat them that I forgot to top them with the parsley. Probably the best fries I’ve made. Looking forward to making them again. Thanks.
That’s wonderful, Janet! Thank you, for your review.
Made these last night for dinner. Wasn’t able to bake as long as I wanted to, impatient hubby. It is difficult for him to give a compliment, so what he said that McDonalds should sell them and customers would come running. I take that as a compliment and so should you, it was, after all, your recipe. Thanks, loved them!
I’m glad they were good enough for him to compliment! Thank you, Joan. I appreciate it!
Omg, these look absolutely delicious! Will definitely have to try making these!
Aleeha xXx
I would love to hear what you think and how they turn out for you, Aleeha!
FABULOUS. I have never achieved such crispy exterior but creamy interior as these bad boys! And though I had concerns about the generosities of the powders, they were needed and great.
So now that I know how good they are, I may need to double the batch. Any feedback on how that turns out? I’m thinking two baking sheets, rotating them when I turn the potatoes? Convection or regular bake?
They’re just too good not to share, or at least have a bunch. :o)
Yes, if you double make sure they have enough room on the baking sheet so use a second and stick with everything else in the recipe(doubling as needed, of course)! Thank you, Susan for sharing.
Soaking them in water sure is a great trick! When I’m in a hurry I remove the extra starch by patting the wedges dry with a paper towel and it makes them extra crispy too!
I’m glad you thought so, Henriette!
Just made these! So very good, fluffy inside and crispy out. Served w/a ketchup and Sriracha mix. Delicious!
Sounds like a great combination, Sheila!
omg, these really were SO CRISPY! Amazing, thanks for the recipe!
Hooray! I’m glad they turned out perfect. I appreciate the review, Sarah.
These are the tastiest, crispiest potatoes I’ve ever made! We ate them up before I remembered you wanted a picture :)
I frequently bake sweet potatoes, rutabaga, and other root vegetables in the oven in this way. Would soaking the sweet potatoes make them crispy also? I wonder if that has been tried…
Thank you for all of the creative recipes. It makes cooking so much more enjoyable!
Thank you, Kim! Delighted to hear it. I haven’t had a chance yet to try soaking sweet potatoes or other root vegetables before roasting, but I think it’s worth a shot. Please let me know if you try!
Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe.
You’re welcome!
O M to the G!! So crispy and yummy!
This is suppose to feed 6 people? My 12 yr old and I just ate them all. I made your sunshine dressing and dipped a few, which was delicious as well. By the delicious on their own. I was going to add cheese to a few but never got that far. Gone before I had the chance.
Another amazing delicious superb recipe.
Just got your cookbook and have many pages marked to try.
Ha! I love that you two ate them all. It’s really easy to! Thank you, for your support. I really appreciate it, Kate.
Best Fries Ever! I added some grated parmesan before baking. So good. Thank you!!
Oh, delicious! Thank you, Brenda.
Someone asked if you could make these with smaller new potatoes. I did and they were delicious! I imagine they’d be even better with the russets, but they were well-seasoned and very tasty. Will make them with russets in the future!
Great! Thank you for sharing.
My husband made these the other day and only used around 1 tablespoon of oil and they still turned out really crispy in case others want to cut back a little on the oil. We are looking forward to making this recipe time and time again with experimenting with other blends of seasonings and spices.
Thank you, Jennifer for sharing! I appreciate it.
Mouth warning click .. Awesome share
Thank you!
I’ve made these potato wedges twice, so far. They were a big hit each time. I learned to use similar sized potatoes after the first batch and I used the salad spinner to aid drying on the second batch. I tend to experiment with the coating spices. Next time I’m going to only quarter-cut the potatoes before baking (for big eaters).
Thank You!!! from Dallas.
Tim L.
You’re welcome! Thanks for commenting and reviewing, Tim.
I have tried this recipe a few times and I’m never going back to my old recipe. It’s yielded great results and I’ve had compliments from anyone who’s tried them!
Great to hear, Sarah! If you would want to leave a star review, I would really appreciate it.
So good! I will continue using the soaking tip so I can keep having crispy fries
It’s the key for sure! Thanks for your review.
So about the sweet potatoes …?
Check out my sweet potato fries recipe! https://capital-fly.pro/2010/baked-sweet-potato-fries/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
soaking works amazingly for sweet potato fries! a cold water soak in the fridge for an hour does wonders!
ps love this recipe, always make my wedges like this with maybe a dash of rosemary or something to add a slight earthiness. yum. thanks for sharing!
Can I do this with halved nugget potatoes you think?
Russet really works best here to get crispy as you want the potato inside touching the pan to get crispy. I would quarter them still, but you would likely need to adjust cooking time slightly for the smaller size.
These are amazing! I have made these a few times now, including for friends, and they are devoured each time. So yummy – thank you!!
Love that! Thank you, Alison.
I’ve made these three times now, and just with whatever potatoes I had on hand, and they were ultra crispy and ultra delicious each time! I’ve never made such successful potato wedges before. Thank you for these great tips and simple method
Hooray! You’re very welcome, Heather. Thanks for your review!
These are SO GOOD. My husband and I both agreed these need to be made regularly in our house. Thank you for all the work you put into making such delicious recipes. We are grateful recipients :D.
Yes! Win. Thanks so much, Ally. I appreciate the star review.
Best recipe!!
I put cajun seasoning instead of garlic and onion powder (bc i didnt have it). So Good!! Thank you Kate!
Thanks for sharing, Stephanie!
Delicious! If you have teens double (or triple) the recipe. Best falafels I have ever made.
Thanks for sharing, Kathy! I’m glad its a hit with your family.
Oh my goodness! I’ve never had fries or wedges turn out in the oven. They’re always soggy and dense and disappointing. These were perfect! Will definitely be on the menu rotation.
I’m happy to hear that, Kaitlyn. Thanks for taking the time to comment and review!
30 minutes baking before flipping wedges was too long. They turned out too crispy and dried out.
Hi David! I’m sorry to hear that. I didn’t have the experience. Did you cut them thick enough? This thickness matters.
I’m going to make it today…. And I’m sure it’s delicious and what I really need…
I like that you put the potatoes in hot water first…. Thank you for sharing
You’re welcome, Eman!