Few can resist these tender, lemony Greek-style roasted potatoes. Traditionally, the potatoes cook in the juices of a roasting leg of lamb or whole chicken, but you can produce exceptional flavor and texture any time by adding some chicken stock to the roasting pan.
Start by peeling and cubing baking potatoes, such as russet potatoes or Yukon golds. (You can also use skin-on, halved small new potatoes if you prefer.) There’s no need to boil or soak the potatoes before roasting: Simply drizzle them with olive oil, season them with garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper, and transfer them to a 400°F oven. Adding the stock relatively early on gives it time to saturate the potato flesh, while adding the lemon juice a bit later preserves tartness while tempering the intensity of the lemon's acidity. You can serve the potatoes straight from the oven, sprinkled with more oregano, or toss them under the broiler for a few minutes for a golden hue and slightly crisper texture.
These lemon potatoes pair beautifully with other classic Greek recipes like grilled octopus or lamb chops, but they’re so versatile and delicious they’d be at home in almost any spread.
This recipe was adapted for style from ‘The Foods of the Greek Islands’ by Aglaia Kremezi. Buy the full book on Amazon.
Recipe information
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Step 2
Place the potatoes in a single layer in a 13-x-9-inch baking dish and pour the oil over them. Add the garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste and toss well to coat with the oil.
Step 3
Bake the potatoes for 15 minutes. Add the stock, toss and bake for 10 minutes more. Add the lemon juice, toss and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the potatoes are cooked through. If you like, preheat the broiler and broil the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 4
Sprinkle with the fresh oregano and serve at once.
Editor’s note: This recipe first appeared on Epicurious in May 2006. Head This way for more of our best potato recipes →
Dissolve 1 tablespoon tomato paste in the stock, and reduce the amount of lemon juice to taste. Substitute Aleppo-style pepper or crushed red pepper flakes for the black pepper.
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Reviews (157)
Back to TopExcellent! Will be in the regular rotation.
Anonymous
Los Angeles, CA
4/2/2024
Lovely recipe that can be altered a bit based on the type of stock or fresh herbs you have on hand. I prepared them tonight with fresh rosemary and lemon thyme and used vegetable stock as it’s what I had on hand. It was still incredible. The trick is to get that lovely brown crust on them making sure the center is tender but not mushy. That takes a bit of adjustment and attention given the differences in individual ovens, baking dishes, etc. so worth it, though!
Culinary Kitten
Portland, OR
5/20/2024
Just like my mum's or granma's! I used 3/4 cup of stock by accident but the result was the expected.
madcat19
London, UK
3/13/2005
Followed this recipe perfectly. They were great. A big hit with the family. Even the kids enjoyed them. A definate make again.
lescor
Thunder Bay Ontario Canada
3/26/2005
This recipe is so easy to prepare and was a big hit at Easter dinner! My kids loved it, and they usually won't touch potatoes. This is a keeper.
Anonymous
Raleigh, NC
3/27/2005
Very yummy. Made this with our Easter ham. I had to add a little extra water in the end. No need for broiling the top as the potatoes were very brown already. A little salty though. I would either omit the salt or the 1/4 chicken boullion cube next time. Our kids liked it too!!
Anonymous
Hong Kong
3/27/2005
A big hit at the Easter dinner party. Paired well with the mustard fennel pork with cumberland pan sauce also on this site. I added more garlic, OF COURSE. I found it needed to be cooked a lot longer, but other than that, brilliant!
Anonymous
Happy Los Feliz, CA
3/28/2005
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