Keep Your Roasties Crisp & Fluffy.
Read our helpful guide and learn how to reheat roast potatoes in a range of different ways.
When it comes to food, usually the humblest ones are the ones we love the most.
Regardless of age, classics like roast chicken, soups, apple pie and the like remain our firm favourites.
One such family favourite is the humble yet classic and incomparable roast potato.
Roast potatoes are, inarguably the best accompaniment to steaks and gravies alike.
Conversely, another great way of enjoying these potatoes is just on their own!
Everyone has their own roast potato recipe that they swear by, and we’re sure you have the best one out there. However, what most people don’t know is how to reheat roast potatoes.
If you find yourself struggling to reheat your potatoes the morning after, worry not! The Cooked Best team are here to rescue your roasties!
Key Takeaways
Use the Oven: We recommend reheating your roast potatoes in the oven at 200°C/400°F, covered with foil, for about 15 minutes to keep them crisp.
Try an Air Fryer: For a quick fix, reheat potatoes in an air fryer at 150-200°C (350-400°F) for 3-4 minutes until crisp.
Microwave Last Resort: If you must, use the microwave on low/medium, covering potatoes with a damp paper towel, but expect less ideal texture.
What are roast potatoes, and how are they used?
If you’re new to the world of roast potatoes, firstly, where have you been?! Have you been living under a rock? Secondly, don’t fret we will guide you gently.
Roast potatoes are an incredibly versatile addition to any main meal, and there are several ways you can make your potatoes
The basics of a roast potato, however, are this:
- Wash your potatoes, and dice them.
- Par-boil you potatoes until a knife meets little resistance when inserted.
- Cover with oil, garlic or any herbs you like, as well as some seasoning.
- Shake Shake Shake.
- Pop them in the oven to roast.
Preparing roast potatoes can take some time, but we assure you that the results are well worth it.
You get crisp, yet fluffy and creamy potatoes perfect as a side dish or on their own as well!
Why is it so hard to reheat roast potatoes?
The very charm of roast potatoes is their texture.
Roast potatoes are crisp and caramelized on the top while being utterly creamy and fluffy on the inside.
What’s more, is that they can take on completely anything you season them with. However, reheating roast potatoes can be even more challenging than making them.
When we reheat them, roast potatoes can turn gummy and chewy, and lose their fluffiness and crispness. However, keep reading to learn the best way to reheat roast potatoes below.
Can I reheat my roast potatoes in any appliance?
Yes, you can! This comprehensive guide tells you how to reheat roast potatoes in a range of different appliances so that no one is ever left out.
Reheating roast potatoes in the oven
Ovens are the most common method of cooking roast potatoes, so it makes sense to reheat them in the oven as well. However, it can be much more time consuming as compared to say, an air fryer.
Additionally, be sure to follow the steps listed below correctly, or you might end up with mushy potatoes instead.
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius/400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cover your baking tray with foil, and spread out your potatoes evenly.
- Make sure none of the pieces is overlapping.
- Cover the potatoes entirely with foil. This is the most critical step and helps you ensure crisp, evenly roasted potatoes.
- Cook for around 15 minutes and serve.
Reheating roast potatoes in an oven toaster
The toaster oven is pretty similar to a regular oven, so the directions for the two will overlap.
This process is also a bit time-consuming. However, it gives you roast potatoes that are perfectly crisp on the outside and light and fluffy inside.
- Preheat your toaster oven to 200 degrees Celsius/400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Lay down your roast potato leftovers on a piece of foil on a baking sheet.
- Roast your potatoes for around 20 minutes, and keep turning the pieces after every 5 minutes to ensure you get even color.
This process is like re-roasting old potatoes, and it can give them the crunch that they need.
How to reheat roast potatoes in an air fryer
Air fryers are fast overtaking traditional methods of frying.
They are much faster, but the most significant selling point is the fact that they are much healthier. Air fryers use only a minimal amount of oil, or none at all, and can give you crisp food that looks like it’s been deep-fried!
If you have an air fryer in your kitchen, here’s how you can use it to reheat your potatoes.
This method is super-fast, and you can have your roast potatoes revived in minutes.
- Set your temperature around 150-200 degrees C 350-400 degrees F, depending on the air fryer you have.
- Reheat your potatoes for around 3-4 minutes, and afterwards, check on your potatoes.
- Cook the potatoes until they’re as crisp as you need them to be, and then serve!
Reheating roast potatoes in microwave
There’s a good reason why this is the last option we listed, and that’s because it’s the least favourable.
When reheating roast potatoes with a microwave, your potatoes can either turn out way too mushy or too hard. However, sometimes you have to make the most of what you have, so here’s how you can reheat roast potatoes in a microwave.
- Use your microwave only at low or medium power.
- Cover them with a damp paper towel, and ensure that no pieces are overlapping.
- Cook for short periods of time, and keep checking on your potatoes in the intervals.
Can I freeze and reheat frozen roast potatoes?
Whether you want to make potatoes ahead of time, or have ended up cooking more than you needed, there’s a way to save the situation.
For make-ahead roast potatoes, coat them in flour, some fat, and seasoning, and stick them in a Ziploc bag. When you have to cook them, simply cook as you would regular roast potatoes.
You can also freeze and then reheat leftover roast potatoes using any of the methods listed above. Just make sure you defrost them well before cooking.
Conclusion
Roast potatoes are a joy to have for everyone, no matter what age.
If by some miracle, you happen to have leftovers after the meal is finished, you can easily reheat them using the methods listed above.
If you follow this helpful guide, you never have to watch your perfect roast potatoes turn into mushy messes or hard rock-like pieces ever again!
Instead, reheating potatoes will be an easy process taking just a few minutes of your time.
Andy
Ever since I started cooking I’ve been fascinated by how different people’s techniques are and how they best utilise the ingredients around them. Even the person living next door will have their own unique way of frying an egg or cooking a salmon fillet.
This fascination led me on a journey across the globe to discover the countless practices and traditions the world of cooking has to offer. I thought you’d enjoy and find value in sharing that journey with me so I created Cooked Best!