Crispy Garlic and Lemon Potatoes

If you’re after a side dish for your summer roast, look no further than my crispy garlic and lemon potatoes.

Zesty flavours combine with the glorious crunchy of roast potatoes to create this Greek-style, delicious side dish.

Traditionally these Greek lemon potatoes would be made with semolina but I’ve created my own version which is completely gluten free.

They’re perfect for pairing with roast meat, or even with grilled meat or fish, or as a side dish for a BBQ.

The crispiest potatoes ever!

So what makes these crispy garlic and lemon potatoes so good?

To start with, you par-boil the peeled potatoes, then shake them in a colander to ensure they get lovely and crisp.

Next, tip them into hot oil and roast them for around 30 minutes, to begin getting those golden, crunchy edges.

Once they’ve roasted, we’re going to drench them in a zesty, herby, salty sauce which will soak into the potatoes as they continue to roast.

The second roast ensures they soak up the flavours and enhances that crunchy outer even more.

The result is a golden and crunchy roast potato, with a zesty, herby flavour and a deliciously fluffy inside.

Greek lemon potatoes marinade

The marinade for these crispy garlic and lemon potatoes is what will really make them pop.

It’s a simple combination which combines some of my favourite flavours.

There’s a full printable recipe card with the methods and ingredients below, but for the shopping list you’ll need the following ingredients:

• The juice of two lemons
• 150ml chicken stock
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves (peeled and crushed)
• A generous helping of salt and pepper.

There are loads of gluten free stock cubes out there – and this would work well with vegetable stock too if you want a vegetarian version.

Personally I prefer the taste of chicken stock which is why I’ve used this in my recipe.

To make the stock I used half a Knorr chicken stock cube (find a list of gluten free stocks in the UK here) mixed with 150ml boiling water.

The lemon juice could come from a bottle, though I much prefer the taste of fresh.

You could also use a garlic paste in a jar, or frozen chopped garlic, if you prefer – but I used two garlic cloves and crushed them.

Once you’ve mixed up the sauce, it’s ready to be poured over the potatoes when it reaches that half way point.

Is semolina gluten free?

Traditionally, most Greek-style roast potatoes which are similar to these would also have semolina in the sauce.

Unfortunately, I’ve had to omit this as semolina is not gluten free.

It’s made from wheat and therefore contains gluten and is not suitable for people with coeliac disease or on a gluten free diet.

When testing this recipe I did try it out with a fine-milled polenta which I found in a local grocery shop.

However I didn’t really feel it added much to it and it was just as good without.

To me, it made more sense to make these crispy garlic and lemon potatoes with as few ingredients as possible.

Plus I’d hate to send you out for a bag of fined milled polenta, for you to only use a tablespoon of it at a time!

So I have opted for a semolina-free Greek style roast potato which is gluten free – and also as an added benefit, dairy free too.

If you switch the chicken stock for veg stock too, these crispy garlic and lemon potatoes would also be vegan.

Which potatoes should I use?

Personally, as in my crispy roast potatoes recipe, I always use King Edward potatoes.

I know Maris Piper are also a popular (and good) option for roasties.

But for me, King Edward potatoes just always produce a consistently good roast potato every time I use them.

Either way, you want to ensure you have a floury potato, as this will give the best crisp edges and fluffy exterior.

When par-boiling, you want the potatoes so that you can just pierce the edge with a knife.

Be confident with this and ignore that little voice in your head telling you to ‘just give them a bit longer’.

If you leave them in a few minutes too long you’ll find they disintegrate when you rough them up in the colander.

While they may still taste fine, you’ll end up with more of a roasted mash potato than the crispy, garlic and lemon roast potatoes you were aiming for.

My crispy garlic and lemon potatoes recipe

Whatever you’re looking to pair with these potatoes, you’re going to absolutely LOVE this recipe.

I am also a huge advocate for cold, leftover roast potatoes and eating these the next day is an absolute treat.

This recipe makes enough crispy garlic and lemon potatoes to feed 2-4 people, depending on if it’s the main side dish or part of a BBQ or salad platter.

If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!

And please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me. 

Need some more gluten free dinner inspiration?

Want to have a go at some of the other gluten free dinner recipes on the blog?

Give some of these other gluten free meals and sides a try and see what you think!

There are plenty to choose from – here are a couple of easy gluten free dinner ideas to get you going:

• Smashed potatoes with pesto
• Herb-crusted salmon tray bake
• The BEST potato salad recipe
• Mexican frittata recipe

If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram. 

And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!

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