A home chef has shared her simple trick for making the perfect roasted potatoes – and it’s all down to one ‘secret ingredient’ that makes them taste like French friesToby Codd Breaking news reporter and Sam Dimmer East Midlands Head of Brand
07:28, 05 Nov 2025
Roast potatoes should be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.(Image: Getty)
Roast potatoes are a staple on dinner tables across the UK, particularly during this season. Whether it’s for a Sunday roast or a mid-week meal after work, getting the potatoes just right is crucial.
The ideal roasted potato boasts a crispy, golden exterior and a fluffy, creamy interior. However, achieving this can sometimes be a challenge without the right technique.
Fortunately, one home cook has revealed a secret ingredient that will effortlessly elevate your roasted potatoes.
Molly Adams shared her tip on the website Simply Recipes, claiming the ingredient makes roasted potatoes as delicious as chips.
She explained: “I start with baby potatoes so I don’t have to bother peeling them, and I parboil them as the oven preheats so that the inside stays fluffy and the outside gets crispy.”
While this is a standard starting point for any roasted potato recipe, Molly said it’s the addition of cornflour that really transforms her spuds. She was inspired by a label on a bag of frozen chips, reports the Express.
Molly explained: “Now, as many of you probably know, my kids are super picky. Even though they would eat French fries every night if I let them, roasted potatoes were a hard no for them.
“I’m unsure if you’ve ever tried reasoning with a six-year-old and a three-year-old… I could never convince my kids that roasted potatoes were basically the same as French fries.”
She added: “After closely inspecting the brand of frozen French fries I often buy, I realized that they are coated in a blend of starches to help crisp them up.
“So, I decided to give the method a shot with roasted potatoes. And it turns out, coating the potatoes with cornstarch is the secret to super crispy roasted potatoes!”.
The secret ingredient is cornstarch(Image: Getty)
She recommends coating the potatoes in salt, black pepper, dried herbs, spices (such as oregano and paprika), and cornstarch. She said she uses “about a tablespoon of cornstarch for every 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes”.
Molly suggests seasoning the potatoes generously as the starch can dull the flavours. Once all the seasoning, including the cornstarch, has been applied, she advises tossing the potatoes to ensure they’re evenly coated.
Home cooks should then add them to an oiled baking tray before tossing again. The potatoes then go into the oven at around 220C for between 20 and 25 minutes.
Molly concluded: “The resulting potatoes are incredibly crisp on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, and hold their shape well. I can’t say my kids prefer them to French fries, but they will eat them, which is a big win in my book.”
Dining and Cooking