- June 22, 2024
- 30 Minute Meals
Crispy Grilled Potatoes Recipe
Crispy grilled potatoes are the perfect recipe to add to countless meals! Thinly sliced potatoes paired with onion, and garlic, seasoned to perfection and grilled in a foil packet achieving a perfectly crispy outside and buttery tender soft inside. An easy summer side dish the whole family will love!
These crispy grilled potatoes were one of my family’s favorite grilled sides growing up. My Dad learned to make these from his parents and it’s one side dish I reach for every summer when the grill is getting fired up! It’s an easy recipe that takes minimal prep and is a pretty simple “set and forget it” on the grill while the rest of the meal comes together kind of dish. The flavor and crispy bits of potato and caramelized onion are incredible (trust me when I say you need to plan to make extra).
Why This Recipe Works:
Texture: To achieve a crispy potato on the outside and tender soft buttery inside, this recipe uses a combination of butter and oil and the power of steam (aka the foil packet). Slicing the potatoes thin also allows them to cook quickly and achieve a greater amount of browning and crispiness along the outside surface of the potatoes, making them extra tasty.
Easy Paring: Grilled crispy potatoes go with so many different dishes and proteins. You can pair it with classic BBQ dishes like smoked 3-2-1 ribs or a smoked pork loin roast. We always enjoyed it with reverse seared steak or a smoked tri-tip too.
Budget Friendly: Potatoes are very affordable and there isn’t much to making this side. You can make several batches for a larger crowd when entertaining and not break the budget!
Supplies Needed:
Aluminum Foil
Mandolin (or sharp chef’s knife)- Please be cautious when prepping the potatoes
Large Bowl
Baking Sheet
High Heat Grilling Gloves or Large Spatula
Ingredients
Russet Potatoes: You can use other potatoes (Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes) but I prefer the texture of a russet for this recipe. Avoid baby potatoes or use smaller potatoes as they are harder to slice thin.
Fats: I like to add a 1:3 ratio of both olive oil and diced cold butter to the potatoes. I find that this adds both flavor and helps with the crispiness of the potatoes. You can also substitute the olive oil for avocado oil as well.
Seasonings: I keep the seasonings simple for this recipe with just salt and black pepper (a generous amount). You could add other spices like dried paprika, Italian seasoning, or even fresh herbs to liven it up. I prefer it simpler like my family made it but have fun with it!
Preparation:
Taking time to prep properly is the key to this recipe. Here are some key steps I suggest you read through to get the best crispy foil packet potatoes.
- Preheat the Grill: Potatoes easily brown and oxidize when exposed to air, this is especially true when they are thinly sliced (like in this recipe). Get your grill dialed into the right temperature before making these or have it prepped so you can get it going before you end up with ugly brown looking potatoes.
- Mise En Place: This means, “put in place” aka prep everything ahead of time! By that I mean, slice your onions into thin pieces, mince the garlic, set spices aside, and grab your foil, olive, and diced cold butter. This helps to have it ready BEFORE you slice the potatoes (again to prevent browning.
- Slicing: The key to making a crispy golden brown outside with a creamy center is thinly slicing the potatoes. They should be no more than 1/4 inch thick. The quickest and most efficient way to do this is with a mandolin. Mandolins are a bit dangerous though so use a guard if possible. No mandolin? I often just whip out the good old chef’s knife and get to slicing. This is more time-consuming and can be a bit harder if you struggle with your knife skills but overall it’s a forgiving recipe. Approach it with confidence and you will be fine!
- Mixing: I add the sliced potatoes to a large bowl with garlic, onions, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Toss with your hands to combine everything as much as possible.
- Foil Packet: I find that using two very large pieces of slightly overlapping aluminum foil works best. This ensures that you have enough space to spread the potatoes out in a thin single layer. It’s ok if the potatoes slightly overlap as well. Add small dots of cold butter underneath and on top of the potatoes before tightly wrapping them. Make sure you get as much air out as possible. If you use a lot of potatoes, do more than one foil packet so it’s easier to flip on the grill (or it could be too heavy and break or fall apart).
Pro Tip: If planning to prep ahead of time, slice your potatoes and store them in cold water in an airtight container in the fridge. This prevents any browning and helps remove excess starch. Just make sure you pat it very dry with paper towels or they will not brown if soggy.
Grilling Instructions
- Grill Temperature: For this recipe, I prefer medium-high heat (425-450 degrees F.) and utilizing direct heat. This works on both a gas grill and a charcoal grill.
- Grilling Set up: Place the foil packets directly onto the grill grates. I prefer to grill my potato slices over charcoal coals for 10 minutes per side, cooking for about 20 minutes total. This ensures a crisp exterior on both sides without overcooking.
- Best Results: Flip with high heat grill cloves or a large spatula to ensure the stability of the foil packet. Once cooked, I find removing the packets and placing them on a baking sheet the easiest way to transfer them from the grill to prep for serving.
- Serving: Let the potatoes rest and steam a bit for 5-10 minutes before opening the foil packet. On occasion, they may slightly stick the foil but easily comes off with a spoon. Scoop the potatoes onto a platter or into a bowl and garnish with fresh parsley or fresh dill or serve with garlic butter drizzle or some parmesan cheese.
More Grilled Side Dishes
Crispy Grilled Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
- Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
- 2-3 medium Russet Potatoes peeled and sliced thin (1/8th-1/4th inch thick)
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 6 tbsp Butter Cold and diced into pieces
- 4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1/2 cup Yellow Onion thinly sliced
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the grill for medium-high direct heat, about 425-450 degrees F.
- Prep the ingredients (except the potatoes so they don't brown). Slice the onion, minced the spices, gather the oil, butter, salt, and pepper.
- Peel and thinly slice the potatoes around 1/8th-1/4th inch thickness. Use a mandolin set to the correct width or use a chef's knife by hand. Work cautiously and diligantly. If this takes more time to do by hand, keep the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning and dry them very very well before continuing to the next step.
- Take two large sheets of foil and overlap them almost halfway. Place half of the cold butter (3 tbsp) across the center of the foil (where you will add the potatoes).
- In a mixing bowl, add the sliced potatoes, onion, garlic, seasonings, and olive oil. Toss well to fully combine.
- Add the potatoes in a single layer over the butter on the foil. It's ok if the potatoes slightly overlap. Make sure you have enough foil so you can close them up tightly. If you need to make two sets of foil packets, do so!
- Before wrapping, top with the remaining cold butter across the top of the potato slices. Then tightly wrap the close the foil up around the potatoes crimping or rolling down the center seam to ensure a tight closure.
- Place the foil packet of potatoes directly onto the grill grates and grill over direct heat for 10 minutes with the grill lid closed. Using a large spatula or high heat grill gloves, carefully and delicately flip the foil packet over to crisp the other side. Let it cook for another 10 minutes with the grill lid closed.
- Transfer the foil packet to a baking sheet for easier transfer off the grill. Let rest 5-10 minutes before opening the foil.
- Remove the potatoes from the foil and place on a platter or in a bowl. Occasionally, some potatoes may stick, use a spoon and carefully scrap if from the foil (these are the tastiest pieces in my opinion.
- Serve as is or garnish with chives, fresh parsley or dill.