A bowl of sour cream, which can be used as a sauce for roasted red potatoes.
Roasted red potatoes are red-skinned or red-fleshed potatoes that have been roasted in an oven. They are usually eaten as a side dish and complement many different vegetables and meats as part of a larger meal. Red potatoes are often less starchy than roast potatoes, making them ideal for baking as they stay firm after cooking.
There are hundreds of potato breeds, although most are not readily available outside of South America, where the potato is endemic. The most consumed red potato variety is known as the red round potato or red-skinned potato and has a moderately reddish skin and white pulp. Other red potatoes can have different shades of red skin and flesh that can range from bright white to deep orange or red.
Red potatoes do not need to be peeled before baking.
Potatoes should be washed and scrubbed before cooking, as cleaning can remove the natural protective coating that allows potatoes to store well over a long period of time. It is not necessary to peel red potatoes before roasting, as long as they are clean. Once cleaned, the potatoes can be added to oil and other seasonings. Larger potatoes can be chopped before roasting, usually into 1-inch cubes.
After the potatoes are coated with oil, they need to be placed on a baking sheet, and then into a hot oven. Oven temperatures can vary considerably, although most cooks bake russet potatoes between 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit. The time it takes to bake the potatoes depends on the temperature of the oven and the size of the potatoes or potato wedges, but most roasted red potatoes cook all the way through in less than an hour. When done, the russet potatoes will be soft enough to allow a butter knife to slide easily, but firm enough to hold their shape.
There are several different herbs and spices that can be added to roasted red potatoes. Many cooks mix potatoes with salt, pepper, onion powder, rosemary, minced garlic, or cayenne pepper seasoning. Any variety of these or other flavors can be roasted along with the potatoes. Once cooked, the potatoes can be dipped in ketchup, sour cream, or other condiments.