Simple seasonings coat these crisp, golden-brown potatoes, making them a good accompaniment to most main courses. I think of this recipe as my fallback potatoes that always come out perfect. I like to blanch the potatoes for a couple of minutes so the interior is cooked through. Little Yukon Golds are my favorite variety for their creamy interior texture. If you can’t find them, try other baby potato varieties.

This is one of those recipes that you can put your own signature on. Switch out lemon juice for white wine or use melted tallow instead of butter and oil. Add a touch of grated Parmesan cheese once the potatoes are done for a slightly cheesy flavor. Other herbs that work nicely are mint and thyme. It is difficult to go wrong with this recipe, which is why they are my fallback potatoes. Try them with scrambled eggs, roasted chicken, steaks, lamb chops or braised fish. Anything goes!

Roasted Baby Potatoes with Lemon Butter and Fresh Herbs

Serves 4 to 6

2 1/2 pounds baby potatoes, Yukon Gold preferred, washed and unpeeled, if large cut in half

2 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs like basil, chives, rosemary and Italian parsley

1. Preheat an oven to 425 F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes to the water and blanch the potatoes for 3 minutes. Drain and dry well. Transfer the potatoes to a parchment-lined sheet pan.

2. Stir together the butter, olive oil, lemon juice, paprika salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour butter mixture over the potatoes with a large spoon, coat the potatoes evenly with the butter mixture.

3. Roast the potatoes, turning every 15 minutes, until tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Garnish with fresh herbs, spoon into a serving bowl and serve immediately.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including “Seriously Simple Parties,” and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)

©2026 Diane Rossen Worthington. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.