Greek Roasted Lemon Potatoes (lemonates patates)

Perfect morsels of crispy edged melt in your mouth classic restaurant style Greek Lemon potatoes laden with lemony flavor and rich olive oil. They are buttery and delicious and turn out perfect every time. They absorb so much delicious tangy and savory flavor while braising in the lemony herby broth! Only my favourite potatoes out there! This pan of potatoes does not last long in our house. These ones are my mom’s style and in fact her recipe that I have tweaked a lot over the years. When I make them my husband always says he’s transported to Dina’s (mom’s) dinner table and I totally agree. If you have been to a Greek restaurant you may have had them there too. You don’t have to wait to eat them at a Greek restaurant any more. You can make them for yourself!!

Why You Will Love These Greek Lemon Potatoes

• They are packed with sooo much flavor
• Soft, buttery and tender in the middle/inside
• Crispy golden edges
• They go with anything
• Recipe requires simple pantry ingredients
• Easy to make
• Quick to prepare
• A family favorite
• Perfect for entertaining
  
  

Greek Lemon Potatoes Recipe Ingredients

• POTATOES: I almost always use Yukon gold potatoes or yellow potatoes. I always peel my potatoes but that is technically optional. I use to use russet potatoes with are starchier potatoes for this recipe and you can but I find they can be a bit inconsistent in the way they absorb all the liquids so I stick to medium size Yukon gold potatoes.
• LEMONS: You will need approx 2 medium size lemons for these lemony greek potatoes. Fresh lemon juice is the only way to go here for best flavor.
• OLIVE OIL: I use Extra virgin olive oil - Greek if possible. The golden ratio after testing this recipe so many times in ½ cup. If you know Greeks - you know we love our olive oil. If you want tot reduce this amount - make sure to replace equal amount with broth or water.
• OREGANO: Dried Greek oregano is what I use - any dried oregano will do the trick. Adjust amounts to taste. Its the only herb I add although many like to add some dried thyme or rosemary as well.
• BROTH: I usually use chicken broth or chicken stock but you can definitely use water or vegetable stock in it’s place as well
• GARLIC POWDER & ONION POWDER: This might be controversial but I stick to using garlic and onion powder not only for simplicity (‘laziness’) but also for flavor - trust me! But if you don’t trust me that is ok too - feel free to smash a few whole garlic cloves and rough chop some fresh onions or shallots. Please adjust amounts to taste - if you prefer a lilt less garlic onion flavor start with half the amount and add more as desired.
• MUSTARD: Mustard adds so much flavor. It is optional but I think it adds the perfect tangy savory umami’ish flavor to the braising liquid. I typically use regular prepared yellow mustard but feel free to use dijon mustard for an even stronger kick of flavor. Some recipe call for adding up to ¼ cup of it but I find 1-2 tablespoons enough but feel free to adjust amounts to taste.
• CHICKEN BOUILLON: Also optional but really and truly this is the ingredient that really gives you that restaurant quality flavor in your potatoes - they use it always in Greek potatoes and also Greek Restaurant rice too. A little goes a long way but I always include it!
• SALT & PEPPER: To taste
  
  

How To Make Oven Roasted Lemon Greek Potatoes

This is a very simple recipe. No multi steps of preparing or precooking potatoes before you even get started. This is a PEEL, SLICE, TOSS & BAKE kind of recipe. Here are the basic steps (detailed instructions in recipe card below):

1. PREPARE POTATOES: Peel and slice your potatoes into wedges. I used medium sized potatoes, slice them in half lengthwise then slice each half into 3-4 wedges so 6-8 per potato depending on their size.
2. PREPARE BRAISING LIQUID/SAUCE: Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, broth/stock or water, bouillon, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard, oregano, and salt.
3. TOSS POTATOES: Place potatoes in a large roasting pan and pour the braising mixture over top. Toss potatoes well to coat all of them.
4. BAKE/ROAST: Cover potatoes with foil and bake 30 min, uncover and toss potatoes and continue baking until potatoes are tender and golden and liquids are mostly evaporated.
   
   

Greek Lemon Potatoes Tips:

• Try to slice potatoes into uniform size wedges or as close as possible so that they cook evenly
• Use a large baking dish so potatoes are not all stacked over each so they cook evenly. Usually a 9x13 stainless steel pan is what I typically use.
• Adjust the amount of seasoning and mustard to taste.
• Don’t change amount of potatoes or amount of liquids - if you reduce the olive oil you will like need more broth same goes for reducing the amount of lemon juice. Feel free to double recipe if feeding a crowd.
  
  

What Are Greek Potatoes Suppose To Taste Like

Some people like these on the mushy side and others like them very crispy. I am kind of in between with a slight leaning towards the crispy side. This recipe yields super buttery creamy intensely flavored Greek style potatoes whose texture is most typically super tender (like your fork easy sinks right into them) potatoes. The edges are slight crisp because I like to either broil them for the last couple of minutes of baking or I convection bake them for the last 10-15 min. I have included an alternative way of cooking them so you get really crisp potatoes - see recipe notes below for details. But you really can have them any way. They are a perfect side dish for any meat especially roasted, my chicken souvlaki, rotisserie chicken or our Greek style lamb. But I also have them as a vegetarian meal just on their own or with a Greek Salad. I will sprinkle them with some feta and broil them a bit in the oven to melt the cheese. Add a salad and you’re done. Perfection!! They also hit all my favourite flavour points; lemon, oregano and olive oil so they are a definite staple in my house.

The best part about these is that they are super easy to make and are pretty low maintenance when they get into the oven. It’s a no fail recipe too. They turn out the same great way every time you make them. They are great for a dinner party not only because they are always a hit with everyone. I usually give my potatoes an extra hit of lemon juice after they come out of the oven but thats because I love lemony potatoes so that is optional. The recipe itself has more than enough lemon juice in it, so this is optional. So if you are looking for a different and delicious way of making roasted potatoes these are def a good option. And when you make them and love them just as much as I do; remember to thank Dina!!