Goose-Friendly Vegan Roast Potato Recipes

Simple Herb Roast Potatoes (I Love Vegan)

Roast potatoes are up there with everyone’s favourite side dish or snack. Most of us would gladly eat a plate of roast potatoes on their own, especially with sea salt and pepper. They do take a while to bake in the oven (if you’re worried about time or energy bills, there is a pan-fried version below).

But do take the effort to learn how to roast your own potatoes. You don’t need goose or duck fat, using rapeseed oil gives better results, and supports local farmers. (below). And home-baked roasties are tastier and cheaper than plastic-wrapped supermarket frozen roasties.

Can Everyone Eat Roast Potatoes?

Most people can, although of course you may wish to limit oil and salt. Avoid feeding roasties to young children or those at risk of choking.

Avoid feeding leftovers to pets, garden birds or wildlife (due to salt and fat – which smears feathers, affecting waterproofing and insulation).

Which Are The Best Roasting Potatoes?

Maris Piper are the best potatoes for roasting, due to their fluffy dry texture and ability to soak up flavours. Other good choices are King Edward and Desiree (these give a lovely colour).

Roast potatoes are actually a dish from the Americas, but ever since they arrived on English shores a few centuries ago, they have never been off the table!

How to Prepare Potatoes for Roasting

No-Oil Roast Potatoes (This Savoury Vegan) use Italian seasoning and spices

Get a good peeler (from a kitchen shop). It will last you a lifetime, and make peeling fun, not a chore. You can then use it for peeling root veggies, and also gather more potato from under the skin, to avoid food waste.

If flavouring roast spuds with garlic, onion or lemon, bin the scraps to break down naturally. This is because unless you know how to expertly balance greens and browns, excessive acids could harm compost creatures.

Why Rapeseed Oil is Best

Please no duck or goose fat, these beautiful birds have enough welfare issues already. Rapeseed oil comes from those bright yellow flowers that you see in farmers’ fields. Find a local brand in farm shops, or if you can’t find it, sub with sunflower or light (not extra-virgin) olive oil that has a milder taste.

Rapeseed oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil, which is best reserved for salad dressings. Rapeseed and sunflower oils have a neutral taste, ideal to add garlic or herbs.

A Basic Roast Potato Recipe

It’s best to ‘eyeball’ ingredients for basic savoury recipes, to avoid waste. Aim for around 2 medium potatoes per person.

• Peel and chop your spuds, then rinse under cold water and soak for 30 minutes.
• Bring to the boil in a pan of cold salted water, and simmer for 8 minutes until par-boiled. Drain and return to the pan, and shake for 10 seconds (this roughs the edges, for a crispy finish).
• Pour rapeseed oil (a tablespoon or two per person) in a roasting pan, and place in a pre-heated oven for 5 minutes. You then add the potatoes with tongs or a slotted spoon into the hot oil.
• Sprinkle over some sea salt (with optional smashed garlic cloves and fresh rosemary or thyme – not dried as it will burn). Roast for 25 minutes, turn each potato over, then roast for another 20 minutes.
• Serve hot, seasoned with more sea salt, if wished. If your potatoes are soggy, you need to set your oven temperature higher. Also be sure to space potatoes on the tray (for a big batch, simply use two trays).

What To Do with Leftover Cooking Oil

Never pour cooking oil down the drain, as it will clog your sink and sewers. For small amounts of oil, wrap in kitchen paper roll and bin.

If you have lots of leftover oil (say you cook for a large family or work in a restaurant or hotel, then invest in a cooking oil recycling container, to empty at local recycling banks (or arrange collection).

Worried About Cost of Oven Cooking?

If you are worried about energy bills (or you don’t have an oven or are short on time), you can make pan-fried potatoes. Popular in Germany and Greece, you just chop the potatoes smaller, then cook them in a little oil in a frying pan. Again you can add flavours like chopped onion or garlic.

These pan-fried potatoes (Earth Blokes) only take 10 minutes from start to finish. You simply mix your rapeseed (or olive) oil with chopped potatoes and onions, and salt, garlic powder and optional Cajun spice. Then cook over a pan on medium heat until cooked. Yukon Gold or Desiree floury potatoes work best, but any blend will do.