Roasted red potatoes are red skinned or red fleshed potatoes that have been roasted in an oven. They are often eaten as a side dish and complement many different vegetables and meats as a part of a larger meal. Red potatoes often have less starch than baking potatoes, making them ideal for roasting because they remain firm after they are cooked.
There are hundreds of breeds of potato, though most are not readily available outside of South America, where potatoes are endemic. The most commonly eaten variety of red potato is known as the red round potato or the red skinned potato and has medium reddish skin and white flesh. Other red potatoes may have skin in different shades of red and flesh that may range from bright white to deep orange or red.
Potatoes should be washed and scrubbed just before cooking as cleaning the potatoes can remove the natural protective layer that allows potatoes to store well for a long period of time. It is not necessary to peel red potatoes before they are roasted, as long as they have been cleaned well. Once the potatoes are cleaned, they can be tossed in oil and other seasonings. Larger potatoes can be chopped before they are roasted, usually into 1 inch cubes .
Once the potatoes have been coated in oil, they should be placed in a baking tray and then into a hot oven. The temperature of the oven can vary considerably, though most cooks make roasted red potatoes at between 350 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit (177 to 232 degrees Celsius). The time needed to roast the potatoes depends on the temperature of the oven and the size of the potatoes or potato pieces, but most roasted red potatoes are fully cooked in under an hour. When they are done, red potatoes will be soft enough to allow a butter knife to easily slide inside, though firm enough that they keep their shape.
There are a number of different herbs and spices that can be added to roasted red potatoes. Many cooks toss the potatoes with salt, pepper, onion powder, rosemary, chopped garlic or cayenne seasoning. Any variety of these or other flavorings can be roasted along with the potatoes. Once the potatoes are cooked, they can be dipped in ketchup, sour cream,or other condiments.