Jamie Oliver’s grilled and roasted potatoes are scrubbed 1cm slices, bar-marked on a griddle, then roasted with lemon, garlic and sage. They serve 6 and come from his book Together (2021).
In the same book, his lemon potatoes start the usual way, with a parboil. Here he skips the pan of water entirely. The heat does all the work: a hard char on the griddle first, then 45 minutes in the oven.
The bar marks are the technique to get right. The griddle needs to be screaming hot, and you press each slice down with a fish slice so it makes full contact. Work in batches, because a crowded pan steams instead of charring.
Jamie Oliver Grilled & Roasted Potatoes
Course: Sides, AppetizersCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy6
servings30
minutes45
minutes239
kcal1
hour15
minutesA Together side built for steak night: charred potato slices roasted over sage leaves, strips of lemon peel and whole garlic cloves. Vegan, gluten-free and easy to get ahead.
Ingredients
Directions
- Build the tray: Pick the sage leaves into your largest roasting tray. Use a speed-peeler to strip in the lemon peel, then squeeze in the juice. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then break the unpeeled garlic bulb apart into the tray.
- Slice: Scrub the potatoes and cut them into 1cm-thick slices.
- Griddle: In batches, cook the slices on a large, screaming-hot griddle pan for a couple of minutes on each side, pressing down with a fish slice until well bar-marked. Move them into the roasting tray as you go.
- Toss and spread: Toss everything together, then spread out in a single layer.
- Roast: Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Roast uncovered on the top shelf for 45 minutes, until cooked through and lightly golden.
- Serve: Squeeze the soft garlic cloves out of their skins to serve.
Notes
- (get ahead): Jamie says you can prep these to the end of step 2 (the griddling), then cover until needed.
- (steak night): Jamie serves these as part of a steak night with Bloody Mary crumpets, roasted rump steak, roasted red onions, watercress sauce, an amazing round lettuce salad and caramelised pineapple tartlets.
FAQs
Do I need a griddle pan?
The griddle is what gives these their name, because the ridges sear dark stripes into each slice. Those charred lines add a smoky, almost barbecued flavour before the oven takes over.
Jamie doesn’t give an alternative, so this is our suggestion: a heavy frying pan gives colour without the stripes. If the barbecue is already lit, char the slices over the coals instead, the same way you would for any of Jamie’s BBQ recipes.
Why strip the lemon peel instead of zesting it?
Wide strips from a speed-peeler roast in the oil and turn chewy and fragrant, so they flavour the whole tray. Fine zest would just scorch at 200°C. The juice then adds the sharpness that cuts through the starch.
Lemon and potato is a pairing Jamie comes back to often. His Greek-inspired chicken and chips roasts lemon alongside the potatoes until it turns jammy.
What happens to the whole garlic cloves?
They roast in their skins, which protect them from burning while the inside turns soft, sweet and spreadable. At the end you squeeze each clove out over the potatoes, or onto a slice of steak.
It’s the same trick Jamie uses in his pot-roast chicken, where a whole bulb cooks with the potatoes and goes to the table for squeezing. Nothing gets peeled or chopped, which keeps the prep fast.
How do I time these for a dinner party?
Jamie’s get-ahead note means the hands-on part, the griddling, can be done well before guests arrive. Then the only job left is 45 minutes in the oven, which frees you up for the steak.
One practical tip from our kitchen: Jamie preheats the oven in the last step, but griddling 1.5kg takes several batches. Switching the oven on as you start griddling means it’s hot when the tray is ready.
Which potatoes work best?
Jamie doesn’t name a variety, and he keeps the skins on, just scrubbed. Our suggestion is an all-rounder or waxy potato, because firm slices hold together when you press them on the griddle.
Very floury potatoes can crumble under the fish slice and stick to the ridges. Whatever you use, cut the slices an even 1cm, so they cook through at the same rate.
What else can I serve them with?
Beyond Jamie’s steak night spread, they suit almost any roast where you’d want something lighter than classic roasties. The lemon and sage are especially good against rich game, like his roast venison with Barolo and chocolate sauce.
Because they’re vegan and gluten-free, they also work as a side most guests can eat. There are more ideas on the Jamie Oliver recipes page.
