Italian Roast Potatoes with Rosemary & White Wine

In homes and restaurants all across Italy, these simple and delicious roast potatoes are part of everyday life. Soft, creamy and infused with the fragrance of garlic, wine, and rosemary, they’re an essential to my Italian cooking repertoire.

Most weeks, I prepare a simple meat-and-two-veg-style dinner, and invariably serve these incredibly tasty Italian roast potatoes alongside it. Tossed with olive oil, garlic, fresh rosemary and white wine, they roast until rich and creamy inside.

They’re not traditional crispy roast potatoes—it’s less about crunch and more about flavour. Each ingredient shines through: mellow garlic, fragrant rosemary and the sweet tang of white wine. They’re simply delicious!

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been served patate al forno in Italy. Accompanying everything from roasts and stews to seafood and poultry, these simple potatoes appear in trattorias, cafés, high-end restaurants and homes across the country.

My recipe has evolved over the years and is rarely set in stone. It’s easy to adapt depending on what I have to hand—a great recipe to memorise, make on autopilot and serve with little thought or effort. All with great flavour, of course.

What's Ahead?

Why You'll Love My Recipe

• They're simple - This is such an easy recipe. Just toss a few ingredients together and roast in the oven for 50 minutes. That's all you need to remember.
• They're versatile - I change up the recipe with alternative herbs, add other ingredients sometimes and switch wine for water on occasion. The beauty of this recipe is that it's open to your own style and likes.
• They pair with lots of things - meat and potatoes are a celebrated combination, and these potatoes will work alongside any meat, in most ways. They also work alongside seafood and fish or with other vegetable dishes to form a larger feast. Hot or at room temperature.

Ingredients You'll Need

Making my Italian-style potatoes is easy—here’s the version I cook most often. It’s been tried, tested and enjoyed for years.

• Potatoes – Personally, I prefer a slightly floury potato that will still hold its shape when cooked, such as Maris Piper (UK), Yukon Gold (US) or Sebago (Australia). However, most potatoes are suitable. I like to leave the skin on, but you can peel them if you prefer.
• Garlic – It’s not always used in Italian versions, but I include it because I love the mellow earthiness it brings to the dish (and I love squeezing the garlic purée from the skins!).
• Rosemary – This is the flavour most commonly associated with these potatoes. Its fragrance and flavour are just so satisfying. Use fresh rosemary rather than dried—the flavour is much better.
• Olive oil – There’s actually a fair amount, but it helps give the potatoes a rich, creamy texture. Fear not—most of it is left behind.
• White wine – The potatoes absorb the dry white wine, elevating them beyond your run-of-the-mill roast potatoes. It gives the finished dish a sweet tang that makes them taste so luxurious!
• Salt and pepper – Good seasoning can make or break these potatoes, so be generous with the sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Step by Step

It couldn't be easier to make these potatoes at home. Here's how I make mine.

1. Preheat the oven to: 180ºC/350ºF
2. Cut the potatoes into generous bite-sized pieces (roughly 4 cm, 1–1½ inches).
3. Tumble into a baking tin and combine with all the other ingredients, tossing well to coat everything.
4. Roast uncovered for 50 minutes. After 25 minutes, toss everything around to ensure even browning. If the liquid dries up quickly, add a couple of splashes of water to the tin to keep a little liquid at all times. Between 1/4-1/2 cup.
5. After they're roasted, simply serve from the tin or decant to a small serving bowl and eat hot, or leave to cool for 10-30 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.

Pro Tips - Things I've learned

Over the years, I've adapted and changed this recipe numerous times to suit what I have or to suit a particular main dish. Here are a few of the different variations I've created.

• Red wine or marsala - I have on occasion switched white for red or marsala - it may not be common in Italy, but it's not un-Italian either! The results are actually delicious.
• No wine - I often replace the wine with chicken or vegetable broth, which is great too - a depth of flavour is achieved that surpasses regular oil-only roasting. If I have neither, I'll simply use water.
• Herbs - This is the most common adaptation I make. I'll swap rosemary for fresh oregano, marjoram, thyme, tarragon, or sage.
• Fennel seeds - I sometimes replace herbs altogether with 1-2 tsp of fennel seeds.
• Onions - Add some thickly sliced onions or small and sweet pearl onions or shallots for an additional flavour.
• Outside Italy - You can use this recipe to suit many other styles of food that aren't Italian. I've added fino sherry, smoked paprika, bell peppers and more to make a Spanish version.

Serving & Storage Suggestions

• My Italian roast potatoes can be served so many ways. They're perfect alongside meats and roasts and equally delicious for BBQs, picnics, and antipasti spreads. They'll also sit well with fish and seafood.
• I generally serve mine hot from the oven or cooled for 10-20 minutes until warm. But they're also still addictively delicious at room temperature. Just cool for between 30-60 minutes (covered) before serving. For longer, you should refrigerate and bring up to room temperature for food safety reasons.
• Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2-3 days (in an airtight container) and either eaten cold or reheated until hot in the oven or microwave. I don't recommend freezing as the potatoes will lose their texture.

Ready to get cooking?

My Italian roast potatoes are a cooked-in fixture in my kitchen and I cook them weekly in one form or another. I love potatoes, and this recipe has served me well for years - and remains my go-to, autopilot potato dish for all occasions. I'm sure you'll love them too.

More Italian recipes

If you liked this recipe, I'm sure you'll love more of my favourite Italian recipes.

• Italian Baked Lamb & Potatoes
• Pasta with Potatoes
• Pesto Pasta with Potatoes & Beans (Trenette al Pesto)
• Fennel & Apple Salad (A great combination with these potatoes)
• Fave e Cicoria (Fava Bean Puree with Chicory)

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