For Easy Roasted Potatoes With Bold Flavor, Grab This Dressing Packet

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Potatoes are a side dish staple, and it doesn't take much to get them dinner-table-ready: just a little olive oil and sea salt usually does the trick. But if you want bold flavor on those potatoes to make them more of a showstopper, grab a packet of dry Italian dressing mix.

Brush the potatoes with oil first (for extra flavor, add butter or another flavorful fat halfway through cooking). The oil is important to help the potatoes roast and make sure the dried seasonings can stick. Then, toss the potatoes in some of that dry dressing mix; Walmart has as highly-rated Good Seasons Italian Dressing & Recipe Seasoning Mix packet for less than $2. The dressing mix is made with various herbs and aromatics like garlic and parsley, plus red bell pepper and salt. Different Italian seasoning blends might have different ingredients, but you can always add any extra dried herbs or seasonings you prefer, such as oregano, thyme, or a little crushed red pepper for spice. The amount of seasoning you use depends on how much flavor you're going for and how many potatoes you're roasting; just eyeball it to get an even coating over all of the potatoes.

The seasonings will do most of the work here, but there are still things you can do to build better flavor and texture. If you're roasting small baby potatoes or fingerlings, then no need to slice them. But if you're roasting something larger, like a Yukon Gold, it's best to slice the potato in half or quarters to expose the interior prior to brushing them with olive oil and Italian dressing mix. Then, roast the potatoes interior-side-down, which will not only crisp the skin but also get a perfect golden-brown color on the potatoes' inside, building a more caramelized flavor and crispier texture. 

Large potatoes, such as russets or sweet potatoes, should be roughly chopped before roasting and tossing, too. The flavors of the Italian dressing packet will work on just about any type of potato. Whichever kind you pick, you can also smash the potatoes for extra crispiness. And once roasted, they can be served as-is, or add some leftover Italian seasoning to a little mayonnaise for a basic side sauce to pair with them.