These oven baked 3-ingredient crispy potato planks are the sort of simple side dish that has a way of showing up year after year, especially when the weather turns warm and the table fills up with family. Around here, old-fashioned potato recipes like this have always been prized for stretching a few humble ingredients into something everybody reaches for twice. My father-in-law has been making these since the seventies for summer gatherings, and that combination of crackly edges, tender middles, and plain good sense still feels just as welcome today.
Serve these potato planks alongside grilled burgers, hot dogs, barbecue chicken, pork chops, or a plate of baked beans and sliced tomatoes. They also do well with a simple dipping sauce like ketchup, ranch, or sour cream, and they are mighty fine next to a crisp cucumber salad or a bowl of coleslaw when you want a full summer supper.
Oven Baked 3-Ingredient Crispy Potato Planks
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spread the vegetable oil over the foil so the potatoes crisp nicely as they bake.
2. Cut each potato lengthwise into thick planks, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, keeping them as even as you can so they bake at the same rate.
3. Lay the potato planks in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Turn them once in the oil so both sides are lightly coated, then sprinkle the coarse salt evenly over them.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, then carefully turn each plank. Bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until the outsides are deep golden brown and crisp at the edges and the centers are tender.
5. Serve hot right from the pan or move to a platter and add a little extra salt if needed.
Variations & Tips
For extra crisp edges: Be sure not to crowd the pan. If the planks are too close together, they will steam instead of brown. A hot oven and a generous single layer are what give these potatoes their best texture.
Try a different potato: Russets give the fluffiest middle, but Yukon Gold potatoes will make a richer, creamier plank with a slightly deeper color. Just keep the cuts thick so they do not overbake.
Add simple seasoning: If you want to dress them up a touch, sprinkle on a little black pepper, garlic powder, or paprika along with the salt. The beauty of this recipe, though, is how good it tastes with hardly anything at all.
Use parchment if preferred: Foil helps with browning and easy cleanup, but parchment paper can be used if that is what you keep on hand. Just brush or rub it lightly with oil before adding the potatoes.