How A Packet Of Seasoning Gives Classic Roasted Potatoes A Flavorful, Crunchy Side

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You might say we're potatoheads; we love spuds so very much. From loaded baked potatoes to 4-ingredient potato soup, we can't get enough of different ways to cook 'em. Roasted potatoes are a perennial side option on our dinner tables — especially at the holidays — but, too often, we find ourselves stumped on how to season them. Come to find out, all we needed was a packet of ranch seasoning and some oil, and we were on the road to crispy, tasty flavor town.

So many things in life are better with ranch seasoning (and that includes fried chicken), so it makes sense that potatoes are included in that roundup. At their most basic, flavorful, crunchy roasted potatoes simply have to be tossed in your oil of choice and smothered in ranch seasoning before sticking them in a hot oven. The result will be insanely delicious, textured taters that match almost every entree option and are insanely craveable.

For the simplest ranch roasted potatoes, pick up your favorite packet from the supermarket. Hidden Valley is probably the closest thing to a "classic" ranch, but it's far from the only option. If you find yourself using lots and lots of ranch powder, you might find it economical to make your own by utilizing buttermilk powder and some common spice rack seasonings. The buttermilk gives ranch its signature creaminess and tang, while the spices and aromatics add pop and zest to the mixture.

Can man live on ranch alone? Forbes tells us that ranch dressing has been America's favorite dressing since 1992, and its popularity is only increasing ... so some fans might just answer that question in the affirmative. We say, however, that bringing other flavors into the fold is almost always a good thing when it comes to cooking. For the ultimate ranch potatoes, we say that you should grab one or two more party guests.

Cheese and ranch are a delightful, popular pairing in appetizers and salads. To that end, we encourage you to make your roasted ranch potatoes cheesy. Cooking them on a layer of grated parmesan cheese (as seen in this TikTok reel) will only increase their crispiness, but tossing them in the powdered cheese along with your ranch dressing makes the process even easier. Feel free to use shredded cheese towards the end of the cook and blanket your roasted spuds under a blanket of gooey goodness ... just don't let the cheese blacken, because that could kill the deliciousness.

For particularly rich roasted ranch potatoes, we've also seen a foundation of mayo and butter used as the oily coating to which the seasoning sticks. We think this would make your potatoes extra unctuous! If you want to really up the indulgence factor on your potatoes, stir in some crispy crumbled bacon and some caramelized onions ... now you're talking about a sensational side dish. Best of all: we get our ranch fix without worrying about how long a bottle of salad dressing lasts in the fridge — which is actually a pretty long time.