Peri Peri Potato Wedges

If you’re looking for the perfect side dish to accompany your meal, look no further than these crispy and flavour-packed Peri Peri Potato Wedges. This recipe takes the humble potato to new heights with the addition of a fiery peri-peri spice mix. With just a few simple ingredients and a bit of time in the oven, you can transform Maris Piper potatoes into a crispy, golden-brown delight. Whether you serve them alongside a grilled chicken breast, a vegan burger, or as a snack on their own, these peri-peri wedges will quickly become a favourite.

See how I make this dish here.

Table of Contents

• Ingredient Breakdown
• The Magic of Peri Peri
• Choosing the Right Potato
• Parboiling: Why It’s a Key Step
• Baking the Wedges
• Adjusting the Spice Levels
• More Potato Recipes

Ingredient Breakdown

• Potatoes (Maris Piper): The perfect variety for making crispy wedges. Maris Piper potatoes are known for their fluffy texture inside and crisp exterior when baked.
• Olive Oil: Helps the potatoes crisp up beautifully in the oven while also providing a mild, fruity flavour.
• Sea Salt: Essential for seasoning the potatoes and enhancing their natural flavour.
• Freshly-ground Black Pepper: Adds a touch of heat and balance to the seasoning.
• Smoked Paprika: This spice imparts a smoky, slightly sweet flavour, which complements the fiery heat of the cayenne pepper.
• Garlic Granules: Garlic granules provide a concentrated garlic flavour that permeates the wedges without overwhelming them.
• Cayenne Pepper: Adds the necessary heat to the peri-peri spice mix, creating the signature kick of peri-peri flavour.

The Magic of Peri Peri

What sets these Peri Peri Potato Wedges apart is the bold flavour profile brought to life by the unique peri-peri spice mix. Peri-peri, also known as piri-piri, originates from Southern Africa and is most commonly associated with Portuguese and African cuisines. The spice mix typically contains chili peppers, garlic, and a blend of additional spices that give it a distinctive combination of heat and complexity.

In this recipe, I’ve simplified the peri-peri spice mix to three essential ingredients: smoked paprika, garlic granules, and cayenne pepper. This trio offers the perfect balance of smoky, savoury, and spicy notes that coat the wedges beautifully. Cayenne pepper provides the fiery kick that the dish is known for, while the garlic granules bring depth and richness. Lastly the smoked paprika adds that subtle smoky undertone that enhances the overall flavour.

Choosing the Right Potato

When it comes to making the perfect Peri Peri Potato Wedges, the type of potato you choose is crucial. Not all potatoes are equal. Selecting the right one can make all the difference in achieving that ideal balance of crispiness and fluffiness. For this recipe, Maris Piper potatoes are the best choice. This particular variety is known for its versatility and excellent texture, which is perfect for roasting. Maris Piper potatoes have a high starch content, which helps them achieve a fluffy interior once baked. Additionally, they hold their shape well, ensuring your wedges stay intact during the cooking process without turning mushy.

If you can’t find Maris Piper potatoes, other good options include Russet potatoes or Yukon Golds. Russets, commonly used for baking, are starchy and create a crisp exterior. Yukon Golds offer a creamier texture that still crisps well when roasted. Avoid waxy potatoes like Charlotte or Red Bliss, as they tend to become more waxy and less crispy, which is not ideal for wedges.

Parboiling: Why It’s a Key Step

Before you get to the fun part of seasoning and roasting, there’s one crucial step in making these Peri Peri Potato Wedges that can’t be skipped: parboiling. Parboiling the potatoes for just a couple of minutes ensures that the wedges cook through evenly, resulting in a soft, fluffy interior. It also allows the exterior to get crispier during baking.

Here’s the trick. Once the water with the generously salted potatoes comes to a boil, you only need to cook them for a short time – just 2 minutes. This brief cooking time softens the potatoes slightly without fully cooking them through. After draining the potatoes, give them a few minutes to steam dry. This ensures that there is no excess moisture on the potatoes. This is key to achieving that signature crispiness in the oven.

Baking the Wedges

Once the potatoes are parboiled and ready for seasoning, the real magic happens. Tossing the wedges in olive oil helps them crisp up beautifully in the oven, while the peri-peri spice mix delivers the bold flavours.

The key to achieving that perfect crispy exterior is not overcrowding the baking tray. If the wedges are too close together, they’ll steam rather than roast, resulting in soft rather than crispy wedges. Use two trays if necessary to give the wedges enough space to bake evenly.

Bake the wedges at 200℃/fan 180℃ for 20 minutes. Then toss them and return them to the oven. This ensures they cook evenly on all sides. The final 20 to 30 minutes of baking results in a golden-brown, crispy exterior that contrasts beautifully with the soft, fluffy interior. For the ultimate crispiness, feel free to give them an extra 5 minutes in the oven. Just keep an eye on them to avoid burning.

Adjusting the Spice Levels

While this recipe offers the perfect balance of heat and smokiness, you can always adjust the spice level to suit your preferences. If you prefer a milder version, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper or omit it entirely. Alternatively, if you’re craving more heat, you can add extra cayenne or even a chopped fresh chili to the peri-peri spice mix.

Additionally, feel free to experiment with other spices to elevate the flavour further. A sprinkle of dried oregano, thyme, or coriander would add lovely herbal notes to the dish. For a more citrusy flavour, a little lemon zest or a squeeze of fresh lime juice after baking would be a perfect addition.

More Potato Recipes

If you’ve enjoyed making these Peri Peri Potato Wedges, here are some more potato-based recipes for you to try:

• Crispy Parmesan Potatoes with Nduja Tomato Sauce: Roasted with a golden, deeply savoury parmesan crust, these potatoes are crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle, and perfectly seasoned atop a bed of rich, spicy nduja tomato sauce.
• Masala Roast Potatoes: With a richly spiced masala sauce, tangy quick-pickled onions, and a cooling drizzle of yoghurt, this dish is vibrant, flavour-packed, and perfect for sharing. 
• Kimchi Potato Rosti: Golden, crispy and loaded with flavour, this Rosti takes a classic dish and gives it a vibrant twist. The addition of kimchi introduces a tangy and spicy kick. Topped with poached eggs and avocado, it makes for the perfect brunch dish.

See how I make all these recipes and more over on my Instagram!