Recipe: Lazy Potato Wedges

New to cooking?

Don’t know how to cut a potato?

Have few ingredients?

Don’t want takeout?

I’m sharing a quick recipe from the lazy food gods. It’s simple and requires minimal effort. It’s easy to use as a base as well, so it’s easy to add other ingredients to! The prep time is minimal and while it’s cooking, feel free to do something else (…the dishes).

During COVID, like many others, I learned a LOT (like, how to properly mince garlic, LOT) about cooking and baking. I hated this learning process, because I learned that I was lazy in the kitchen and I did everything the wrong way. Recipes were also too simple to follow at times and left a lot of room for mistakes. However, it helped that I had an eager food critic (my brother) who would try everything I cooked and rate it out of ten (I am sadly still waiting for a ten out of ten, and because he knows this, I was told that I will never get one). Point is, you adapt and learn to critique your food in a way that enhances your skills. 

On the bright side, I learned how to make tasty (and quick) foods with a certain number of ingredients. Post-COVID, I was equipped with recipes under my belt and when I’m running short on ingredients or time, it helps to know there are quick alternatives at home. If you have most of what’s listed here, you’re already a chef in the works. And whether it’s school or work, time is something we never seem to have enough of. 

If you’re new to cooking, I have some tips included in the end that I wish someone told me about so that I wouldn’t have been embarrassingly slow. 

LAZY POTATO WEDGES: 

• Minimal prep time and effort 

Serving Sizes: 1-2 people (double all ingredients to serve 4-5, add 20 minutes to cook time)

tsp = teaspoon

tbsp = tablespoon 

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook time: 12-18 minutes

Supplies Needed:

• Air fryer or oven 
• A large bowl to mix everything 
• A small bowl to mix the dry spices
• Parchment paper (if you don’t have this, get it. Your food won’t stick)
  • Alternative: aluminum foil paper with light oil spread on it

Ingredients Needed:

• Potatoes (preferably Russet potatoes)
• Olive oil (2 tbsp)

Spices:

• Garlic powder (1/2 tsp)
• Onion powder (1/2 tsp)
• Paprika (1/2 tsp)
• Parsley (1/2 tsp)
• Chili flakes (1/2 tsp) (add more/less to adjust to your preference) 
• Dry dill weed (1/2 tsp) (optional, but recommended) 
• Salt (1/2 tsp)
• Pepper (1/2 tsp)
• Cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp) 
• Italian seasoning (1/2 tsp) (optional, not required)

If you have extra time:

1. Cut the potato wedges

• Soak in cold water and add 1/2 tsp of salt (soak for 1-2 hours)
• Follow steps 2 onwards below

If you don’t have extra time:

1. Cut the potato wedges and place in a large bowl

Cutting the Wedges:

1. Cut the potato in half 
2. Cut that half into half to form quarter pieces 
3. For each quarter piece, cut diagonally and create 2-3 “wedges” from that (create more if it’s still thick/not like the other sizes)

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
2. Combine the dry spices together in a small bowl 
3. Drizzle olive oil onto wedges 
4. Mix in the spices and evenly coat (use a spatula or cover the bowl with a plate and toss the wedges around)
5. Transfer onto tray (if applicable) and/or onto parchment paper. 
6. Let it cook! It’s done when it’s golden-brown and crispy. The timings may vary based on your appliance and/or thickness of the wedges.
   1. Airfryer: airdry at 400°F for 12-18 min (flip once at the 8 min mark)
   2. Oven: bake at 400°F for 12-18 min (flip once at the 8 min mark)
7. You’re done! Serve as an appetizer, dinner, or breakfast—who cares! 

Some (Obvious) Tips:

• Use a smartphone timer. Especially if you’re forgetful. So they don’t burn like mine did. 
• Try soaking the potatoes in advance (see Step 0): it helps remove any excess starch, and significantly reduces your prep time.
• Wash your dishes while the food is cooking. I don’t know how to prove the science behind it, but it 101% makes you hate cooking less. No one wants to eat and see a pile of dishes taunting them when the food is finished. 
• Learn to “eyeball” measurements. Relying on recipes is a great way to begin learning, but when you make something enough times it often helps to have an “estimated” amount required. It helps build your confidence in what you’re making. 

You’re a chef, my friend.