Unlock the secret to incredibly easy and intensely flavorful grilled potatoes with these simple foil packets! Requiring just **five minutes of preparation** and **a handful of pantry staples**, you’ll create perfectly **crispy, tender, and seasoned red potatoes** that will become a staple at all your summer cookouts. Get ready to enjoy this irresistible side dish all season long!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of McCormick® at Walmart, helping me create the perfect recipe to kick off the summer!
Grilled Potatoes: Your Go-To Easy Summer Side Dish!
After enduring months of relentless Midwestern cold, bitter winds, and perpetually dreary skies, my anticipation for summer reaches an all-time high. It’s not just the welcome relief of warmer weather that excites me, but the sheer joy of firing up the grill! There’s nothing quite like the aroma of sizzling food permeating the evening air, signaling the return of outdoor dining and effortless entertaining. While main courses like grilled parmesan chicken or a juicy steak are often the stars, no summer barbecue is truly complete without a fantastic side dish. That’s where these incredible grilled red potatoes come into play, perfectly complementing everything from grilled lemon parm zucchini to classic burgers.
My love for foil packet recipes runs deep, and these easy grilled potatoes are a prime example of why. The beauty lies in their simplicity and the minimal cleanup involved. Imagine: perfectly cooked potatoes infused with smoky flavor, all contained neatly in a single packet. You simply take fresh red potatoes, cut them into bite-sized pieces, and toss them with a generous drizzle of olive oil, Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt, McCormick® Black Pepper, and McCormick® Italian Seasoning. Once seasoned, they’re ready to be sealed in foil and roasted on the grill alongside your main course. This method ensures maximum flavor penetration and unbelievably tender potatoes with crisp edges – all with almost no effort!
The ease of preparation makes these foil packet potatoes an absolute dream for busy weeknights and relaxed weekend gatherings alike. They’re the quintessential stress-free side, effortlessly pairing with robust BBQ pulled chicken, classic hot dogs, savory grilled sausages, or any grilled meats you fancy. The versatility and delicious outcome make them an indispensable addition to your summer recipe repertoire.
Mastering the Grill: The Best Way to Cook Potatoes
Achieving perfectly grilled potatoes often comes down to selecting the right type of potato and employing the best cooking method. While grilling directly on the grates can offer a delightful char, for consistent tenderness, even cooking, and infused flavor, wrapping potatoes in foil is truly the way to go. This technique is particularly forgiving and yields exceptionally flavorful results, whether you’re using red, new potatoes, robust russets, or creamy Yukon gold varieties.
Foil packets create a miniature oven effect on your grill, steaming the potatoes to a tender perfection while simultaneously allowing them to develop a slight crispness and absorb all the smoky nuances of the barbecue. This method significantly reduces the amount of work at the grill – no constant turning or worrying about small pieces falling through the grates. Plus, it’s incredibly convenient: your potatoes can cook right alongside your main grilled meats, streamlining your entire meal preparation.
For larger, denser potatoes like russets, a little pre-planning can make a big difference. Whole russet potatoes are best wrapped in foil for grilling. To expedite the cooking process and ensure they become wonderfully tender all the way through, we recommend puncturing them several times with a fork and giving them a head start in the microwave oven for approximately eight minutes. This par-cooking softens the interior, drastically cutting down on grill time. After microwaving, simply wrap the potatoes securely in foil and finish cooking them on the grill for about 30 minutes, or until fork-tender.
When aiming for exceptionally crispy grilled potatoes, varieties like red or Yukon gold potatoes are ideal. These types have a lower starch content compared to russets, which means they hold their shape beautifully during cooking without breaking down or turning mushy. Their waxy texture allows them to become wonderfully tender on the inside while developing a delightful crisp exterior when exposed to high heat within the foil packet, especially if you open the packet for the last few minutes of cooking.
Crafting Your Perfect Grilled Potatoes: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making these grilled potatoes is refreshingly simple. Below, you’ll find step-by-step photos and detailed instructions to guide you through the process. For the complete recipe, including precise ingredient amounts and nutritional information, please scroll down to the dedicated recipe card.
- Begin by washing your red potatoes thoroughly and cutting them into uniform, bite-sized cubes. Consistency in size is key for even cooking.
- Place the chopped potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle generously with olive oil, then sprinkle with minced garlic and your chosen seasonings. Toss everything together until each potato piece is beautifully coated.
- Divide the seasoned potatoes evenly between two large sheets of heavy-duty foil. Spread them out in a single layer within each foil packet to ensure they cook evenly and crisp up nicely. Fold in the ends and roll the edges together to create a securely enclosed pouch.
- Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat (around 400°F). Place the sealed foil packets directly on the grill grates and cook for 20-25 minutes, flipping and rotating the packets once halfway through cooking to ensure even heat distribution.
Unleashing Flavor: Essential Seasoning Tips for Grilled Potatoes
One of the most appealing aspects of quick and easy grilled meals is that they certainly don’t have to compromise on flavor compared to more elaborate recipes. My philosophy is that a harmonious blend of simple, impactful ingredients can deliver a powerful flavor punch in perfect unison, eliminating the need for fussy components or laborious steps. When it comes to grilled potatoes, a few key seasoning choices can elevate them from a simple side to a standout dish.
For these perfectly grilled potatoes, I rely on a combination of four foundational kitchen pantry staples: good quality olive oil, Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt, McCormick® Black Pepper, and McCormick® Italian Seasoning. Olive oil acts as a binder, helping the seasonings adhere to the potatoes, while also contributing to their crisping and overall richness. Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt offers a fantastic savory depth with its signature blend of salt, herbs, and spices. McCormick® Black Pepper adds a subtle warmth and aromatic kick, and McCormick® Italian Seasoning brings a classic, fragrant medley of herbs like oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary, which are simply divine with potatoes.
While this core quartet creates a wonderfully balanced flavor profile, there are countless opportunities to customize your grilled potatoes to suit your taste or complement your main course. Consider adding or swapping out some of the spices with potent garlic powder for an extra garlicky punch, or incorporating fresh or dried rosemary, thyme, or oregano for more earthy, herbaceous notes. Chopped fresh parsley, added at the end, provides a burst of freshness and color. For an extra layer of flavor and texture, mix in thinly sliced onions or bell peppers directly into the foil packets before grilling. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving can brighten the entire dish, while a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese can add a creamy, rich finish. Experiment with smoked paprika for a touch of smoky sweetness, or a pinch of red pepper flakes for a subtle heat. The possibilities are truly endless, allowing you to create a unique flavor experience every time you grill!
Pro Tips for Perfectly Grilled Potatoes Every Time
- **Achieve Optimal Tenderness and Quick Cooking:** When preparing your potatoes, cut them into uniform, smaller, bite-sized cubes. This consistency not only ensures that all potato pieces cook evenly but also significantly reduces the overall grilling time, allowing them to become perfectly tender much faster. While potato slices or wedges can also work, they may require adjusted cooking times.
- **Prevent Sticking and Aid Cleanup:** Before adding your seasoned potatoes, always spray the inside of your foil sheets generously with cooking spray. This simple step creates a non-stick surface, preventing the potatoes from adhering to the foil and making them release cleanly and easily once cooked. It also simplifies post-meal cleanup dramatically.
- **Ensure Durability on the Grill:** Opt for heavy-duty aluminum foil rather than standard-weight foil. Heavy-duty foil is much more robust and less prone to tearing or puncturing when you’re moving the hot packets around on the grill grates. This ensures your potatoes stay securely contained and cook perfectly without spills.
- **Verify Doneness with Confidence:** To check if your potatoes are tender, carefully use a fork or the tip of a knife to puncture through the foil packet and into a potato piece. If the utensil slides in with minimal resistance, your potatoes are perfectly cooked and ready to enjoy.
- **Keep Them Warm Until Serving:** If your main course isn’t quite ready, or if you’re preparing the potatoes slightly ahead of time, there’s no need to rush them to the table. Simply leave the potatoes sealed in their foil packets. You can move them to a cooler section of the grill’s warming rack or transfer them to a low oven (around 200°F). The foil acts as an excellent insulator, keeping the potatoes delightfully warm for up to 30 minutes, ensuring they’re hot and ready when your guests are.
- **Oven Alternative for Any Weather:** Don’t have a grill, or perhaps the weather isn’t cooperating? No problem! These foil packet potatoes can be easily made in the oven. Simply place the sealed foil pouches on a rimmed baking sheet and bake them in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 20-30 minutes, flipping the packets once halfway through, until the potatoes are tender and lightly crisped.
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Simple Weeknight Grilled Potatoes (Foil Packet)
Melissa ErdelacPin
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds small red potatoes, washed and quartered
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt
- 1 teaspoon McCormick® Italian Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine the quartered red potatoes and olive oil, tossing until the potatoes are evenly coated. Add the minced garlic, Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, McCormick Italian Seasoning, McCormick Black Pepper, and salt, then toss again to ensure all the potatoes are thoroughly seasoned.1 ½ pounds small red potatoes, 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt, 1 teaspoon McCormick® Italian Seasoning, ¼ teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, ⅛ teaspoon salt
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Preheat your grill to a medium heat setting. Take two large sheets of heavy-duty foil and lightly coat the inside with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Divide the seasoned potatoes evenly between the two sheets, spreading them in a single layer. Carefully fold in the sides and roll the edges together to securely seal the potatoes within each foil packet.
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Increase grill heat to medium-high, aiming for approximately 400ºF. Place the prepared foil packets directly on the grill grates. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (cooking time may vary depending on potato size). Remember to turn the packets once during cooking to ensure even doneness.
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Once tender, carefully open the foil packets (watch out for steam!) and garnish your delicious grilled potatoes with freshly chopped parsley before serving. Enjoy this simple yet flavorful summer side!
Notes
Tips for Grilling Potatoes
- Smaller, bite-sized cuts will take less time to grill and become tender. Uniform sizing ensures even cooking.
- Spraying foil with cooking spray makes the cooked potatoes release cleanly and easily, simplifying serving and cleanup.
- Using heavy-duty foil will hold up better when moving packets around the grill, preventing tears and spills.
- To check for doneness, use a fork or knife to puncture through the packet and into a potato; it should feel tender.
- If you aren’t serving immediately, leave the potatoes closed in the packet. Move them to the grill’s warming rack or keep them in a low oven. The foil will keep them warm for up to 30 minutes.