These grilled potatoes are crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Just wrap in foil, toss on the grill, and let the heat do the work. Easy prep, zero cleanup!
Recipe Science
- Seasoning with olive oil, dried herbs, and garlic powder enhances fat-soluble flavor compounds, and the fat creates a crisp crust.
- Sealing the potatoes in foil traps steam, helping them cook evenly and stay moist while grilling.
- Placing the cut sides directly on the foil encourages browning through direct heat contact, creating a golden surface.
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Why It Works
Grilling potatoes in a foil packet is a simple process. The sealed foil traps steam, allowing the potatoes to cook quickly and evenly without drying out. At the same time, direct contact with the hot grill encourages browning on the cut sides, creating a crisp golden crust while keeping the centers creamy. Mini red potatoes hold their shape on the grill, and toppings like parmesan and parsley add extra layers of flavor and color.
If you love my garlic roasted potatoes, you’ll enjoy this grilled version just as much. This recipe is perfect for summer cookouts or busy weeknights when you want something quick, flavorful, and mess-free. Whether you’re pairing them with grilled steak, seafood, or corn, these foil-packet potatoes are a simple side dish that you can prep ahead and serve hot off the grill.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Potatoes: Waxy red potatoes have thin skins, a creamy flesh when cooked, and hold up well to the high heat of the barbecue. The grocery store sells mini, baby, or larger-sized potatoes.
- Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil adds a fruity taste and richness to the potatoes. The fat helps the spuds crisp up and prevents them from sticking to the foil when grilling.
- Seasoning: I use a combination of kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to add roasted allium flavor.
- Herbs: I always have homemade Italian seasoning in my pantry, which is a mixture of oregano, marjoram, basil, parsley, thyme, and rosemary. It adds a nice aromatic herbaceous note to the grilled vegetables. I like to garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This grilled potatoes recipe is easy to customize! Try these delicious ideas:
- Potato Swap: Other types of potatoes can be used on the grill. Yukon golds have a buttery taste, while white potatoes have a more neutral flavor. Use a mix of small red, purple, and yellow potatoes for a festive side dish!
- Oil Options: You can use other types of cooking oils with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil, melted coconut oil, clarified butter, vegetable oil, or light olive oil.
- Seasonings: Try adding savory spices like onion powder, a small amount of smoked paprika, chipotle powder, cayenne, cumin, or coriander. Make it spicy with my Cajun seasoning blend!
- Herbs: Add individual dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano. Garnish with fresh basil, dill, mint, chives, or cilantro.
- Cheese: Top the potatoes with feta, goat cheese, cotija cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, or sharp cheddar cheese.
- Sauce: Serve the grilled potatoes with ranch dressing, aji verde (spicy green sauce), green goddess dressing, or basil pesto.
How to Grill Potatoes
Step 1: Prepare the Potatoes
Preparing the potatoes by washing and thoroughly drying them is key to achieving a crisp surface during grilling. Cutting the potatoes into even-sized halves or slices ensures they cook at a uniform rate, resulting in a tender interior and a golden crust.
Tips for Perfect Execution: I used mini potatoes that are approximately 1 ½ inches in size, making them ideal for halving. If using baby or larger potatoes, quarter or slice them 1/2-inch thick.
Step 2: Season the Potatoes
Tossing the potatoes in olive oil and seasonings before grilling helps fat-soluble flavors, such as garlic powder and Italian herbs, bloom during cooking.
Step 3: Wrap in Foil
Wrapping the potatoes in a sealed foil packet creates a controlled cooking environment that traps the steam released from the potatoes, helping them cook evenly and stay moist. Placing them cut side down maximizes contact with the hot foil for better browning through the Maillard reaction.
Expert Tip: Use heavy duty aluminum foil! It’s thicker and stronger, preventing the potatoes from burning too quickly on the hot grill. If using regular thinner foil, I recommend doubling the layers.
Step 4: Grill the Potatoes
I target around 400°F for grilling, which is ideal for browning the potatoes without burning. When the lid is closed, it traps heat and steam, allowing the centers to cook evenly. However, opening the lid can cause the temperature to drop by about 25°F, so it’s essential to work quickly.
Flipping the potatoes after about 15 to 20 minutes allows the cut side to brown. Finishing uncovered for about 5 minutes helps crisp the surfaces and evaporate excess moisture, resulting in the best texture.
Step 5: To Serve
Serve the potatoes hot for optimal texture. I like to add parmesan and parsley for an extra layer of flavor and freshness. This is the perfect side dish paired with grilled zucchini, grilled asparagus, or grilled chicken—one of my go-to summer meals. Try my grilled sweet potatoes recipe to switch up your spuds!
Frequently Asked Questions
At around 400ºF, it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to steam and soften the potatoes in a foil packet, while browning the cut side of the skin. After removing the top and flipping the potatoes, cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes to crisp the skin and tenderize the flesh.
If you prefer to avoid direct contact between the food and foil, place the potatoes between two sheets of parchment paper (rated for 420ºF/216ºC), then wrap the parchment packet tightly in foil before grilling.
You can grill potatoes directly on the grates, but they need to be sliced thicker—about ½ inch—to hold their shape and prevent falling through. Grill over medium-high heat, flipping once, until golden and tender, about 5-8 minutes per side. Just keep a close eye, since they cook faster and can char more easily without the foil’s protection. You can also try a grill basket to prevent the slices from falling through the grates.
Pre-cooking the potatoes in a large pot of boiling water helps to tenderize the flesh. However, it’s not required if cooking the potatoes on the grill in a foil packet that steams the spuds. Pre-cooking is excellent for cooking the potatoes ahead of time, then finishing them on the grill later.
To grill baked potatoes, scrub and dry the russet potatoes, prick them with a fork, rub with olive oil and salt, then wrap them in foil. Grill at 400°F for 45–60 minutes, turning halfway. For crispier skins, unwrap and cook the last 5 minutes uncovered.
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Grilled Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds red potatoes, mini or baby size
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, optional
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, optional
- 2 teaspoons chopped parsley, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the Potatoes – Wash, scrub, and dry the potatoes, then cut them in half for mini-sized. Alternatively, for baby-sized or larger potatoes, cut into quarters or ½-inch thick slices to form discs.
- Season the Potatoes – Add the potatoes to a medium bowl. Drizzle on the olive oil, then sprinkle on the salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning (if using), and black pepper. Toss to evenly coat.
- Wrap in Foil – Tear two 20" long sheets of heavy-duty foil and overlap them by 8" on a large sheet pan to form a wide base. Press it into the pan to create a border, then brush with olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Spread the potatoes in a single layer, cut side down. Top with two more overlapping foil sheets and crimp the edges to seal, leaving some space inside for steam to circulate.
- Grill the Potatoes – Heat the grill to medium-high heat, between 375 to 400°F (190 to 204°C). Do not overheat or the potatoes will brown too quickly! Place the foil packet on the grill and close the lid. Cook until the cut side is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Open the lid and carefully remove the top layer of foil, letting the steam escape away from you—then discard the foil. Use tongs to flip the potatoes. Cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until fork-tender. Transfer the potatoes on the foil back to the sheet pan using tongs.
- To Serve – Transfer the potatoes to a serving platter. Garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley if desired.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Using Regular Foil: If using regular foil instead of heavy-duty, use two layers (eight total to make the foil packet).
- To Avoid Direct Foil Contact: Place the seasoned potatoes in a single layer between two pieces of parchment paper (rated to 420ºF and above), then seal the packet in foil before grilling.
- Storing: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Microwave on high in 30-second intervals until hot. For a crispy texture, saute in olive oil over medium-low heat until warmed through and crisp. Alternatively, reheat on a foil-lined sheet pan at 400°F (204ºC) until hot.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
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