Sesame Potato Wedges

Try these sesame potato wedges for a crispy, nutty, and spicy take on the classic. Serve up with sriracha mayonnaise for an epic pairing

Chips, fries, wedges, crisps. Pick one.

Impossible right? I know exactly how you feel. Making that decision is probably comparable to choosing your favourite child (though I wouldn’t know).

I’m a fan of all of the above. Because they never disappoint.

I’m usually a fan of anything crispy, and some classic fries or wedges definitely fit the bill. They’re great party foods, movie night snacks, and just all around mood lifters.

If you’re a fan of crispy potatoes that are seasoned perfectly and have a flavour profile different from anything you would have tried before. Then this recipe is absolutely the one for you.

Sesame Potato Wedges

You heard that right! These sesame potato wedges are totally different to any wedges you would have tried before. They’re still crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and packed with flavour.

These are the type of wedges you want to be making, and the ones you definitely want to be eating. This flavour combination may sound unusual and granted it is uncommon, but it really works.

These are also vegan which makes them perfect for everyone to enjoy!

If you’re prone to regular crispy potato cravings, then let it be known that you are not alone. I’ve been there, frankly I’m still there. I’m there at least once a week.

These have been an epic way to nip the cravings in the bud. These wedges are tossed in a spicy and nutty coating full of toasted sesame seeds and dried chillies.

There’s a mixture of ground spices added in too. This creates a flavour profile which is full of depth but also well balanced. The heat and nuttiness is balanced with sourness and saltiness.

The spice mixture coating each and every one of these wedges is special. It’s inspired by milagai/ellu podi, which is a South Indian dry chutney.

Podi is commonly eaten with dosa and idli and consists of sesame seeds, dried lentils and various spices. It’s a deep red/orange mix, but full of nutty aroma and flavour.

It’s also spicy due to the dried chillies within it. Podi is also often paired with ghee which truly brings another layer of flavour and richness to an already incredible spice mix.

Now pair the flavour profile of podi with crispy, fluffy potatoes and you’re in for a guaranteed winner.

How to make the perfect crispy Sesame Potato Wedges

Making potatoes crispy is quite the art, and there’s also science behind it too. I’ve had far too many soggy potato wedges that turn into total mush the minute you try to eat it.

Potato wedges need to be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. It’s essential but yet so easy to get wrong.

I’ll cover a few ways to make the wedges crispy as well as the method we’ll be using here.

The first key thing to remember with potatoes is that they need fat to crisp up in. By fat, that could mean butter or oil.

This is essential as it not only crisps up the potatoes, but also ensures that they do not stick together. Deep frying is often a great method for crisping up potatoes however it’s not the method we’ll be using here. This recipe is designed for baking.

Another way to ensure crispy edges is to have roughened edges on the potatoes to start with. The best way to do this is to partially steam/boil the wedges until just the edges are softened.

Then transfer them to the fridge for at least 1 hour for the potato to cool down. This also dries it out. Drying the potato in the fridge is also a major factor for extra crispiness.

After the potato wedges have cooled down, toss them in the spice mix along with an appropriate amount of oil (no skimping please). Tossing the wedges will roughen the edges creating the perfect surface for major crispiness.

The second method is the one we’ll be using here.

The type of potato matters

It does indeed. The type of potato you use for these wedges will make a difference for the final texture.

We want to use a good floury potato like Maris Pipers, King Edwards or Russets. Yukon gold potatoes are slightly less floury but would also work perfectly here.

The higher starch content in these potatoes is what causes them to brown evenly when roasting or frying. The starch granules also ‘swell’ and increase in size during cooking and that in turn creates a light and fluffy interior.

Perfect for these sesame potato wedges.

Roasting vs Air frying vs Frying

Lets cover all the methods of cooking these wedges.

1. Roasting – works brilliantly and only requires an oven in terms of equipment. You will also need a non stick tray or roasting tray, either will work perfectly. An oven is also large enough to allow for a larger quantity of wedges to cook at once. The wedges need to be spaced out on a tray or else they’ll steam rather than roast. If the potatoes steam, they’ll end up soft and soggy rather than crispy
2. Air frying – also works great however it’s an additional piece of equipment that not all will have. Air fryers (at least the one I have) are considerably smaller than an oven and hence can’t fit as many wedges inside. My air fryer does suggest stacking wedges and tossing throughout the cooking process. However I’ve never found these to crisp up as well in comparison to placing them in a single layer in the oven
3. Frying – not ideal for this recipe at all. The sesame potato wedges are being coated in spices before roasting. If you were to fry these the seasoning would fall right off. These spices would then burn in the oil and impart a bitter flavour on the rest of the wedges. As with other recipes on my blog, if frying is the best method then I’ll be the first to tell you. In this case it most definitely is not

Wedges? But I want fries!

Well you’re in luck.

I have another recipe for the perfect Spicy Garlic and Sesame Fries right here so don’t worry! They’re also amazing.

What you’ll need

For this recipe you’ll require the following:

(Full recipe card is at the end of the blogpost)

• Maris piper potatoes – or King Edwards, Russet potatoes/Idaho
• White sesame seeds
• Dried Kashmiri chillies
• Garlic powder
• Dried mango powder
• Chaat masala
• Salt
• Coriander
• Spring onion
• Vegan mayonnaise – regular mayonnaise will also work if you’re not vegan
• Sriracha
• Lime juice
• Syrup – e.g. agave/maple/or honey will work too for those are not vegan

How to make these Sesame Potato Wedges (photos)

Let’s start with the potatoes

1+2) Chop the potatoes into wedges by first chopping in half, and then once more into quarters

3) Then cut once again and you’ll end up with the perfect wedge shape
4) Par boil the wedges in salted boiling water for 7-8 minutes maximum. We’re just looking for the edges to have softened and the potato to be partly cooked through. It should not be completely knife tender or you risk it falling apart and turning into mashed potato later on

5) Transfer the wedges to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely for 1-2 hours. This can also be done over night in the fridge, with the potatoes uncovered. By cooling on a rack we’re allowing the potatoes to dry out which also means crispier edges

Next let’s make the sesame spice mix

1) Toast the sesame seeds on medium-low heat until they turn golden brown as shown in 2). Leave aside

3) Toast the chillies in a very small amount of oil over a medium-low heat, tossing frequently. They’ll turn slightly darker and may puff up too
4) Once toasted, leave aside

5) Place the chillies in a spice grinder
6) Grind until a coarse consistently

7) Add the toasted sesame seeds and blitz once more. Stop the grinder frequently to scrape down the sides. Don’t overdo it as the sesame seeds will begin to release their oils, forming a paste rather than a coarsely ground consistency

9) Add the remaining spices and salt, and mix together
10) Sesame spice mix done, we’re now ready to go!

Then we’ll prepare the sesame wedges

1) Toss the wedges in oil and the sesame spice mix
2) Ensure they’re all evenly coated as best as possible

3) Place in as close to a single layer as you can. If they’re stacked on top of each other they’ll steam rather than roast
4) Bake for 40-45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes until golden brown, crisp, and beautiful

5) Finally, add the coriander and spring onions as soon as the wedges come out of the oven and toss

But let’s not forget the sauce

Simply mix the mayonnaise, sriracha, lime juice and syrup. It’s as easy as that.

How to make these Sesame Potato Wedges (video)

If you enjoyed this recipe

Please do let me know! Leave a review and a rating below, I’d love to know how you got on.

You can also tag me on Instagram at @dish_by_rish. Or follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, and TikTok to keep up with all my cooking and baking creations.

Until then, happy cooking!