Will I need the whole 5 lbs. of potatoes? Yes. Yes you will.

Recipe Inspiration

Ingredients

• 5 lb. medium russet potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley, optional
• Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Slice the potatoes very thinly. Leave the skins on or peel them—your call. Pat the slices dry.
3. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the melted butter, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
4. Arrange the slices upright and tightly packed in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Brush the exposed tops with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
5. Bake for about 1 hour 20 minutes, checking toward the end so the tops become deeply golden and crisp without getting too dark.
6. Finish with parsley and Parmesan, if desired, and serve while those crispy edges are at their best.

Why Mix Olive Oil and Butter?

Flavor + crispiness. Butter brings rich, savory flavor, while olive oil helps coat all those paper-thin slices and encourages crisping.

Better coverage. Combining melted butter with oil makes it easier to coat the mountain of potato slices evenly—which matters when you’re dealing with five freaking pounds of them.

The finishing touch. Saving some olive oil to brush over the exposed tops helps those edges turn beautifully golden and crispy.

Make-Ahead Tip

If you need to slice the potatoes ahead of time, keep the slices submerged in water to slow browning. Drain them and dry them really well before seasoning and baking. Wet potatoes and crispy potatoes are not friends.

Make It Your Own

Russets are great here, but Yukon Gold potatoes can work too. Fresh thyme, rosemary, or oregano can stand in for the Italian seasoning, and minced fresh garlic can replace the garlic powder.