Grilled Potatoes (in Foil)
~ These ultra-easy Grilled Potatoes rely on a clever foil packet technique to eliminate 3 common, additional cooking steps you sometimes see in similar recipes. The result is tender, fluffy potatoes with lots of yummy, golden-brown spots! ~
This Recipe Is: • Vegan (and Vegetarian) • Gluten Free •
If you’re already firing up your grill to cook your main dish, why not cook your side dish right there, too? It’s so easy and keeps the kitchen nice and cool on a hot summer day!
These grilled potato packets are a perfect example.
We love making them, all summer long!
Why We Love These So Much (and You Will, Too!)
I feel like every time we make this recipe, we’re a little bit surprised, all over again, by how yummy the potatoes are. Despite how simple they are to make, they still turn out so great!
This is definitely our favorite way to cook potatoes on the grill. They’re:
- Fluffy and tender inside
- With plenty of deliciously caramelized, roasty-toasy browned spots
- Highlighted by flavorful fresh garlic (instead of garlic powder) that delightfully infuses the potatoes as they cook together in their cozy little foil packet.
Plus, like I keep saying, they really are very easy to make. And they’re like food-chameleons, easily adapting to whatever else you’re cooking.
Because, really – who wants a fussy, time-consuming side dish on a hot summer day? If you’re like me, you just want to relax with family and friends and keep the cooking as easy-breezy as possible! These potatoes:
So let’s talk more about what you DON’T have to do to make this recipe …
3 Time-Saving Steps You DON’T Have to Do
*** No Pre-Cooking!
Some Grilled Potato recipes require you to partially cook the spuds first, before you even get them onto the grill.
That’s where the brilliance of a foil packet comes in! (Plus, keeping the potato chunks to a uniform, not-too-big size.)
By tightly sealing the potatoes and garlic in their snug little pack, you’re keeping all the moisture inside. Your potatoes cook to tender perfection, and at the same time get all those tasty grilled spots on the outsides.
Some people add water or ice cubes to the foil packets to create lots of steam and keep the potatoes from sticking to the foil. But we don’t want to fully steam them. We’re looking for more of a roast situation. And, although we do flip the foil packet occasionally to minimize sticking somewhat, those brown, kinda-stuck spots are actually desirable!
*** No Extra Dishes!
Lots of recipes will also suggest tossing your potatoes with your oil and seasonings in a large bowl, before transferring them to your foil for grilling.
BUT … if you hang around my site here much, you absolutely know I’m not gonna dirty an extra bowl for that. I love easy clean-up!
Just like tossing veggies directly on a sheet pan before roasting them in an indoor oven, you can 100% skip the bowl with this grilling recipe, and toss everything together right on the foil.
One less dish to wash! Yay … you’re welcome!
*** No Need to Wrestle with Opening the Pack Partway Through Grilling!
I’ve also seen recipes that require you to open the steamy pack to stir or flip your potatoes while they’re still on the hot grill. Fumbling to open your tightly sealed (hot!) foil while wearing bulky oven mitts, and trying to dodge all the heat pouring off the grill??? Ummmmm … no, thanks.
(Remember those grade-school party games where you had to unwrap a stick of gum or a wrapped gift, while wearing wooly mittens? Not easy. Now try that while working over a hot grill. Nope, nope, nope!)
Simply use your grill tongs (or oven mitts) to shake your pack around a bit and flip it over. So much easier!
Alrighty … let’s get these babies on the grill. Here’s all you have to do …
How to Make Grilled Potatoes
Ingredient Prep
There really aren’t many ingredients to worry about here. Just mince up some garlic and chop your red potatoes.
Simple ingredients, simple recipe. Quick quick.
I know some people like grilling Yukon golds, but I always reach for reds when I want to grill potatoes. They’re pretty much my go-to, favorite kind of potato.
Ok. Preheat your grill and get chopping!
No Grill? No Problem!
You can get similar, tender but golden-brown results using the oven-roasting technique in our Easy Rosemary Roasted Potatoes.
As I discuss in my article about Oven-Roasted Potatoes, size really does matter when you’re shooting for evenly cooked, perfectly fluffy-crispy potatoes.
More specifically, the crucial thing is to be sure that every chunk of potato is roughly the same size as the others. That way, they’ll all be done at the same time.
If you have some really big chunks of potatoes along with much littler ones, they won’t grill evenly. You’ll end up with some that are undercooked while others are edging toward a sadly charred, crisp-ified state.
For this recipe, I’ve found that the perfect size is 1/2″ pieces.
That’s the idea size for the insides to be tender at the same point that the outsides have reached an alluring golden-brown. It’s also a great “bite” size, terrific for no-fuss eating when everyone’s balancing plates of food on their laps at a backyard grill party.
Precisely how many pieces you’ll get from cutting each potato really depends on the size of potato you’re using. Shoot for 1/2″ pieces, and you’ll be set.
Step #1
Place those perfectly cut potatoes in the middle of a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Equipment Tip: The Right Foil for the Job
In my photos, I’m using a piece of foil from a standard grocery-store roll, which is approximately 12″ x 22″. Through all the times we’ve made this recipe, though, I’ve also used foil off the larger rolls you get at warehouse stores like Costco. In that case, I go for a size of roughly 17″-18″ square.
What’s most important here, though, is to use thick enough foil. A single layer of heavy-duty foil is ideal. That’s key both for durability (so your precious packet of potato joy doesn’t rip as you’re flipping it on the grill!), and also to help protect your potato pieces from burning over the grill’s high temperature. We’re shooting for some deep, golden-brown areas, but we definitely don’t want too much charring.
If you don’t have heavy-duty foil, use a double layer of “regular,” thin foil instead.
Step #2
Drizzle and sprinkle all of your other ingredients on top of the potatoes – plenty of flavorful, punchy garlic, plus a little oil, salt, and pepper.
Like I mentioned before, you can (and should!) save a bowl by doing this directly on your aluminum foil. Besides having one less bowl to wash after dinner, you’ll also be sort of smearing and spreading the olive oil around on the foil as you toss your potatoes around (which eliminates the need for nonstick cooking spray).
I usually use my hands to thoroughly toss and combine the ingredients. That way, I can be sure all the potatoes are thinly slicked with oil, and that the garlic, salt, and pepper are evenly distributed. You can use a spoon if you prefer, as long as you’re thorough in mixing everything.
Step #3
Now you’re ready to make your foil packet! This is really, really easy, but let me walk you through the steps if you’ve never done it before.
First, bring the shortest sides (if your foil is a rectangle) of your foil together and fold them together tightly 3-4 times, to seal the packet in one direction. Like this:
Then fold each of the other ends inward 2-3 times, to seal your packet at each end. Like this:
You want a flat-bottomed foil packet with a bit of air space inside. And, you want it to be completely, tightly crimped closed to seal in the moisture.
Step #4
Put your foil pack potatoes on the grill over medium heat for about 30-35 minutes. Flip and gently shake your packet around a bit, every 8-10 minutes or so.
As I mentioned above, you can do the flipping-shaking step using grill tongs or oven mitts – but remember to be careful as it is, of course, a hot situation working over those grill grates!
Again, your goal is to have potatoes that are wonderfully fork-tender. Some pieces that have had lengthier contact with the packet’s edges will also have those great grilled, toasty edges. So, you should end up with a yummy mix of soft, fluffy bits with flavorful, seared bits mixed in, too. Absolutely delicious!
Adjusting for YOUR Grill
Remember that grills and grill temps generally aren’t precisely calibrated or completely consistent from one grill to the next. The exact cooking time for any grill recipe will have a bit of wiggle room.
While that holds true from one gas grill to the next, it’s even more of a factor if you’re using a charcoal grill or trying your hand at campfire-style foil packet potatoes.
The first time you make this recipe, if you happen to open the packet and find they’re not quite done, don’t panic. Simply seal the packet back up and give them a few more minutes.
Step #5
Once you’ve taken your potato packet off the grill, carefully open it (watch out for steam burns!) to reveal the potato bliss awaiting inside. (Ohhhhhh yum yum yum!)
You’ll likely have a few potatoes that are a little bit stuck to the bottom of the foil.
That’s ok! Remember that’s what we’re actually really hoping for.
Gently loosen them, along with their fabulous, roasty-browned, grilled edges, and combine them into the rest of the potatoes so the extra-caramelized ones mix and mingle throughout.
You’ll have that fabulous mixture of soft and toasty textures, along with the savory flavor of toasted garlic.
Mmmmmm … outstanding!
How to Serve the Potatoes
As you may have noticed from my photos, you can either serve the Grilled Potatoes straight out of the foil packet, or you can transfer them to a serving bowl for a less rustic presentation.
If you’re really feeling all fancy-schmancy, you can sprinkle them with a bit of fresh parsley, or try some creative adaptations to make these truly your very own …
Adapting Your Potatoes
So, I’ll be honest. The way this recipe is written (down on the recipe card) is exactly how we like these potatoes. Simple seasoning, plenty of punchy garlic. YUM. It’s the way I make them, every time.
BUT …
You should still absolutely feel free to personalize them and really put your own spin on them. Here are some ideas to try:
- These are meant to be pretty garlic-y. We’ve tried using less garlic, but this is always how we like them best – lots of roasted garlic flavor! If you’re not a big garlic fan, though, or if other parts of your meal are heavily garlic-y, you can certainly try scaling it back to your own liking.
- If you want to add other herbs or spices to match these potatoes with your main dish, I recommend adding dry, jarred spices at the beginning, before you grill … or tossing on fresh herbs at the very end, after you’ve taken the potatoes off the heat. There are lots of directions you could go here, from Italian seasoning to Mexican spices to kicky Cajun vibes … or simply to highlight whatever lovely, fresh herbs you have growing in your garden.
- You can also finish these off with classic, baked potato-style toppings, like a dollop of reduced-fat sour cream, a sprinkling of thinly sliced green onions or fresh chives with parmesan cheese, or even a little bit of shredded cheddar cheese and bacon bits.
- One last idea: you could try drizzling your potatoes with a little bit of whatever sauces or dressings you’re using in other pasts of your meal, to tie everything together.
What to Serve with Your Delicious Potatoes
This recipe really is a blissfully easy side dish you can pair with nearly anything else you might be grilling.
One of our go-to summer meals is serving these wonderful potatoes with grilled steak and grilled asparagus. It’s so fantastic – an entire meal, all cooked up on the grill!
You should also give these a try with our:
- Italian Grilled Hamburgers or our Fajita Burgers with Guacamole Topping
- Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Garlic
- Caprese Grilled Fish
I really do like cooking our entire meal on the grill, if I’m out there preparing the main course, anyhow. So besides main dishes, I’ve also got lots of ideas for additional sides, and even appetizers and desserts that you can grill up, along with this potato recipe. My family adores:
- Mexican Street Corn Salad or perfect Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Easy Grilled Polenta with Fresh Mozzarella and Balsamic Tomatoes
- And for dessert? How about grilled Blueberry-Lemon Angel Food Cake, Banana Split Grilled Dessert Nachos (yep!! grilled nachos … for dessert!!), or Grilled Tropical Fruit with a decadently sweet almond-ricotta sauce
You can see the full lineup of our Favorite Grill Recipes HERE, or click the button below to see even more grilling ideas and menu inspiration:
FAQs At-a-Glance
Sure! I recommend using two foil packs, though, instead of one larger one.
Some recipes do tell you to parboil or partially cook your potatoes before grilling them, to start the cooking process and ensure the insides are done before the outsides overcook or burn. However, using a foil packet and smaller pieces of potato enable us to skip that step in this easier, simpler recipe.
There’s no need to pre-soak them. Toss them with your oil and seasonings and they’re ready to grill!
You can, but grilling them on a slotted grill basket, a sheet of foil, or in a foil packet (like in this recipe) are all much easier options. Unless your potatoes are very large (like baking potatoes, for instance), grilling directly on the grill grates means you’re likely to lose lots of your delicious spuds between the grates and into the flames. *SAD*
According to the site Harvest to Table, you may also see red potatoes (which we prefer to use in this recipe), sold under names like new potatoes, red bliss potatoes, or even boiling potatoes. At my local store, I often see baby reds sold under the trademarked name “Ruby Sensation” Potatoes. Apparently, all these names refer to a small type of potato with reddish, thin skins (although the exact “small” size can vary somewhat).
Summer meals should be easy, and this recipe definitely fits that lazy, simple summer ethos!
Next time you’re planning to throw some dogs or burgers or chicken on the grill, toss these easy potatoes on the grill alongside.
You’ll have a deliciously perfect side dish to complete your meal … with hardly any extra effort at all!
~ by Shelley
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Grilled Potatoes (in Foil)
Ingredients
- 1 pound red potatoes , cut into 1/2-inch pieces (see note)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- optional for garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place potatoes in the middle of a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil (approximately a 17" square or a 12" x 22" rectangle). If you don't have heavy-duty foil, use a double-layer of thin foil pieces instead.
- Drizzle and sprinkle all other ingredients on top of the potatoes. Toss the ingredients with your hands or a large spoon, so that the potatoes are evenly coated with the oil, and the garlic, salt, and pepper are evenly distributed throughout.
- Bring the sides (shortest sides if your foil is a rectangle) of the foil together and fold tightly 3-4 times to seal the packet in one direction. Then fold the other sides 2-3 times to seal the packet in the other direction. (Refer to photos in post above.)
- Grill the potato packet over medium heat for 30-35 minutes (until potatoes are fork-tender), flipping and gently shaking the packet approximately every 8-10 minutes. (Note that a few potatoes may still stick to the foil and develop roasty brown spots, which is desirable.)
- Open the pack and gently dislodge any potatoes that have stuck a little, distributing them throughout the rest of the potatoes. Serve immediately, sprinkled with fresh parsley, if desired (see note).
Notes
Nutrition
* Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.
I whipped up these grilled potatoes last night, and they were a hit with the whole family! Such a simple yet delicious side dish for summer cookouts.
I’m so happy your family enjoyed this, Vicky! We love throwing these potatoes on the grill when we’re already grilling our main course anyway – it really is so very quick and easy! Thanks for the lovely feedback! 😀 ~Shelley