Recently, we took a trip with my father-in-law to visit places from his childhood. He reminisced about his grandma, a miller in Jimramov, and her talent for making humble but delicious Czech dishes. One memorable recipe was roasted potatoes with fried breadcrumbs. I tried it out, and now am excited to share these crispy potatoes with you!
In this post: About the recipe · Czech Strouhanka breadcrumbs · Ingredients you need · Instructions · How to serve · Useful tips
➜ About the recipe
For this recipe, go for young, small potatoes that don’t need peeling. Slice them into wedges, drizzle with oil, and roast in the oven. While they cook, fry breadcrumbs in butter with a pinch of salt until crispy. When the potatoes are ready, toss them with the crispy breadcrumbs and serve!
My father-in-law remembers having breadcrumb potatoes as a main dish with a glass of milk, no meat needed. So for those who avoid meat, these potatoes make a tasty Czech vegetarian dish.
This recipe dates back to the 1940s. The Czech name literally translates to baked potatoes with fried breadcrumbs, perfectly describing the dish: „pečené brambory s křupavou strouhankou“. Click on the audio to hear the Czech pronunciation.
➜ What is Czech Strouhanka breadcrumbs
First things first, let's talk about traditional Czech breadcrumbs! These breadcrumbs are made from completely dried white bread, ground with a hand grinder or food processor. The best options are Czech Rohlíky rolls, braided Housky rolls, or French baguettes if you are abroad.
Czechs usually use leftover bread, making it a great way to reuse stale bread. Traditional Czech breadcrumbs are perfect for authentic Czech recipes, such as Řízek schnitzel, sweet Šišky with fried breadcrumbs or Sekaná meatloaf.
➜ Ingredients you need
- Young potatoes – Egg-sized potatoes with thin skins that don't need peeling. I used early potatoes, which are usually harvested in the summer. They have a milder flavor and cook faster.
- Sunflower oil or canola – For drizzling over potatoes before baking them in the oven.
- Breadcrumbs – Ground from dried white bread, like French baguettes. Plain breadcrumbs with no added flavorings.
- Unsalted butter – For frying the breadcrumbs.You can also use salted butter; if you do, reduce or skip the salt when seasoning the breadcrumbs.
- Salt – To taste.
✅ You will find the exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card below, which you can also print out.
➜ Instructions
STEP 1: Wash the potatoes thoroughly under running water or scrub them with a vegetable brush to remove any dirt. Afterward, dry the potatoes with a tea towel and slice them lengthwise into quarters.
STEP 2: Arrange the potato wedges in a baking dish and drizzle them with oil. Use your hands to rub the potatoes, ensuring they are evenly greased on all sides.
STEP 3: Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Bake the potatoes for 20-30 minutes until they are golden brown on top. I recommend occasionally stirring the potatoes with a wooden flat spatula to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the baking dish.
TIP: If you are using regular potatoes, they will need a longer baking time.
STEP 4: While the potatoes are baking, prepare the breadcrumbs. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add the breadcrumbs. Fry the breadcrumbs, stirring constantly, until they are golden and crispy. Season with salt to taste, adjusting the amount based on whether you used salted or unsalted butter and the type of bread used to make the breadcrumbs.
STEP 5: Using a flat wooden spatula, loosen the potatoes from the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle them with the hot fried breadcrumbs, then mix and shake. Voilà, your crispy potatoes are ready to serve!
➜ Serving
Serve the potatoes with the crispy breadcrumbs right away since the breadcrumbs can get soggy if they sit too long. They taste great on their own with a glass of milk or buttermilk. I also like to add a bowl of summer salad on the side. These crispy potatoes are also a hit as a side dish with meat.
➜ Useful tips
- If you have leftovers, store the cooled potatoes in the fridge and use them within three days. To reheat, warm them in a frying pan over medium heat with a little butter. This should help the breadcrumbs crisp up again.
- To prevent the potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the baking dish, line the dish with parchment paper.
- When adding the fried breadcrumbs to the potatoes, make sure both are hot. This ensures the breadcrumbs adhere well to the potatoes, creating a deliciously crispy crust.
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Roasted Breadcrumb Potatoes
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes raw, early potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon sunflower oil (or canola)
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust the exact amount to your liking
- ⅓ stick unsalted butter
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash 2 pounds potatoes under running water or scrub with a vegetable brush to remove dirt. Pat them dry with a tea towel, then slice lengthwise into quarters.
- Place the potato wedges in a baking dish and drizzle with 1 Tablespoon sunflower oil. Use your hands to rub the potatoes, ensuring they are evenly coated on all sides.
- Preheat the oven to
390 °F. Bake the potatoes for 20-30 minutes until golden brown on top. Occasionally stir them with a wooden flat spatula to prevent sticking. - While the potatoes bake, prepare the breadcrumbs. Melt ⅓ stick unsalted butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add ½ cup breadcrumbs. Stir constantly until they are golden and crispy. Season with 1 teaspoon salt to taste, adjusting based on whether you used salted or unsalted butter and the type of bread for the breadcrumbs.
- Use a flat wooden spatula to loosen the potatoes from the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle them with the hot fried breadcrumbs, then mix and shake, and serve.
Notes
- The basic recipe makes 4 portions.
- If you are using regular potatoes instead early ones, they will need a longer baking time.
- To prevent the potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the baking dish, line the dish with parchment paper.
- SERVING: Serve the potatoes with the crispy breadcrumbs immediately, as the breadcrumbs can become soggy if left too long. They are delicious on their own with a glass of milk or buttermilk. I also enjoy pairing them with a summer salad.
- These crispy potatoes also make an excellent side dish that pair perfectly with meat.
- If you have leftovers, store the cooled potatoes in the fridge and use them within three days. To reheat, warm them in a frying pan over medium heat with a little butter. This should help the breadcrumbs crisp up again.
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