How to Grill Potatoes
on Jul 28, 2024, Updated Jul 10, 2025
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Grilled sliced potatoes are a total summer staple — lightly crispy, golden brown, and full of smoky, savory flavor. This easy step-by-step recipe teaches you how to grill sliced potatoes so they cook evenly and don’t stick, plus tips for seasoning and serving them up alongside your favorite grilled mains.
When it comes to summer sides, grilled sliced potatoes are hard to beat — golden brown, lightly crisped, and full of that irresistible smoky grill flavor. This easy method shows you exactly how to grill sliced potatoes right on the grates (no foil needed!), so they get that perfect combo of tender-in-the-middle with caramelized edges.
With a few smart how-to tips and a drizzle of olive oil, simple potatoes turn into a go-to side for burgers, grilled chicken, steaks — really, anything that comes off the grill. Think of these like the French fries of grilling!
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Try them with grilled lobster tail, grilled salmon, or grilled rib lamb chops.
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Best Kind of Potatoes to Grill
There are many potatoes that grill up beautifully, but potatoes with a waxier texture do best. Think of Yukon gold potatoes, in particular: these are my favorite for grilling. But you can also use this recipe with purple potatoes, sweet potatoes, or any large waxy red or white potatoes.
Fingerling potatoes, cut in half or left whole if they are small, will also be delicious grilled this way. You might need to use a grill basket for these to prevent them from falling through the grates. And, you can use baking potatoes if that’s what you have, though they will have a fluffier texture and the slices fall apart a bit.
How to Cook Sliced Potatoes on the Grill
- Parboil the potatoes: Scrub the potatoes, but leave the skins on. Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the potatoes in a pot and add salted water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook the potatoes for about 5 minutes until they are barely tender. Drain the potatoes and either blot dry with a paper towel or let them dry at room temperature.
- Oil and season the potato slices: Spread the dried potatoes on a cutting board or other clean surface and brush the top side with olive oil. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt.
- Grill the potatoes: Heat the grill to medium-high and brush with oil. Place the potatoes salt-side down on the hot grill. Use a heat-resistant basting brush to coat the other side with olive oil, and sprinkle the tops with kosher salt. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Flip: Turn the potatoes with a grill spatula and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until there are nice grill marks on both sides. The potatoes should be quite tender; a knife should slide in with no resistance, but they should not be falling apart.
- Serve: Remove the potatoes from the grill and serve immediately. Season with additional salt if needed and a sprinkle of fresh herbs if desired.
How to Serve Grilled Potatoes
- With a sprinkle of salt and some chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme or oregano.
- As part of an antipasti or grilled vegetable platter, perhaps drizzled with a touch of balsamic vinegar.
- Use them in Salad Nicoise or other composed salads.
- With a sauce for dipping: Arugula Basil Sauce, Harissa Dipping Sauce, or Sriracha Mayo.
What to Serve With Grilled Potatoes
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How to Grill Sliced Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds waxy potatoes (such as Yukon gold, purple, sweet, large waxy red or white)
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- ¼ cup olive oil (for brushing)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme, parsley, or oregano (optional)
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes, but leave the skins on. Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the potatoes in a pot and add salted water to cover. Bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and allow the potatoes to simmer for about 5 minutes until they are barely tender. Adjust the heat so the water stays at a simmer. Do not overcook the potatoes as they will continue cooking on the grill.
- Drain the potatoes and either blot dry with a paper towel or allow them to dry at room temperature. Spread the dried potatoes on a cutting board or other clean surface and brush the top side with olive oil. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt.
- Heat the grill to medium-high. Scrub the grill rack with a grill brush. Use grilling tongs to dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil, and wipe down the grill rack with the oil-dipped paper towels.
- Place the potatoes salt-side down on the grill. Use a basting brush to coat the other side with olive oil, and give the tops a sprinkle of kosher salt. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, then flip with a spatula and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until there are nice grill marks on both sides. The potatoes should be quite tender; a knife should slide in with no resistance, but they should not be falling apart.
- Remove the potatoes from the grill with a spatula to a serving bowl or platter and serve immediately. Season with additional salt if needed and a sprinkle of fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Things to Know About Grilling Sliced Potatoes
It is best to cook potatoes briefly in salted water before they hit the hot grill. This is called parboiling. The salted water adds flavor to the potatoes, inside and out. It also allows them to cook more evenly on the grill so the outside can become a nice grill-marked brown while the inside gets soft and tender. Because the inside will be mostly cooked, you can cook them at a higher heat, allowing the outside to get nice and crispy.
You can grill uncooked sliced potatoes as well. They will take longer and need to be cooked at a lower heat to prevent the exterior from browning too much before the inside becomes tender.
Yes, you can, but be careful when flipping the potato slices so you don’t lose any through the grill grates! A grill basket is an option and best for baby potatoes, but for larger slices of potato, this isn’t necessary. And, if you lose one or two slices, that’s the grilling gamble we all signed up for!
Olive oil will prevent dry grilled potatoes! Make sure to brush both sides of the sliced potatoes generously with oil. You can also brush the tops again after flipping the potatoes for even more flavor, shininess, and richness.
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