Herbed Party Potato Wedges

Thanksgiving. The Kowalski-O'Brien alliance had its first joint holiday. Thanksgiving dinner was at Tom and Linda's house, but Megan invited her parents to join. This was either brilliant or catastrophic. There is no in-between when you put a Polish Catholic family and an Irish Catholic family at the same table with alcohol and opinions.

It was brilliant.

Patrick O'Brien arrived with a bottle of Jameson and a handshake that could crush granite. He and Tom circled each other for about twenty minutes like two dogs meeting at a park — sniffing, sizing up, neither committing to friendship yet. Then Tom offered Patrick a beer and Patrick accepted and they stood in the kitchen and talked about the Packers and something clicked. By halftime of the early game, they were arguing about the 1996 Super Bowl like they'd been friends for thirty years.

Colleen brought soda bread and a green bean casserole and her particular brand of Irish warmth that fills every room she enters. Linda made the turkey — she does the turkey every year, and it is always perfectly fine, which is the best you can say about any Thanksgiving turkey. I made the pierogi (a Thanksgiving addition that no one questioned because pierogi belong at every meal) and the mashed potatoes and the gravy.

Megan sat between our mothers and moderated like a UN diplomat. She kept the wine flowing and the conversation light and when Patrick and Tom started arguing about whether kielbasa or corned beef was the superior cured meat, she redirected them to pie with the precision of someone who manages twenty-five nine-year-olds for a living.

Dessert was apple pie (Colleen's), pumpkin pie (Linda's), and the leftover funfetti cake from my birthday (Megan's, repackaged). I ate all three. No regrets. This is what Thanksgiving is: too much food, too many opinions, and the slow, grateful realization that your family is getting bigger.

Pierogi are the centerpiece, sure — but potatoes are the throughline of every Kowalski holiday table, and this Thanksgiving proved that rule holds even when you double the family size overnight. These Herbed Party Potato Wedges are what I reach for when I need something that works hard, feeds a crowd, and doesn’t require me to babysit a pot while Patrick and Tom are in the next room relitigating the 1996 Super Bowl. Crispy edges, soft middles, enough garlic and herbs to make the whole house smell like the meal has been going all day — exactly right for the chaos and warmth of a first joint holiday.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

4 lbs russet potatoes (about 6 large), scrubbed and cut into wedges
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (for finishing)
Flaky sea salt, for serving

Instructions

Preheat. Heat your oven to 425°F. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them. Using two pans ensures the wedges roast rather than steam — don’t crowd them.
Cut the potatoes. Slice each potato in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 3–4 wedges depending on size. Aim for roughly even thickness so they cook at the same rate.
Season. In a large bowl, toss the potato wedges with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Coat thoroughly so every wedge is covered.
Arrange. Spread the wedges skin-side down in a single layer across the two prepared baking sheets, making sure none are overlapping.
Roast. Bake for 35–40 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the wedges are deep golden on the outside and tender all the way through when pierced with a fork. The edges should be visibly crisp.
Finish and serve. Transfer to a large serving platter, scatter fresh parsley over the top, and hit them with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately while they’re hot and at peak crispiness.

Nutrition (per serving)

Herbed Party Potato Wedges — The Side Dish That Holds Two Families Together