These homemade potato wedges cost 41p per serving — including the garlic dipping sauce. You need 400g Maris Piper potatoes, a few basic spices, yogurt, and mayo. Total hands-on time is about 10 minutes. The oven does the rest. Yes, they freeze.
Table of Contents
- Why This Works
- Full Cost Breakdown
- What You Need
- Step-by-Step Method
- What If It Goes Wrong?
- Common Mistakes
- Is This Worth Making?
- Storage and Freezing
- FAQ
A bag of frozen potato wedges from Tesco costs around £1.75 for 750g — that works out to roughly 70p per serving before you even add a sauce. Make them yourself from Maris Piper potatoes and that same serving drops to 49p. Add a proper homemade garlic dipping sauce and the whole thing — wedges plus sauce — lands at 41p per serving. That is not a rough estimate. That is the actual cost, ingredient by ingredient, checked at Tesco in April 2026.
They are also better. Noticeably better. The frozen ones go a bit soft in the middle and have that slightly cardboard quality that no amount of seasoning fixes. These do not.
Why This Works
Three things make this recipe reliable. First, Maris Piper potatoes. They are floury inside and hold their shape on the outside — exactly what you need for a wedge that is crispy on the exterior and fluffy when you bite through. A waxy potato like Charlotte would stay firm all the way through. Not what you want.
Second, keeping the skin on. The skin acts as a natural casing that stops the wedge from falling apart and adds a proper bite to the exterior. Peeling them is extra work that actually makes them worse.
Third, 220°C is hot enough to get real colour without steaming. Lower than that and the wedges just sit there going pale and soft. You need the heat.
The garlic sauce is a yogurt and mayo base. Yogurt brings a slight tang and keeps it light. Mayo brings the richness. Together they make something that tastes like it came from a restaurant rather than your kitchen. The ratio matters — too much yogurt and it goes watery, too much mayo and it becomes heavy. The 150ml yogurt to 115ml mayo split is the one to stick with.
One thing nobody mentions about this kind of recipe: the sauce actually improves after 30 minutes in the fridge. The garlic powder softens and distributes more evenly. Make it while the wedges are in the oven and it will be better by the time they come out than it was when you first mixed it.
Full Cost Breakdown
| Ingredient | Quantity | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| WEDGES | ||
| Maris Piper potatoes (Tesco 2.5kg bag ~£1.80) | 400g | 36p |
| Paprika | 1 tsp | 3p |
| Garlic flakes or powder | 1 tsp | 4p |
| Onion powder | 1 tsp | 4p |
| Vegetable oil | 1 tbsp | 2p |
| Wedges subtotal | 49p | |
| GARLIC SAUCE | ||
| Natural yogurt (Aldi/Lidl own brand) | 150ml | 25p |
| Mayonnaise (homemade or Aldi own brand) | 115ml | 30p |
| Garlic powder | 3 tsp | 12p |
| Dried parsley | 1 tsp | 4p |
| Black pepper | ½ tsp | 3p |
| Salt | Pinch | ~0p |
| Sauce subtotal (makes ~230ml) | 74p | |
| Total (3 servings, wedges + sauce) | £1.23 | |
| Per serving | 41p |
⚠️ Price Disclaimer: Prices checked at Tesco and Aldi, April 2026. Costs may vary slightly by store, location, and season. Maris Piper prices in particular can shift — if unavailable, any floury potato variety will work.
What You Need
For the wedges (3 servings):
- 400g Maris Piper potatoes (skin on)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic flakes or garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
For the garlic sauce (makes ~230ml):
- 150ml natural yogurt
- 115ml mayonnaise (homemade or Aldi own brand)
- 3 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Pinch of salt
You will also need: Large baking tray, foil, mixing bowl, measuring spoons, jug for the sauce.
Supermarket note: Garlic flakes are sometimes hard to find at smaller Tesco Express branches — garlic powder works identically for the sauce. For the wedge coating, flakes are fine as they are. If you only have one or the other, use it for both.
Step-by-Step Method
Step 1 — Make the coating
Put the oil, garlic flakes, onion powder, and paprika into a large bowl. Give it a good mix. It will look like a dark, slightly oily paste — that is exactly right. If you have garlic flakes rather than powder, they work perfectly for the wedges as they are. For the sauce, you will want them blended down to a powder, but more on that later.
Step 2 — Prep the potatoes
Wash and scrub the potatoes. Leave the skin on — it is doing a job here, so do not peel them. Cut each potato in half lengthways, then each half into three or four wedges depending on size. You want them chunky. Too thin and they go crispy all the way through without that soft interior. The first time I cut them I went too thin and they basically turned into chips. Fine, but not the same.
Step 3 — Coat and tray up
Tip the wedges into the bowl with the coating and get in with your hands. Use your hands. A spoon will not coat them properly — you need to work the mixture into every surface. Once they are all covered, lay them out on a foil-lined baking tray in a single layer with a bit of space between each one. Crowding them means they steam instead of roast. Steamed wedges are not the goal.
Step 4 — Into the oven
220°C, or 200°C fan. Put them in and set a timer for 15 to 17 minutes. When it goes off, flip each wedge over — they will be starting to colour on the bottom and smell properly good at this point. Back in for another 15 to 18 minutes. Total cook time is 30 to 35 minutes. Every oven varies slightly so check them at 30.
Step 5 — Make the garlic sauce
Do this while the wedges are in the oven. If you are using garlic flakes rather than powder, blitz them quickly in a spice grinder or small blender first — they need to be powder consistency to dissolve into the sauce. Add the yogurt and mayo to a jug and mix well. Add three teaspoons of garlic powder, one of parsley, half a teaspoon of black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly. Taste it. The garlic hit should be strong — it mellows slightly as it sits.
Set it aside and leave it until the wedges are done. It genuinely improves over those 15 minutes.
Step 6 — Rest and serve
Take them out when they are deep golden with slightly darkened edges. Let them cool for two or three minutes — not longer, as they start to lose their crispness as they cool. Serve immediately with the garlic sauce alongside. One serving is about a third of the batch, which is a decent portion as a snack or a side.
What If It Goes Wrong?
❌ Wedges are pale and soft, not golden
Oven was not hot enough, or the tray was overcrowded. Make sure it is properly preheated to 220°C before the tray goes in. If they look pale at the 30-minute mark, give them another 5 to 8 minutes. Do not pull them early.
❌ Wedges are burning on the outside but raw inside
Cut too thin, or oven running too hot. If your oven tends to run hot, try 200°C fan and check at 25 minutes. The foil on the tray also helps — direct contact with metal can over-colour the underside.
❌ Sauce is too runny
The yogurt may have been quite watery. Drain it through a sieve lined with kitchen roll for 10 minutes before using, or use a thicker Greek-style yogurt. The sauce should coat a spoon — not pour off it.
❌ Garlic flavour is too faint in the sauce
Add another teaspoon of garlic powder and leave it for 10 more minutes. The powder needs time to hydrate and release its flavour. If you added it and tasted immediately, wait — it will get stronger.
Common Mistakes
- Peeling the potatoes. The skin holds the wedge together and adds texture. Leave it on.
- Using the wrong potato. Waxy varieties like Charlotte or Jersey Royal stay firm — they will not give you the fluffy interior. Stick to Maris Piper or another floury variety like King Edward.
- Not preheating the oven. Cold oven means the wedges start steaming before they roast. Always preheat fully.
- Stacking or overlapping on the tray. They need space to crisp up. Use two trays if you are doubling the recipe.
- Adding water to the sauce. Resist any urge to thin it — it should be thick enough to cling to a wedge when you dip.
- Skipping the flip. The side that started face-down on the foil will not colour properly on the other side. Flip at the halfway point. Every time.
Is This Worth Making?
41p a serving for something this good is not something you find often. The frozen alternatives cost more and taste worse. The hands-on time is genuinely about 10 minutes — the oven does the rest while you make the sauce. The sauce alone is worth making even if you buy your wedges from a shop. It is that good.
The only reason not to make these regularly is if you cannot be bothered to turn the oven on for a snack. Fair enough. But if you are already using the oven, these are worth adding to the tray alongside whatever else you are cooking. They work as a side with almost anything — a simple weeknight dinner, something with sausages, alongside leftover cold meats. Or just on their own with the sauce and something on telly.
I prefer Maris Piper. Just do.
Storage and Freezing
Fridge: Leftover wedges keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 200°C for 8 to 10 minutes — not the microwave, which makes them soft. They will not be quite as crispy as fresh, but close enough.
Freezer: Let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer on a tray first. Once frozen solid (about an hour), transfer to a freezer bag. This stops them clumping together. Cook from frozen at 220°C for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway. They come out properly good.
Sauce: Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed jar. Do not freeze — the yogurt and mayo will separate on thawing and the texture goes wrong. Make a fresh batch. It takes 3 minutes.
Eggs — present in mayonnaise (homemade or shop-bought).
Milk — present in natural yogurt.
If using shop-bought mayonnaise, check the label for additional allergens. Homemade mayo contains egg and oil only.
If you enjoyed this one, the homemade banoffee pie at 47p a slice uses a similar approach — proper ingredients, nothing fancy, costs almost nothing. And if you are making these wedges as a side for a bigger meal, the budget fruit loaf at 53p a slice makes a decent finish to any meal without spending much.
About the Author
Vinod Pandey researches and documents budget recipes from real UK home cooks. Every recipe on Baking on Budget is sourced from verified UK cooking sources, with ingredient costs checked against current Tesco, Aldi, and Lidl pricing. No guesswork — exact pence, every time.
Questions or corrections? Get in touch · LinkedIn
FAQ
Can I use a different type of potato?
Yes, but results vary. King Edward is the closest alternative and works well — floury inside, good exterior colour. Avoid waxy varieties like Charlotte or Desiree, which stay firm all the way through and do not give you that contrast between the crispy outside and the soft interior. If Maris Piper is out of stock (which happens, especially in late winter), King Edward is the best swap.
Do I have to make the mayonnaise from scratch?
No. Aldi own-brand mayo costs around 85p for 500ml, which works out to roughly 20p for the 115ml you need here. Homemade is cheaper still if you make it regularly, but for a one-off batch of wedges, shop-bought is absolutely fine. The sauce tastes excellent either way.
Can I cook these in an air fryer?
Yes. 200°C in an air fryer for about 20 to 25 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. They will be slightly less evenly coloured than the oven version because air fryers vary a lot in their heat distribution, but they work well and are quicker. Do not overcrowd the basket — same rule as the oven.
How do I stop the wedges from sticking to the tray?
The foil lining should handle it. If you do not have foil, baking paper works equally well. Do not use a greased-only tray without lining — at 220°C the coating can still stick, especially toward the end of cooking when the exterior has caramelised. The lining makes cleanup a lot easier too.
What can I serve these with besides the garlic sauce?
They work as a side with almost anything — sausages, grilled chicken, a simple salad, or cold meats from the fridge. For a budget dinner, serve them alongside baked beans and a fried egg. As a standalone snack, the garlic sauce is ideal, but a basic ketchup or a shop-bought soured cream dip both work. They also sit alongside roast dinners as an alternative to standard roasties — same potato, different shape, different texture.
Next time you would normally reach for a frozen bag, do this instead. The extra effort is about 10 minutes of actual work. The result is noticeably better, and the cost is lower. That is the specific next step — not a whole new recipe, just a different decision at the supermarket.
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