Honey-Mustard Roast Potatoes with Crispy Bacon (German-Style Sheet-Pan Side)

There is a particular kind of magic that happens when crispy roast potatoes meet a sticky, glossy honey-mustard glaze — and right now, home cooks across Germany and beyond are rediscovering exactly that. Honey-mustard roast potatoes (in German, Honig-Senf-Kartoffeln) have quietly become one of autumn's most-searched comfort dishes, and a single forkful explains why: golden and crackling on the outside, fluffy within, lacquered in mustard and real Greek thyme honey, with salty shards of crispy bacon running through every bite.

Here is the honest truth that separates a good tray of potatoes from an unforgettable one, though — the glaze is only ever as good as the honey you stir into it. A cheap supermarket squeeze bottle tastes flat and one-note sweet, and it scorches the moment it hits a hot oven. Our Thyme Honey from Greece brings something else entirely: a wild, herbaceous, almost peppery depth that stands up to the mustard instead of disappearing under it. Grab a jar here and you will taste the difference in your very first batch.

Why these honey-mustard potatoes work so well

This is the kind of dish that looks impressive but asks almost nothing of you. Everything roasts on one tray, the ingredient list is short, and the technique is forgiving. The crispy edges come from a hot oven and a generous coating of good olive oil; the deep, savoury-sweet finish comes from a glaze that is brushed on near the end so the honey caramelises without burning.

It is comfort food with a Mediterranean heart. We roast the potatoes in our Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the Peloponnese — hand-harvested, naturally cloudy and heat-stable up to 180°C — so the potatoes crisp beautifully without the oil turning bitter. Then we finish with thyme honey, and the whole tray tastes like autumn in the eastern Mediterranean. Stock your pantry with Greek thyme honey before you start.

The one ingredient that makes the difference

If you remember one thing from this recipe, make it this: do not reach for ordinary honey. The glaze is the soul of the dish, and our Greek Thyme Honey is built for exactly this job.

It is raw and cold-spun — never heated — so its natural enzymes and that unmistakable captivating aroma survive intact. The bees forage on wild thyme that grows across sun-baked Greek hillsides, which gives the honey a herbal, resinous character with a gentle peppery edge; stirred into mustard, it reads as grown-up and complex rather than cloying. It is gently handcrafted and sustainably harvested, pure and unprocessed, with nothing added. With a supermarket blend you get sugar; with Jegit you get flavour with a sense of place. Order your jar of thyme honey now and keep it on hand — you will find a hundred uses for it.

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a generous side, or 2–3 as a main. You will need:

• 1 kg small waxy potatoes (such as Drillinge / baby potatoes), halved
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil from the Peloponnese
• 150 g smoked streaky bacon or pancetta, cut into lardons
• 2 tbsp Greek thyme honey
• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard (plus 1 tsp Dijon for extra kick)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme
• Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

The two ingredients worth buying well are the honey and the oil — they are what lift this from a weeknight side to something people ask you to make again. Add the thyme honey to your basket here.

How to make honey-mustard roast potatoes with crispy bacon

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 220°C (200°C fan). Put a large baking tray in to heat — a hot tray is the secret to crispy edges.
2. Parboil the potatoes. Add the halved potatoes to salted boiling water and cook for 8 minutes, until just tender at the edges. Drain well and leave to steam-dry for 5 minutes, then give the colander a gentle shake to rough up the surfaces.
3. Roast. Carefully tip the potatoes onto the hot tray, drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss. Roast for 25 minutes, turning once.
4. Add the bacon. Scatter over the bacon lardons and return to the oven for 10 minutes, until the potatoes are deep golden and the bacon is crisp.
5. Make the glaze. While they roast, whisk together the thyme honey, wholegrain mustard, Dijon, grated garlic and vinegar with a pinch of salt.
6. Glaze and finish. Pour the glaze over the hot potatoes and bacon, toss quickly to coat, and roast for a final 4–5 minutes so the honey turns sticky and glossy. Watch closely — you want caramelised, not burnt.
7. Serve. Tip onto a warm platter, scatter with fresh thyme leaves and a little extra flaky salt, and serve straight away.

Tips, swaps and ways to make it your own

Keep it vegetarian by leaving out the bacon and adding a handful of halved cherry tomatoes in the last 15 minutes — the thyme-honey glaze carries the dish on its own. For a sharper finish, add a squeeze of lemon at the table. Want it more of a main? Nestle in some sausages or roast chicken thighs alongside the potatoes from the start.

The glaze itself is endlessly useful: the same honey-mustard mix is brilliant brushed over roast carrots, drizzled on a warm goat's cheese salad, or spooned over grilled halloumi. Once you have a jar of real thyme honey open, it quietly improves everything. Keep a jar in the cupboard.

What to serve with them

These potatoes love a simple green salad with a sharp dressing to cut the richness, or a pile of roasted autumn vegetables. They are also a showstopping side for a Sunday roast, a slow-braised beef, or anything off the grill.

Before you preheat the oven: a dish this simple lives or dies by its ingredients. Treat yourself to a jar of genuine Greek thyme honey and taste what a real glaze can do. Shop Jegit Thyme Honey here.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make honey-mustard potatoes ahead of time?
Parboil and roast the potatoes up to the bacon stage a few hours ahead, then glaze and give them their final blast in a hot oven just before serving so they stay crisp and sticky.

Which honey is best for a honey-mustard glaze?
A raw, aromatic honey with real character works best. Our Greek thyme honey is cold-spun and never heated, so its herbal, slightly peppery notes shine through the mustard instead of tasting plainly sweet.

Will the honey burn in the oven?
Not if you add it near the end. Brush the glaze on for only the final 4–5 minutes at 220°C so it caramelises to a glossy, sticky finish rather than scorching.

Crispy, sticky, salty and sweet — this is the honey-mustard tray that will have everyone back for seconds. Make it once with real Greek thyme honey and you will never go back to the squeeze bottle. Order your Jegit thyme honey today and taste the Mediterranean in every forkful — Pour La Vie.