Preheat your oven to 450° F. In the meantime, add enough oil to your roasting pan so that the oil is approximately ¼-inch deep, together with a few sprigs of rosemary and vegan butter. Place the roasting pan in the oven while it preheats.
Add your chopped and peeled potatoes, along with baking soda, and salt to a large pot of water. Bring your water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Once your potatoes are just fork tender, drain them and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
Gently remove the preheated roasting pan from your oven and place your par-boiled potatoes, cut-side down, onto the sizzling oil. Make sure not to crowd the pan. Bake for about 25 minutes. Then, flip the potatoes and bake for about 5 more minutes, until all sides are uniformly golden brown.
Remove the potatoes from the roasting pan and place them in a large bowl (preferably made out of stainless steel). Add Italian seasoning (dried herbs), salt, garlic powder, and sugar. Enjoy!
