These Cheesy 3-Ingredient Pesto Potatoes Are Designed for Pasta-Lovers
These crispy 3-ingredient roasted potatoes are tossed with lots of basil pesto and Parmesan cheese.
Serves4 to 6
Prep5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook26 minutes to 27 minutes
My personal carbs of choice, despite the fact that I’ve got some Irish blood running through me, tend to be Italian-leaning: pasta or really good bread. So, it’s no surprise that once of my favorite ways to enjoy roasted potatoes is with two of my favorite Italian flavors: pesto and Parmesan. The results are a pasta-lover’s potato: rich in garlicky, herby flavor and packed with cheese, with all the crispy goodness of the best roasted potatoes.
These 3-Ingredient Pesto Potatoes Barely Require a Recipe
These roasted potatoes are so simple that after you’ve made them once, you’ll never need to look at the recipe again. Baby potatoes (often sold in bags) are your best bet here: They cook up quickly, which means the pesto won’t have a chance to burn. Halve them, toss them with a glug of olive oil, a few generous spoonfuls of your favorite pesto (either store-bought or homemade), and salt and pepper. Roast until they turn golden and crisp, then shower with grated Parmesan cheese and broil them for a minute or two. The melty cheese adds a crunchy, salty coating to the potatoes, making them all too easy to inhale before you’ve even scooped them into a serving dish.
Do You Dress the Potatoes with Pesto Before or After Roasting?
Tossing the potatoes with pesto before roasting allows them to soak up the garlicky oils of the sauce while they cook, which will also help them crisp and caramelize. While you’ll loose the vibrant green color of the pesto in the process, its worth it to achieve crispy, richly flavored spuds.
What Goes Well With Pesto Potatoes
These potatoes taste great with just about anything. Chicken, fish, or steak — either grilled or cooked inside — are obvious choices, but you could even top a serving with a fried egg and some roasted tomatoes for a quick and summery meatless meal.
Pesto Potatoes Recipes
These crispy 3-ingredient roasted potatoes are tossed with lots of basil pesto and Parmesan cheese.
Prep time 5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook time 26 minutes to 27 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 pounds
baby red or Yukon gold potatoes
- 1/4 cup
basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup
finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.
Halve 2 pounds baby red or Yukon gold potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup basil pesto, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat. Transfer the potatoes to a rimmed baking sheet and arrange so they are cut-side down.
Roast until the potatoes are lightly browned on the bottom and they easily release from the pan with a flat spatula, about 15 minutes. Toss the potatoes and roast until browned all over and tender, about 10 minutes more.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Set the oven to broil. Sprinkle the potatoes with 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese. Broil until the cheese is soft and melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve garnished with more cheese, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
At Kitchn, our editors develop and debut brand-new recipes on the site every single week. But at home, we also have our own tried-and-true dishes that we make over and over again — because quite simply? We love them. Kitchn Love Letters is a series that shares our favorite, over-and-over recipes.