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These Easy Pesto-Roasted Potatoes will likely become a staple side dish in your kitchen once you discover how flavorful they are, yet how simple they are to prepare. Ready in only 30 minutes with basically three ingredients, they are crispy, cheesy and elegant enough for a special holiday meal as well as a weeknight dinner.
Easy Pesto-Roasted Potatoes are a great side dish to any meal–loaded with flavor and crispy texture and so good! They’ve been a hit every time that I’ve made them and have become my go-to recipe for a last minute dinner.
And, they couldn’t be easier! While roasting potatoes is likely not new to you, you may be pleasantly surprised once you realize how delicious they are when prepared this way. Start with a savory prepared pesto for ease, then toss it with the potatoes until they are well-coated, roast potatoes at a high heat until tender, sprinkle them with grated cheese, broil them until the cheese is nice and crispy, and that’s it!
I like to use sharp Pecorino Romano cheese for the final broiling step, which complements the more earthy flavor of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in the basil pesto.
Try this recipe at your next holiday meal. It’s designed to pair perfectly with your Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey dinners, including the main bird, turkey gravy and all the other delicious sides, too!
Ingredients–What You Need
To make Easy Pesto-Roasted Potatoes, we will be using the following ingredients:
- Potatoes: This recipe will work with almost any type of potato. I especially love it with red-bliss or baby Yukon gold potatoes as they both have thin skins and a creamy flesh, yielding a great roasted potato. If you use a larger potato, such as a russet, it can be peeled or unpeeled, based on your personal preference. The most important point about the potatoes is that they should be cut into uniform-sized pieces so that they all cook in approximately the same time.
- Pesto: With delicious ingredients like basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmigiano cheese and extra-virgin olive oil, pesto adds a savory punch and is all the seasoning that you will need for these delicious potatoes. I add a little freshly-ground black pepper to the potatoes after they are tossed with the pesto, but it can easily be left out. You can use store-bought or make it homemade.
- Pecorino Cheese: To add a really nice, toasted cheese topping to these potatoes, I choose sharp pecorino cheese to complement the earthy parmigiano already present in the pesto as the last step in cooking these potatoes. But, you can use parmigiano for this step if you prefer, or skip the final broiling step all together and still have a delicious dish.
A complete and detailed list of ingredients with amounts and instructions is included in the recipe below.
For another delicious recipe with pesto, check out Pesto Ricotta Pasta, a seriously simple recipe with a no-cook sauce and unbelievable flavor and creamy texture!
Step-By-Step Photos & Instructions, Pro-Tips included!
Here are the main steps for how to make Easy Pesto-Roasted Potatoes:
- Gather all ingredients and prep the potatoes.
- PRO-TIP: This recipe will work with almost any type of potato. I especially love it with red-bliss, baby Yukon gold and fingerling potatoes. The potatoes can be peeled or unpeeled, based on your personal preference. The most important point about the potatoes is that they should be cut into uniform-sized pieces so that they all cook in approximately the same time.
- Toss the potatoes with pesto until the potatoes are evenly-coated, then arrange them in a single-layer on a parchment-lined, rimmed sheet pan. Sprinkle them lightly with black pepper.
- Roast the potatoes uncovered until they are tender and crispy.
- PRO-TIP: Rotate the sheet pan once about halfway through the cooking process.
- Sprinkle the potatoes with pecorino cheese, then broil for 2 to 3 minutes, watching it closely so as to prevent burning. Remove the potatoes from the oven immediately once the cheese begins to brown lightly.
- PRO-TIP: This recipe is best when served immediately, but can be prepared up to two days prior to serving and reheated just before dinner. Cover and reheat at 350˚F until it reaches a 165˚F internal temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions for this Easy Pesto-Roasted Potatoes recipe:
What is the best potato to use in this recipe?
This recipe will work with almost any type of potato. I especially love it with red-bliss or baby Yukon gold potatoes as they both have thin skins and a creamy flesh, yielding a great roasted potato. If you use a larger potato, such as a russet, it can be peeled or unpeeled, based on your personal preference. The most important point about the potatoes is that they should be cut into uniform-sized pieces so that they all cook in approximately the same time.
Can I skip the last broiling step?
For sure. These Pesto-Roasted Potatoes are delicious even without the last step of adding grated cheese and broiling. I always encourage everyone to make my recipes their own, and do what feels right to them.
Accompaniments for Easy Pesto-Roasted Potatoes
Although these Easy Pesto-Roasted Potatoes are perfect for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, they truly are not just for holidays! Because they are so easy to prepare, I enjoy them year-round both on weeknights and weekends. They pair perfectly with Lemon Herb Roast Chicken, pot roast, chicken cutlets and a simple grilled steak or salmon.
Having said this, there is no doubt that this recipe is a must for the fall and winter holidays, along with these other favorites:
- Homemade Turkey Gravy
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Creamed Spinach with Croutons
- Cranberry Sauce with Orange
- Raw Cranberry Pomegranate Relish
- Sheet Pan Sausage, Mushrooms and Fennel
If you like this potato recipe with pesto, check out these other great recipes: Baked Turkey Meatballs with Pesto, Pasta al Pesto, aand Pesto alla Siciliana.
Kitchen Tools for Easy Pesto-Roasted Potatoes
To make this recipe, you will need the following:
- Cutting board with non-slip mat underneath (I use shelf liner)
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Multiple bowls to hold prep
- Sheet pan
- Parchment Paper
- Serving utensils
More Great Recipes to Try
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Easy Pesto-Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds potatoes rinsed and cut into even, bite-sized pieces (See NOTE.)
- ¾ cup pesto, homemade or store bought
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup grated pecorino cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F and arrange a rack in the center of the oven.
- Gather all ingredients. Prep the potatoes: They can be peeled or unpeeled, based on your preference. Cut them into roughly 1”-sized chunks. Hold the potatoes in cold water until cooking time to prevent browning.3 pounds potatoes
- Drain the potatoes if being held in cold water, then place them in a large bowl and toss with pesto until the potatoes are evenly-coated. Use additional pesto as needed.¾ cup pesto,
- Arrange the pesto-rubbed potatoes in a single-layer on a parchment-lined, rimmed sheet pan. Sprinkle them lightly with black pepper.Freshly ground black pepper
- Roast uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. They should be both tender and crispy. Rotate the sheet pan once about halfway through the cooking process.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and turn the oven to broil mode. Sprinkle the potatoes evenly with the pecorino cheese, then return the sheet pan to the oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, watching it closely so as to prevent burning. Remove the potatoes from the oven immediately once the cheese begins to brown lightly. Serve immediately.¼ cup grated pecorino cheese
Notes
- This recipe will work with almost any type of potato. I especially love it with red-bliss, baby Yukon gold and fingerling potatoes. The potatoes can be peeled or unpeeled, based on your personal preference. The most important point about the potatoes is that they should be cut into uniform-sized pieces so that they all cook in approximately the same time.
- This recipe is best when served immediately, but can be prepared up to two days prior to serving and reheated just before dinner. Cover and reheat at 350˚F until it reaches a 165˚F internal temperature.
- To add a really nice, toasted cheese topping to these potatoes, I choose sharp pecorino cheese to complement the earthy parmigiano already present in the pesto as the last step in cooking these potatoes. But, you can use parmigiano for this step if you prefer, or skip the final broiling step all together and still have a delicious dish.
Winner recipe! So easy and delicious!