Easy Pesto-Roasted Potatoes
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.
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.
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