These easy Pesto roasted potatoes are packed with flavor and roasted to perfection. Crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Impressive enough for guests, but easy enough for a family weeknight meal.
These Pesto roasted potatoes are the perfect side dish and really easy to make with just a few ingredients. All you need are potatoes, pesto, spices, parmesan and lemon zest. This recipe is both gluten-free and vegetarian, but can also easily be made vegan.
Potatoes are a great ingredient to use, they are healthy, cheap and can be made in a lot of different ways. But my favourite way of cooking them, has to be roasted potatoes.
Another one of my favourite potato recipes is this Roasted Greek Potatoes with Lemon Tzatziki or these delicious Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli.
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Ingredients
Roasted potatoes with pesto are easy to make with just a few ingredients. For the full ingredient measurements, scroll down to view the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Russet potatoes, or another potato with a low starch content, also called waxy potatoes. Use a firm potato that holds its shape while roasting.
- Pesto, use store-bought or homemade. to make these roasted potatoes vegan, use a vegan pesto.
- Sea salt, the coarse texture of sea salt works so well to top these potatoes with.
- Black pepper, freshly ground black pepper always tastes best.
- Chili flakes, just a little for a hint of heat. Can also be left out if you are not a fan of spicy food.
- Parmesan cheese, freshly grated tastes best. Ads a little crunch and flavor to these roasted potatoes. For a vegan dish, just a vegan parmesan cheese alternative.
- Lemon zest, preferably from an organic lemon. Make sure and rinse it well and only use the yellow part of the peal.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Roasted potatoes with pesto are easy to make. Follow along with the step-by-step photos and instruction below. For the full written instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom.
Cut the potatoes into chunks, about 1,5 inches. Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet.
Toss them well with the pesto and spices and spread out in a single layer. Bake the potatoes until golden brown and crispy.
Sprinkle with the parmesan and bake for another couple of minutes until the parmesan is just melted.
Toss with the lemon zest and season with a little extra sea salt.
Hint: Don’t forget to stir the potatoes a few times for them to roast evenly and prevent burning. You want a golden brown exterior and a soft interior.
Substitutions and Variations
- Spicy – add some extra chili pepper flakes to taste or fresh chopped chilies after the potatoes are roasted.
- Vegan – To make this dish vegan, use a vegan pesto and a vegan parmesan alternative, or omit the cheese all together.
- Potatoes – In this recipe I have used russet potatoes. They might not always be available and can be substituted with larger waxy potatoes. As long as they have a with a low starch content, so they hold their shape while roasting in the oven and get really crispy and delicious.
For another roasted potato recipe, try this Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli.
Storage
If you have leftovers, cooke them down to room temperature and then place them in an airtight container or ziplock bag and then store them for 3 to 5 days in the fridge.
The potatoes can also be frozen for about 4 months. The texture of the potatoes might change a little when frozen.
Top tip
For a larger crowd, double this recipe. These potatoes also reheat well for meal prep. To crisp them up again, I recommend reheating them in a single layer in the oven for a few minutes.
FAQ
Yes! This side dish is easy to make vegan. Use a vegan pesto and a vegan parmesan alternative, or omit the cheese all together.
For every roasted potatoes, make sure they are in a single layer. This will ensure all sides of the potatoes gets crispy. Also make sure the oven is set to the right temperature.
More side dishes to try:
More potato dishes:
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These easy Pesto roasted potatoes are packed with flavor and roasted to perfection. Crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Impressive enough for guests, but easy enough for a family weeknight meal.
- 1,5 kg (3 lbs.) russet potatoes, washed and peeled
- 3 tablespoons pesto, plus extra for serving
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon course ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ cups grated parmesan cheese
- zest of 1 small lemon
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Preheat the oven to 225C (450F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or brush with a little oil.
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Cut the potatoes into chunks, about 1,5 inches. Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Toss them well with the pesto and spices and spread out in a single layer.
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Bake the potatoes for 30-40 minutes, stir ones or twice while baking. Check the potatoes to make sure they are fully cooked through and golden and crisp on the outside.
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Sprinkle with the parmesan and bake for another couple of minutes until the parmesan is just melted.
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Toss with the lemon zest and season with a little extra sea salt. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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