Few side dishes are more comforting than roasted potatoes. But sometimes you’re looking for a little more flavor, like bright, herby, garlicky pesto! These Pesto Parmesan Roasted Potatoes are the best of both worlds. Creamy, tender potatoes surrounded by a crispy crust of parmesan cheese and basil pesto. I’d be lying if I said these potatoes weren’t completely addicting. Be careful – they just might outshine your main event.
My sister loves potatoes – they are her carb of choice – so I had her in mind while making this recipe. I’m more of a pasta person myself, but these potatoes are so crazy good, I don’t even miss any pasta! If you’re looking for an easy side for some summer grilled chicken or fish, or even to go along with a hearty roast, these potatoes are your new go-to.
One of the best parts about this recipe is that its so hands-off, the oven does most of the work for you. After stirring some cheese and slicing a few potatoes, the work is basically done! These potatoes go in the oven raw and come out soft, fluffy, and covered in crispy cheese. All that’s left to do is let them cool for a bit before digging in.
This dish comes together even faster if you buy pre-grated Parmesan cheese and jarred pesto. Just make sure to get the finest grated cheese you can find – it’s best for creating that frico crust. Honestly, the hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the potatoes to cool out of the oven.
Plus, basil pesto is one of my all time favorite sauces/dips/spreads. I think any dish that uses it is automatically elevated. So go ahead, fire up your oven and get these potatoes going. I promise that everyone at dinner will thank you.
I hope you love these Pesto Parmesan Roasted Potatoes as much as I do! If you make this recipe, leave a comment and let me know what you thought or feel free to ask a question! I’d also love to see what you made! Tag me in your food pics @fortheperfectbite or use #fortheperfectbite on Instagram.
Pesto Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs baby potatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 tbsp basil pesto homemade or store-bought
- ¾ cup finely grated parmesan
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 415°F.
- Wash the baby potatoes and slice them in halves.
- Thoroughly mix the 3 tablespoons of the pesto into the finely grated parmesan cheese until evenly distributed.
- Spread the olive oil over the bottom of a 9' x 13' casserole dish.
- Spread the pesto parmesan mixture around the bottom of the casserole dish in an even layer, then place the potatoes onto the cheese, cut side facing down.
- Sprinkle the tops of the potatoes with freshly cracked black pepper and the remaining 2 tablespoons of pesto.
- Bake for 32-40 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the cheese is crisp.
- Allow the potatoes to cool for 7-10 minutes to ensure the cheese layer stays crispy, then use a metal spatula to separate the potatoes from each other and scoop out of the dish.
- Serve warm and enjoy.
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