Description
A flavorful side dish featuring crispy roasted baby potatoes tossed in fresh pesto and topped with melted parmesan cheese and a bright lemon finish. Perfectly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, these Parmesan Pesto Roasted Potatoes bring Italian-inspired freshness and a cheesy twist to your dinner table.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Potatoes
- 1 pound baby potatoes, washed and any larger ones cut in half
Seasoning & Sauce
- 1 tablespoon pesto, plus extra for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 of a lemon (for juice)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400° F and prepare a rimmed baking sheet by spraying it with cooking spray or lining it with foil for easy cleanup.
- Toss Potatoes: In a bowl, toss the baby potatoes with 1 tablespoon of pesto, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until all potatoes are evenly coated with the pesto mixture.
- Roast Potatoes: Spread the coated potatoes in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast them in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Add Parmesan: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and sprinkle the roasted potatoes evenly with grated fresh parmesan cheese.
- Finish Roasting: Return the potatoes to the oven and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the outside is crisp and the insides are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Lemon Drizzle: Once roasted, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the potatoes to add brightness and fresh acidity.
- Serve: Transfer the potatoes to a serving plate or bowl and drizzle extra pesto and sprinkle more parmesan on top for an extra burst of flavor. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use baby potatoes for even cooking; larger potatoes can be cut in half to ensure tenderness.
- Freshly grated parmesan enhances flavor better than pre-grated.
- Adjust pesto amount to taste if you prefer a stronger or milder herb flavor.
- Lemon juice adds a subtle brightness that balances the richness of parmesan and pesto.
- For a crispier texture, spread potatoes in a single layer without crowding on the baking sheet.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
