Pesto Potatoes

5 from 10 votes
14 Comments

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These Pesto Potatoes are such a simple and savory side dish! Tender potatoes, coated with flavorful pesto and roasted to crispy perfection.

A bowl and spoonful of pesto potatoes
Featured with this Recipe
  1. Ingredients in Pesto Potatoes
  2. Suggestions for the Perfect Pesto
  3. Roasting vs. Grilling
  4. Add Extra Flavor
  5. How to Store and Reheat Pesto Potatoes
  6. Frequently Asked Questions
  7. What to Serve with Pesto Potatoes
  8. Pesto Potatoes Recipe

Pesto Potatoes are a fantastic side dish. Diced potatoes coated in pesto and roasted or grilled to perfection. So easy and packed with cheesy, nutty flavor! Pesto is so tasty on just about anything: pasta, sandwiches, chicken, veggies, and especially potatoes. If you haven’t used pesto much in cooking, you must give it a try; it’s sure to become one of your favorite new recipes. Whether you are looking to switch up your boring side-dish rut or trying to impress guests with your amazing culinary skills, this easy potato recipe is for you!

I came up with this recipe when I needed a side dish to some steak that we were cooking up that night. I had some potatoes, pesto, and parmesan cheese on hand from some other recipes that I had made that week. I diced the potatoes, tossed them in pesto, sprinkled on the cheese and baked them up in the oven. They turned out better than I could have imagined, so easy and loaded with flavor. They were such a big hit that now we make them regularly as a side dish. Sometimes I like to dip them in a little bit of ranch or sour cream for even more flavor but it’s definitely not necessary.

Ingredients in Pesto Potatoes

This is such a great side dish. It looks like you spent all kinds of time on it, but the dish comes together in absolutely no time! For the potatoes we like to use Russet Potatoes – red potatoes, baby potatoes, or Yukon gold potatoes also work really well. For the pesto sauce use our homemade basil pesto or get the big jar at Costco. Sprinkle on a little Parmesan Cheese – this adds enough savory flavor, that no salt is necessary.

Pesto Potatoes ingredients including potatoes, parmesan, and potatoes


Suggestions for the Perfect Pesto

Pesto originated in Genoa, Italy and is made with basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese. For these pesto-roasted potatoes, you can make your own pesto or purchase it pre-made. Try our delicious homemade pesto recipe; it is my favorite! We use fresh basil leaves, whole cloves garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor or a blender. But if you are short on time I have used a really great pre-made option at Costco in their refrigerated section. There are also dry mixes you can buy at the grocery store, but homemade is definitely the best in my opinion.

Hand stirring Homemade Pesto in a bowl with a wooden spoon.

Roasting vs. Grilling

  • Roasting: We usually throw these potatoes onto a sheet pan or baking sheet in the oven and roast them at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes. They’re crisp, tender inside and perfectly flavorful roasted potatoes.
  • Grilling: Sometimes in the summer, instead of cooking with the oven and heating up the house, we will just wrap these in foil and cook them over the grill. Just cook them over medium heat. They are ready to eat when you peel back some of the foil and potatoes are fork tender and break apart easily.

Add Extra Flavor

  • Try a fresh squeeze of lemon juice on top of the potatoes for a bright, citrusy addition.
  • Top with a dash of sea salt and toss in a teaspoon of black pepper for extra taste.
  • Drizzle potatoes with a little extra virgin olive oil or spray with cooking spray before roasting.
A bowl and spoonful of pesto potatoes

How to Store and Reheat Pesto Potatoes

For proper storage, make sure to drain the leftovers on parchment paper, and make sure they’re cooled completely. Place them in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to five days. They won’t freeze very well, so try and use them up from the fridge within a week. To reheat, place on a baking sheet and warm up in the oven until they’re crisp. You can also microwave individual servings in a microwave safe bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this recipe gluten free?

Yes! Just double check your pesto if you are using store bought.

Is it better to boil potatoes before roasting?

No, it is not necessary to boil them, these cook up perfectly with just the roasting.

Should I soak the potatoes in water before roasting?

If you want your potatoes a little crisper, soak them in some cold water then pat them dry before roasting. Soaking the potatoes in water for at least 30 minutes removes the starch giving the potatoes a more crisp outer layer as it cooks.

READ NEXT: Best BBQ Side Dishes

What to Serve with Pesto Potatoes

We like to make zesty potatoes to accompany when we are grilling up steaks or chicken. They are great on their own but we like to dip ours in sour cream or Ranch dressing. Try them with any of these delicious recipes:

A bowl and spoonful of pesto potatoes

Pesto Potatoes

5 from 10 votes
These Pesto Potatoes are such a simple and savory side dish! Tender potatoes, coated with flavorful pesto and roasted to crispy perfection.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Scrub (but don't peel) potatoes and cut into large cubes then place all the pieces in a large plastic bag.
    Potatoes chopped into large cubes
  • Add about ¾ cup pesto sauce to the bag and shake it around until the pesto is coating all the potato pieces.
    Potatoes and pesto tossed together in a plastic bag
  • Pour the contents of the bag out onto a cookie sheet. Arrange the potatoes so they are laying flat then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
    pesto potatoes sprinkled with parmesan before cooking
  • Bake at 450 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they begin to look lightly toasted.
    Pesto potatoes on a tray with spoon scooped full of them
  • Serve as a side dish to any meal.
    A bowl and spoonful of pesto potatoes

Notes

Roast or Grill:
    • Roasting: We usually throw these potatoes onto a sheet pan or baking sheet in the oven and roast them at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes. They’re crisp, tender inside and perfectly flavorful roasted potatoes.
    • Grilling: Sometimes in the summer, instead of cooking with the oven and heating up the house, we will just wrap these in foil and cook them over the grill. Just cook them over medium heat. They are ready to eat when you peel back some of the foil and potatoes are fork tender and break apart easily.
Store Leftovers
  • For proper storage, make sure to drain the leftovers on parchment paper, and make sure they’re cooled completely. Place them in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 321kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 9gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 434mgPotassium: 896mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 690IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 176mgIron: 2mg

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About the author

Emily Walker

Emily lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband, Beau, a physician assistant, and her three incredible children: a son and two daughters. Travel is one of her favorite ways to experience new cultures and cuisines, and she has a love for all things Disney.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Wow. This has become a favorite in our household. “Please make the Pesto potatoes” is often heard for Sunday dinners. So easy, so flavorful and and amazing. The trick of getting the cookie sheet hot first is fantastic! Thank you for this great recipe!

    1. We have never tried it that way so we can’t say for sure. If you try it out, let us know how it turns out!

  2. It would be great if you would encourage people to mix it all up in a bowl instead of using single use plastic to coat the potatoes ♻️????

  3. Are all these yummy recipes in your new cookbook? I’m spending a lot of time downloading recipes; maybe I should buy the book!