The Scoop
Lemon-parmesan roasted potatoes shine with zestiness and quick preparation.
The day I received that promotion at work, I knew it called for something special yet comforting to celebrate. I decided on lemon-parmesan roasted potatoes. Having a bag of baby Yukon golds and red-skinned potatoes in my pantry felt like a sign. Late afternoon found me rummaging through the fridge, unearthing a forgotten loaf of sourdough to transform into crumbs. The crusty old bread was perfect, adding both texture and an extra layer of deliciousness to complement the celebration.
The kitchen buzzed with excitement as the aroma of garlic and lemon zest blended with the warmth of roasting potatoes. With my seasoned cast-iron skillet at hand, I arranged the potatoes cut-side down for that perfect golden finish. My trick for extra crispiness is a quick toss in lemon zest-infused olive oil before their journey to the oven. Ten minutes in, I pulled them out, sprinkled with fresh parsley and parmesan, and returned them to roast until perfectly golden. Letting them cool slightly before serving ensures they don’t crumble under a fork.
Standing by my stove, I was reminded of how small celebrations can be made grand with a dash of creativity and the right ingredients. Sharing this dish with colleagues turned friends pulsed vibrant energy through the room, each bite a reminder of our collective hard work and success. These lemony, cheesy, crispy potatoes became not just a side dish, but the center of our celebration, adding zest to the moment just as much as they had to the potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds of baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved
- 1 1/2 pounds of baby red-skinned potatoes, halved
- kosher salt, to taste
- 4 cups sourdough bread, day-old, crust removed, and cubed
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, finely grated, plus wedges for serving
- ground pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- In a large pot, add the gold potatoes and red potatoes and cover them with 1 inch of cold water.
- Season the pot of potatoes and water with salt.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook over medium-high heat until just tender, about 7 minutes.
- Drain the water from the pot.
- While the potatoes are cooking, pulse the bread cubes in a food processor to make coarse crumbs.
- In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs with olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
- Add the potatoes to the bread crumb mixture and toss.
- Arrange the coated potatoes cut-side down on a baking sheet.
- Roast the potatoes until golden and tender, about 10 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the potatoes out of the oven and sprinkle them with parsley and parmesan.
- Continue roasting the parsley and parmesan-coated potatoes until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish and season with salt, if needed.
- Serve.
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