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AppetizersCrispy parmesan roasted potatoes with a golden cheese crust
American · Appetizers

Crispy Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

These crispy parmesan roasted potatoes are one of the best and easiest sides to make. They come out golden, flavorful, and crisp on the bottom with plenty of parmesan, and they’re so good served with a garlic aioli.

5.0 (5 reviews)
30m
Prep
30m
Cook
60m
Total
4
Serves
easy
Level
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How to Make Crispy Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

  1. Prepare the potatoes
    Wash the baby potatoes and cut them in half.
  2. Make the garlic and herb sauce
    Melt the butter, then mix it with the olive oil, parsley, garlic, parmesan, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes.
  3. Coat the potatoes
    Toss the potatoes in the garlic and herb sauce until well coated.
  4. Dip in parmesan
    Place the grated parmesan in a shallow bowl or plate. Dip the cut side of each potato into the parmesan, then place it cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  5. Bake
    Bake at 400°F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden, tender, and crispy on the bottom.
  6. Finish and serve
    Top with more parmesan if you like and serve with garlic aioli on the side.

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5.0 (5 reviews)

About Crispy Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

These are the roasted potatoes that ruined plain roast potatoes for me. You scatter grated parmesan straight onto the baking tray, sit the potatoes cut side down right on top of it, and roast until the cheese bakes into a crisp golden crust stuck to each one. When you lift them off, every potato has a frilly, lacy parmesan lid, and it is genuinely the best part.

The technique is the whole thing here. The parmesan needs full contact with a hot tray and a little oil so it fries into a crust instead of just melting. Get that right and you do not need much else. A bit of garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and you are done.

I make these for Sunday dinner, alongside a roast, or honestly just as a snack with a garlic dip. They look like a lot of work and they are not. The only real rule is do not move them too soon, or the crust stays behind on the tray.

Per serving
  • 240Calories
  • 8gProtein
  • 11gFat
  • 28gCarbs
estimated

Crispy Parmesan Roasted Potatoes Tips and Notes

Why you'll love it

  • Every potato gets a crisp, golden parmesan crust.
  • Only a handful of ingredients you probably already have.
  • The cut-side-down method does all the crisping work for you.
  • They go with almost any main, from a roast to a steak.
  • Kids and adults fight over them equally.
  • No flipping or fussing once they are on the tray.
  • They reheat better than most roast potatoes thanks to the cheese crust.

Ingredient notes

Potatoes: baby potatoes or small Yukon Gold style potatoes are ideal because they have a creamy inside and you can halve them for a flat cut side. Larger potatoes cut into thick wedges or halves work too, just give them a flat face to sit on.

Parmesan: use real parmesan and grate it yourself, finely. The pre-grated stuff in tubs has anti-caking agents that stop it crisping properly. Pecorino works if you want something sharper and saltier.

Oil: a neutral oil or olive oil rubbed onto the tray helps the cheese fry rather than dry out. Do not skip it. A thin film is all you need.

Garlic powder: I use garlic powder rather than fresh garlic here because fresh garlic burns on a long, hot roast. The powder seasons the crust without scorching.

Seasoning: salt the potatoes, but go easy if your parmesan is very salty already. A little dried herb like oregano or thyme in the cheese is a nice touch.

Tips & tricks

Preheat the oven hot, around 200 to 220C (400 to 425F). A hot tray and oven are what turn melted cheese into a crisp crust.

Press the cut side of each potato firmly down into the parmesan so it makes proper contact. Loose contact means a patchy crust.

Leave them alone for the full roast, usually 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is deep golden and set. Lifting them early is how you lose the crust to the tray.

Let them rest on the tray for 3 to 5 minutes after roasting. The crust firms up as it cools slightly and lifts off cleanly with a thin spatula.

Use parchment or a well-oiled tray, not foil pressed flat. Foil can stick and tear the crust off.

Storage & make-ahead

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can freeze them once cooked and fully cooled for up to 1 month, though the crust softens a little after thawing.

Reheat in a hot oven or air fryer at about 200C (400F) for 5 to 8 minutes to bring the crust back. The microwave makes them go soft, so I avoid it.

Variations

Add a pinch of chilli flakes and smoked paprika to the parmesan for a spicy, smoky crust.

Stir finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme into the cheese before pressing the potatoes on.

Make a garlic parmesan version by tossing the roasted potatoes in a little melted butter and fresh garlic after they come out.

Use sweet potato halves instead, but watch them closely as they soften and colour faster.

Crispy Parmesan Roasted Potatoes FAQs

It usually means you lifted the potatoes too early or the tray was not oiled. Let them rest a few minutes after roasting and run a thin spatula right under the crust to lift each one cleanly.
It is better to grate it yourself. The pre-grated tub kind has anti-caking agents that stop it melting and crisping into a proper crust. Fresh-grated parmesan crisps far better.
Baby potatoes or small Yukon Gold style potatoes are ideal because they are creamy inside and easy to halve for a flat cut side. Larger potatoes work cut into wedges with a flat face to sit on.
Roast hot, around 200 to 220C (400 to 425F), for about 25 to 30 minutes. The high heat is what fries the cheese into a crust instead of just melting it.
Yes. Press the potatoes into parmesan on a small oiled tray that fits your air fryer basket and cook at about 200C (400F) for 15 to 20 minutes until golden. Check a little earlier since air fryers run hot.
Serve them soon after they come out, and let them sit on the tray for a few minutes first so the crust sets. To revive leftovers, reheat in a hot oven or air fryer, not the microwave.
They are best fresh, but you can par-roast and finish them later. For a full make-ahead, roast them fully, cool, then crisp them back up in a hot oven for 5 to 8 minutes before serving.
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