Pesto Roasted Potatoes

5 from 1 vote
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These flavorful Pesto Roasted Potatoes need just a handful of ingredients and less than an hour to make. Crisp and cheesy, they are a perfect side dish for anything from grilled steaks to baked salmon and so much more!

A wooden spoon digs into a skillet of pesto roasted potatoes.

Why You’ll Love These Pesto Roasted Potatoes

  • Cuisine Inspiration: Italian-inspired
  • Primary Cooking Method: Oven
  • Dietary Info: Gluten-free
  • Skill Level: Easy

Pesto is one of my favorite sauces to add to vegetables to immediately give them a flavor boost. And my kids absolutely devour anything with this favorite Itaian sauce. In fact, we loved them so much when I included them with my Pesto Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner recipe, I knew I needed to make them on their ow to serve them with more meals.

The pesto infuses little potatoes with basil and garlic while they roast to crisp-tender perfection in the oven. I know you’ll love them as much as I do.

  • Easy. I love a side dish that doesn’t need much effort and these roasted pesto potatoes are a great choice for when you want an interesting side dish but don’t have a lot of time to make something elaborate.
  • So flavorful. Pesto is one of the most flavorful sauces, instantly elevating basic pesto into something special. It works the same way when it’s draped over vegetables, adding a punch of salty, spicy flavor to every bite.
  • Great texture. Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, you’ll love the amazing texture the oven gives these potatoes!
Pesto roasted potatoes on a baking pan.

Recipe Ingredients

You need five ingredients to make this simple side dish. The full ingredient amounts will be in the recipe card at the end of this post.

  • Potatoes: You’ll use small potatoes for this recipe, such as small red or white potatoes.
  • Pesto: Homemade or store-bought pesto works fine.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Add more cheese to taste if you wish.
  • Salt and Pepper
Ingredients for pesto roasted potatoes are shown with text labels: pesto, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, potatoes.

How to Make Pesto Roasted Potatoes

Here’s how to make these savory potatoes. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.

  • Prep. Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a baking sheet.
  • Combine. Mix the potatoes with the pesto, parmesan, salt, and pepper.
  • Roast. Cook the potatoes for 30-40 minutes, flipping once.
A rimmed metal baking pan holds pesto roasted potatoes.

Tips for Success

This is a fabulously easy recipe and takes well to some adaptations. See a few tips below:

  • Add more cheese. I love the extra Parmesan in this recipe and sometimes I even add more! You can add more cheese to your taste if you wish.
  • And more pesto. I think the proportions are just right for the amount of pesto I’ve included for the potatoes, but if you love pesto feel free to add a few more tablespoons. My kids usually drizzle more on top!
  • Stir in some lemon zest. For a little burst of citrus flavor, add the zest of 1 lemon to the potatoes when you add the pesto.
  • Cook in the air fryer. Your air fryer also works well for cooking these potatoes! Here’s how to do it: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the prepared potatoes in the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the basket, shake, and continue to cook at 400°F for another 5-10 minutes. The potatoes should be crispy and browned on the outside and tender in the middle.

A plate of pesto roasted potatoes with ham and green beans.

Proper Storage

Here’s how to store any leftover potatoes:

  • Fridge – Place cooled potatoes in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • To Reheat – You can reheat the potatoes in the oven by spreading them out in a baking dish and heating them at 350°F until they are warmed through. Or, place the potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl and heat them in the microwave in 1-minute increments until hot.
A skillet full of pesto roasted potatoes.

Make It A Meal

Pesto roasted potatoes are a versatile and satisfying side dish to many main dishes, including fish and chicken. Or, serve them with a vegetarian main dish for a lighter meal. Here are some of my favorite main dish pairings for pesto potatoes, then just complete the meal with a veggie side like Roasted Asparagus, Air Fryer Broccoli, or Roasted Cauliflower.

A wooden serving spoon stirs a cast iron skillet of pesto roasted potatoes.
5 from 1 vote

Pesto Roasted Potatoes

These garlicky Pesto Roasted Potatoes need just a handful of ingredients and less than an hour to make. Crisp and cheesy, they are a perfect side dish to anything from roast meat to baked salmon!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound small white or red potatoes , halved or quartered
  • 2 tablespoons pesto
  • 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray or olive oil or line it with a piece of parchment paper.
  • Place potatoes in a bowl, add the pesto, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat completely.
  • Roast at 400°F for 30-40 minutes, flipping once until browned and fork tender.

Notes

Ingredient notes:
  • Potatoes: If you can’t find the small potatoes, use a waxy white potato and cut them into about 3⁄4-inch chunks.
  • Pesto: You can use storebought or homemade.
Nutrition Facts
Pesto Roasted Potatoes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 119 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g
Cholesterol 3mg1%
Sodium 425mg18%
Potassium 522mg15%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 181IU4%
Vitamin C 10mg12%
Calcium 46mg5%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.

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