Here’s an impressive and healthy side dish that works any time of year: rosemary roasted potatoes! Everyone will want seconds of these, because here’s the thing: the flavor is knock-out good. The secret? Fresh rosemary and lemon slices. Roast up these potatoes with lemon slices instead of lemon juice. It infuses the entire batch with beautiful tangy flavor. Rosemary adds just the right herby undertone. These are fancy enough for a dinner party, but easy enough for a weeknight. And they’re cozy enough for fall and winter, but they work in the summer when rosemary abounds. Really, they couldn’t be more versatile.
Ingredients for rosemary roasted potatoes
You only need a handful of ingredients for these roasted potatoes! They take about 35 to 40 minutes to roast, so they’re not a quick recipe. But they’re easy to whip up and mostly hands off, leaving you free to make the rest of your meal. Here’s what you’ll need for these potatoes:
Red potatoes, or any type of waxy potato (see below)Fresh or dried rosemaryLemonOlive oilGarlic powderSalt and pepper
Use any type of waxy potato
What type of potatoes to use for these rosemary roasted potatoes? We like using red potatoes, but you can use any type of waxy potato. Popular types of waxy potatoes are red potatoes, baby potatoes, or fingerling potatoes.
What’s a waxy potato? A waxy potato has less starch content than a starchy potato. Starchy potatoes are like a Russet potato, which is fluffier and holds its shape less than a waxy potato. How to tell if a potato is waxy potato? Waxy potatoes have thin skin! If the skin feels like you could scratch off a piece with your finger, it’s probably a waxy potato.
The secret: roast with fresh lemon slices!
Here’s the secret to these rosemary roasted potatoes: fresh lemon slices! Most roasted potatoes recipes mix the potatoes with lemon before roasting. This infuses a subtle lemon flavor, but many times it’s barely perceptible. Here’s the way to make the lemon flavor much more pronounced: roast the potatoes with lemon slices on top! It infuses the best tangy flavor because the lemons give off juice throughout the roasting time. Love lemony flavor? This recipe calls for ½ lemon. If you love tangy flavor, you can use a whole lemon! Just keep in mind the flavor will be pretty tart (we like it that way, too!).
Use fresh or dried rosemary
These rosemary roasted potatoes are best with fresh rosemary! The fresh herb has the most developed, pine-like flavor. But you can use dried if that’s all you have! Keep in mind that dried rosemary has a little more intense flavor, and it can have a hard texture even after roasting. For that reason, fresh is best here.
How to make rosemary roasted potatoes: basic method!
The basic method for rosemary roasted potatoes is very simple. While they take a bit of time to roast, it’s almost completely hands off. Use that time to clean up and make the rest of the meal! Here’s what to know about these potatoes:
Chop them into about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch chunks. The thinner you chop them, the faster they’ll cook. Mix with oil and spices, then top with lemon slices and rosemary. Place the lemon slices right on top: they’ll add juice throughout the roasting time. Bake at high heat (450) until crisp, about 30 to 40 minutes. Flip once during this time. The longer you have the surface of potato touching the pan, the browner it gets.
Ways to serve rosemary roasted potatoes
The best part about these potatoes? They’re highly versatile and as a vegan side dish, they go with lots of different main dishes. Here are some ideas on how to pair them:
Fish. Try them with Pan Fried Cod or Lemon Dill Salmon, which bakes at the same temperature. Shrimp or scallops. Pair with Garlic Butter Shrimp, or Scallop Pasta, or Pan Seared Scallops with Lemon Herb Sauce.. Veggie burgers. Try with Falafel Burger or Best Veggie Burger.
This rosemary roasted potatoes recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
More red potato recipes
Want more with red potatoes? Here are a few more red potato recipes that make potatoes taste incredible: 5 from 2 reviews
Parmesan Potato Wedges The best side dish ever? This Parmesan potato wedges recipe will have your friends and family singing your praises.Perfect Boiled Potatoes These potatoes are tender and buttery: the ideal easy side dish!French Potato Salad An adaptation of Julia Child’s classic recipe, this French potato salad is a favorite! It features zingy red potatoes, capers, and parsley.Home Fries This tasty breakfast or brunch side tastes diner-style. Spanish Tortilla A potato and egg omelette that is a tasty Spanish dinner or tapas recipe.Pan Fried Potatoes The best fried potatoes: perfectly seasoned and browned to perfection! They’re great as breakfast potatoes or an easy dinner side dish.
