Crispy Parmesan potatoes are halved baby potatoes baked cut-side down on a layer of seasoned Parmesan until the cheese turns into a deep golden, crunchy crust and the insides go soft and creamy. They are the side dish for roast chicken, steak night or a holiday table when plain roast potatoes feel too ordinary.
How to make crispy Parmesan potatoes: Coat a glass baking dish with olive oil and scatter a mix of grated Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper over it. Press halved baby potatoes cut-side down into the cheese and bake at 400°F for 35 to 40 minutes. Rest 5 minutes, then lift them out with a spatula.
Why You’ll Love It
- A crust on every potato. The cut side bakes right on the cheese, so each half comes out with its own golden cap.
- No boiling first. The potatoes go into the dish raw.
- Ten minutes of prep. Halve the potatoes, stir the cheese mix, and the oven does the rest.
- One dish. Everything bakes in a single 9-by-13-inch dish.
Ingredient Notes
Baby potatoes. One and a half pounds, about 20 to 24 potatoes, cut in half.
Parmesan cheese. A 1/2 cup of the grated, sand-like kind. That fine texture is what forms an even layer on the bottom of the dish.
Olive oil. Two tablespoons for the baking dish. A little more for the tops is optional.
Garlic powder. A 1/2 teaspoon. Onion powder is an alternative.
Dried oregano. A 1/2 teaspoon. Dried thyme is an alternative.
Paprika, salt and black pepper. These season the cheese: 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds baby potatoes (about 20 to 24), halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for the baking dish
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, sand-like type
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
How to Make Crispy Parmesan Potatoes
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Mix the Parmesan. Mix the grated Parmesan, garlic powder, dried oregano, paprika, salt and black pepper in a bowl.
3. Prepare the dish. Pour the olive oil into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish and tilt the dish to coat its base. Scatter the Parmesan mixture as evenly as possible over the oil. Once it is scattered, do not try to spread or move it.
4. Set the potatoes. Place the halved potatoes cut-side down on the Parmesan mixture, pressing firmly. If you like, drizzle or spray their tops with a little oil and sprinkle with salt.
5. Bake until golden. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and the Parmesan crust is deep golden.
6. Rest and lift. Rest for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to cut through the crust between groups of about four potatoes, then lift and turn the groups onto a serving platter with the cheese side up.
How to Lift the Potatoes Without Losing the Crust
The crust is the whole point of this dish, and it is easy to leave half of it stuck to the pan. Getting it out in one piece comes down to a few small things done in the right order.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| Scatter the cheese | Get it as even as you can over the oil, then leave it alone. Do not spread or move it. |
| Set the potatoes | Press each half firmly, cut-side down, into the cheese. |
| Bake | Wait until the crust is deep golden, not pale. |
| Rest | Leave the dish for 5 minutes out of the oven. |
| Cut and lift | Cut between groups of about four potatoes with a spatula, then lift each group and turn it cheese side up. |
Lifting the potatoes in small groups keeps the sheet of cheese between them in one piece. Slide the spatula flat along the bottom of the dish, under the crust, before you turn each group over.
There is no need to score the cut sides of the potatoes for this method. They go onto the cheese plain.
Tips for Success
Why did my crust stick to the dish?
It was lifted too soon, or it had not baked to a deep golden color. Give it the full 5-minute rest, then cut and lift with a flat spatula.
Why is my crust patchy?
The cheese was moved after it hit the oil. Scatter it evenly from above and then leave it where it lands.
What kind of Parmesan works?
The dry, grated, sand-like kind. It scatters into a thin, even layer across the bottom of the dish.
How do I know the potatoes are cooked?
They are soft all the way through and the crust under them is deep golden. That takes 35 to 40 minutes at 400°F.
Should I oil the tops?
It is optional. A light drizzle or spray of oil and a sprinkle of salt on the rounded tops is all the recipe suggests.
How Long Do They Take?
About 50 minutes from start to table: 10 minutes of prep, 35 minutes in the oven and a 5-minute rest. If your potatoes need the full 40 minutes to soften, add those extra minutes. Do not skip the rest to save time.
Variations
Onion powder. Use it in place of the garlic powder, in the same amount.
Dried thyme. Use it in place of the oregano, in the same amount.
Other methods. Parmesan potatoes are also made by boiling and smashing the potatoes first, or by roasting boiled chunks with butter and cheese. Those are separate recipes, and their steps do not apply to this one.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow, covered containers, and to use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days. Do not leave the cooked potatoes sitting out to cool for an open-ended time before they go in the refrigerator. When you reheat them, heat them to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer.
What to Serve With It
These go next to Parmesan meatloaf or Longhorn Parmesan crusted chicken for a full Parmesan dinner. If you want the potatoes cooked in with the meat, try chicken and potatoes with Dijon cream sauce or pork chop supreme with potatoes. For other potato sides, there are slow cooker glazed herb baby potatoes and soft Southern stewed potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you lift the potatoes while keeping the Parmesan crust attached?
Rest the dish for 5 minutes, cut through the crust between groups of about four potatoes with a spatula, then lift each group and turn it cheese side up.
How to make Parmesan potatoes?
Scatter seasoned grated Parmesan over an oiled glass baking dish, press halved baby potatoes cut-side down into it and bake at 400°F until the potatoes are soft and the crust is deep golden.
What temperature should I bake them at?
This recipe bakes at 400°F for 35 to 40 minutes.
How to cook good crispy potatoes?
For this dish, the crisp part comes from the cheese. Bake the potatoes cut-side down on the Parmesan at 400°F until the crust is deep golden, and rest them before lifting.
Final Notes
I set a timer for the 5-minute rest and leave the dish alone until it rings, because that is when the crust lets go of the pan. If you make them, leave a comment to tell me how they turned out or ask a question.
Crispy Parmesan Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds baby potatoes about 20 to 24; halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for the baking dish; a little more for drizzling on top is optional
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated, sand-like type
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder onion powder is an alternative
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano dried thyme is an alternative
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Mix the grated Parmesan, garlic powder, dried oregano, paprika, salt and black pepper in a bowl.
- Pour the olive oil into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish and tilt the dish to coat its base. Scatter the Parmesan mixture as evenly as possible over the oil. Once it is scattered, do not try to spread or move it.
- Place the halved potatoes cut-side down on the Parmesan mixture, pressing firmly. If you like, drizzle or spray their tops with a little oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and the Parmesan crust is deep golden.
- Rest for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to cut through the crust between groups of about four potatoes, then lift and turn the groups onto a serving platter with the cheese side up.
