This is the best roasted potato recipe because it’s got browned red potatoes, crunchy and melty Parmesan cheese, and sweet roasted Vidalia onions.
These roasted potatoes are seriously amazing. I sometimes make these potatoes as an alternative to hashbrowns for brunch because they go into the oven and I don’t have to get sweaty standing over the stove monitoring them. They work great as a side dish for plenty of meals though and once you try them, you may end up looking for excuses to make it again.
How To Make Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
I like to use red potatoes for this recipe, they look great and the size means you only have to cut them in halves. For the onion, I love Vidalia for that roasted sweetness. First you’ll toss the cut potatoes and onions with olive oil, salt, and thyme.
Next, fill a large oiled baking sheet with a bed of grated Parmesan cheese. Then you add the red potatoes (cut-side-down) and onions. It goes in the oven at 450°F until the potatoes are tender and browning, about 40 minutes.
The cheese sticks to the potatoes at the edge of the pan and gets crunchy. In the middle of the pan, the cheese stays a bit gooey. Crunchy cheesy gooey potatoes and sweet onions. Hard to get better than that!
I like to finish them off with a sprinkling of chives before serving, but that part is totally optional.
Warning: Your Pan Will Get Messy
I’ll tell you something though. Your pan is going to be a mess and there’s nothing you can do about it. If you put foil on it first, the cheese sticks to the foil and you don’t get to eat it, which is a major disappointment. If you put parchment down, then the cheese doesn’t brown as well.
You’re just going to have to let the pan soak. And then I’d suggest asking one of your lovely guests to do the washing up. Once you try it though, I think you’ll agree that these potatoes are well worth the clean up effort.
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Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
DESCRIPTION
This is the best, roasted potato recipe because it’s got browned red potatoes, crunchy Parmesan cheese, melty Parmesan cheese, and sweet sweet roasted Vidalia onions.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. of small red potatoes, halved
- 4 medium-sized Vidalia onions, peeled and quartered
- 2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil (divided)
- 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
- 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
- 3 cups (about 4 oz.) of finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp. roughly chopped chives for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Rub a big metal pan (11″x17″ is ideal) with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil.
- In a large bowl combine the potato halves, onion quarters, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and thyme.
- If the onions break apart a bit while mixing, that’s perfectly fine. Good, in fact, since more of their edges will end up browned and sugary sweet.
- Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese all over the prepared pan in an even layer of white snow.
- Place the potatoes on top of the Parmesan cut side down. Scatter the bits of onion all around.
- Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until the potatoes are really tender and browning on top, the onions are browning on the edges and the Parmesan cheese at the edges of the pan (and maybe further towards the middle) is crunchy and brown.
- Remove the pan from the oven.
- Use a metal lifter to scrape and get under the crusty Parmesan and lift the potatoes and onions into a serving dish. Some of the potatoes won’t have a hard dark crust but instead, gloopy bits of melted Parmesan stuck to them. Some crunchy cheese, some oozy cheese.
- Scatter the chives over top and enjoy.
This post originally appeared in May of 2013 and was revised and republished in April 2021.
Rose’s Nana says
Ladies, I’m a true potato lover & this is one of the best recipes I’ve ever tasted!  Tried one new trick though & it worked beautifully.  Instead of rubbing the baking sheet with olive oil, I used Pam EVOO spray instead.  Browned beautifully & got crispy – was delicious – & cleanup was a breeze.  Give it a try.  Christine, thanks so much for sharing this recipe.  My family of 6 all love it. ?
Christine Pittman says
Rose, I’m so happy you liked it! Thank you for letting me know!! <3
Liz S says
Has anyone tried using the foil that is coated to keep food from sticking? I’m curious to know if that would solve the problem of the mess on the baking tray.
Christine Pittman says
Great idea, Liz. I’m going to look for that foil and give it a try!
DIKK says
USE ALUMINUM FOIL DOPE
Christine Pittman says
Hi Dikk, I actually tested the recipe with aluminum foil. It was a disaster. You see, the cheese not only melts but it starts to brown and crisp up. When that happens, it adheres to the foil. When you try to scoop off the potatoes later, a lot of the cheese is completely stuck to the foil so it doesn’t end up on your plate. And worse, some foil tears and comes to your plate along with the potatoes. I also tested this recipe using parchment paper to line the pan. This was slightly better in that the cheese didn’t stick to it. But it didn’t brown as well and get that nice crunchy Parmesan crust. Hope that makes me seem like less of a dope :). Have a great day! -Christine
three feathers says
OMG…..these were hot-diggidy-danged-dog-delish! didn’t have chives so had to finely minced the green part of a green onion……everyone acted like their lives depended on eating these spuds up, fighting over the “crusties” totally a thumbs-up LIKE ;0)
★★★★★
Christine Pittman says
I am so so so happy that you liked this recipe. It is one of my all-time favorites. Thanks so much for letting me know!
Jane's Adventures in Dinner says
Yowsers! I love those potates!
★★★★★
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies says
Everything about these sounds absolutely delicious! I have such a weakness for potatoes. :)
Katie says
ummm potatoes are my absolutely favorite and a must for any breakfast/brunch! I must give your recipe a try! Thank you again for organizing such a wonderful event!!!
Shaina says
Yummm perfect recipe to use for my Black Gold Farms red potatoes!!!
Christine Pittman says
Exactly! Have you tried the Black Gold Farms potatoes yet? Totally delicious!!!
Carrie @ poet in the pantry says
This is exactly what I need, for I cannot seem to master the usual home fries that tend to grace brunch tables everywhere. Throw it all in the oven and let it be–just my style! Thank you for organizing Brunch Week and doing all the hard work–the rest of us just do what comes naturally–share our food love. <3
Christine Pittman says
Carrie,
You’re welcome. I really enjoyed it and am so very grateful that you contributed such beautiful recipes and for your enthusiastic participation throughout the week. It meant the world to us. Thank you! And glad you like the looks of my potatoes. I am also a throw-it-all-in-the-oven kind of girl. If it’s in the oven, I can focus on other things.
Allison (Spontaneous Tomato) says
Your BrunchWeekers appreciate you, too! :) And those potatoes look delicious.
Christine Pittman says
Thanks Allison! Loved having you along for the ride. We need to meet up at some point so we can talk all things food and linguistics. So funny to have found someone with whom I have so much in common!
phyllis says
The only word I can think of is yummy.
Samantha says
This BrunchWeeker loves you. You and Terri have pulled of an amazing week long event filled with enticing recipes, amazing giveaways and outstanding women. We all thank you!
Rachel @ I Love My Disorganized Life says
These potatoes look fantastic! I can’t wait to try them. And hey, the messier the pan the better the food!
★★★★★