Roasted baby potatoes are amazing on their own, but tossed with basil pesto and topped with cherry tomato bruschetta they are taken to a whole new level of yum! This dish is really easy to prepare, especially for large groups because it doubles easily. Use store-bought pesto and prepare the cherry tomato bruschetta ahead of time to reduce your prep work the day of. Toss the potatoes in oil and salt, roast them, toss them in the pesto and top with the bruschetta right at serving time. Done!
Tips for Roasted Potatoes with Pesto and Bruschetta:
- Get to know your oven. A lot of ovens are liars - they say they're at one temperature, but they actually are at a totally different one. Mine, for example, is generally a good 50°F off. Get yourself an oven thermometer to see how your is behaving. We need high heat for roasted veggies to get that crisp exterior and smooth, sweet interior without drying them out.
- If your baby potatoes are uneven in size, cut the larger ones in half so all potatoes/potato pieces are roughly the same size for even cooking.
- Roast the potatoes just until tender so they don't dry out and shrivel up. Keep in mind some varieties cook faster than others. They are ready when they are crisp on the outside and are easily pierced with a fork.
- For that nice crisp exterior, don't skimp on the oil.
- Add the pesto at the end once the potatoes are roasted. You may be tempted to just toss them in the pesto and then roast them, but I've found the intensity of the basil flavor is lost a bit this way. Also, the green basil turns a yellowish brown color rather than being a more vibrant, pretty green.
- If you don't have cherry tomatoes and sub in large tomatoes, scoop out their seeds to reduce the amount of liquid in the bruschetta. If you can get some cherry tomatoes, I recommend using them as they offer a delicate sweetness which is so lovely in contrast with the stronger flavors of garlic, balsamic and basil.
- Try white balsamic vinegar instead of the more common darker balsamic which will stain the potatoes. This isn't critical but it does make the final presentation nicer.
Roasted Baby Potatoes with Pesto and Cherry Tomato Bruschetta
Roasted baby potatoes are amazing on their own, but tossed with basil pesto and topped with cherry tomato bruschetta they are taken to a whole new level of yum. This dish is really easy to prepare, especially for large groups (it doubles easily). Use store-bought pesto and prepare the cherry tomato bruschetta ahead of time to reduce your prep work the day of. Toss the potatoes in oil and salt, roast them, toss them in the pesto and top with the bruschetta right at serving time. Done!
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Servings: 6 sides
Ingredients
For the Potatoes:
- 3 lbs baby potatoes, washed and patted dry
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- coarse salt, to taste
For the Bruschetta:
- 1.5 lbs cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
- 10 large basil leaves, thinnly sliced (about 2 tbsp, compressed)
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Serving:
- ½ cup vegan basil pesto
- vegan parmesan, optional
- crushed chili flakes, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- If your potatoes vary in size, cut the larger ones in half so all pieces/whole potatoes are roughly the same size. Toss with the olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Roast for 20-25 minutes on the middle rack, tossing half way through. Bake until fork tender.
- While the potatoes roast, toss all of the ingredients for the bruschetta together in a medium sized bowl.
- Once the potatoes are roasted, toss them with the pesto. Place them on a serving platter and top with the bruschetta. Add additional pesto, grated vegan parmesan or chili flakes if desired. Best if served straight away.
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