Baked potatoes need no introduction! But if you wanna witness a gorgeous makeover of your everyday baked potatoes then these baked Parmesan potato bites are gonna blow your mind instantly thanks to their insane flavor and addictive crispiness!
Thanksgiving just got over and I am sure you all are now geared up with the preparation for the upcoming holiday season!
Family meal planning is one crucial component of this preparation which is why I will try to help here as best as I can!
So today I have a fantastic recipe for you! The stunning baked Parmesan potato bites! This not only works perfectly as a side with your meats but also is a crowd pleaser in almost every get together!
Have you ever met anyone who doesn’t like potatoes? That too crispy baked potatoes! I guess not! Hence it’s an absolute win-win!
What are Baked Parmesan Potato Bites?
Potatoes are loved by all around the globe with hardly any exception! This is such a versatile ingredient that you can never go wrong with it!
If you are in a foreign land and not familiar with their cuisine, all you need is a bag of potatoes, because I am sure every culture has its own unique recipe of potato as their comfort food!
My baked Parmesan potato bites can be one of your comfort foods too as, simply put, these are crispy potatoes baked to perfection with melty as well as cheesy Parmesan sticking to them!
When you plan to bake or roast some of this global vegetable, this recipe of baked Parmesan potato bites will come in super-handy!
The baby potatoes used in this dish become incredibly addictive with all their crispiness and phenomenal flavors from the classic Parmesan cheese that you will keep reaching out one after another even after you are full!
Trust me, I have been there even though I take extra care not to overeat in any meal!
Ingredients for Baked Parmesan Potato Bites
Baby potatoes: These Parmesan potato bites are best made with baby potatoes! If you can get your hands on the new baby potatoes, then you would hit a jackpot!
Since the new potatoes are harvested much earlier, they have very distinctive characteristics, which affect their texture, flavor, and how it cooks.
Harvesting early means the potato hasn’t had a chance to fully convert its starches into sugars. The starch content of new potatoes is significantly lower than that of mature potatoes.
This lower starch level contributes to their waxy texture and ability to hold their shape when cooked. Because they are lower in starch, they are less likely to become fluffy when boiled or roasted.
Also, the new potatoes have much thinner skin which you don’t need to peel and in fact the skin will make the potatoes more crispy.
The delicate, slightly sweet flavor makes them a versatile ingredient that pairs well with a variety of herbs and spices. [Source].
Parmesan cheese: There is a close competitor to baby potatoes to take the position of the showstopper in this recipe and that is none other than the classic Italian Parmesan cheese!
These Parmesan potato bites transform from ordinary to extra-ordinary when you sprinkle a good load of grated Parmesan on top!
Then give them a quick broil to convert the cheese into an irresistible combination of crispy & melty that cling to the crispy roasted potatoes making them insanely addictive!
Olive oil: Drizzle a generous amount of a good quality extra virgin olive oil over the potatoes to make them super crispy once roasted.
Oil will also extract the flavors of spices beautifully while keeping the potatoes soft at the center.
Spices: As I was primarily focusing on keeping Parmesan cheese as the center of attraction in these crispy baked Parmesan potato bites, I kept the spices & herbs minimal!
So I used only my holy grail Italian seasoning & chilli flakes for that subtle kick without making them too overpowering!
Garlic powder: I used my favorite aromatic, which is undisputedly garlic, in its powder form as it mixes up with the powdered spices evenly giving you a beautiful dry spice rub for the potatoes.
Seasoning: Be generous with salt in your baked Parmesan potato bites as you may already know that potatoes are suckers for salt!
Use black pepper as per your preference but do not skip it completely as it adds an earthy warmth to your baked potatoes!
How to make baked Parmesan potato bites?
Step 1: Wash all the baby potatoes very nicely as we will not peel them; so you need to ensure you remove all the dirt from the skin by rubbing the skin rigorously under running water.
Step 2: When you are happy with the cleaning, transfer the potatoes to a colander to allow all the excess water to drain out and potatoes become dry.
Step 3: Then cut each potato into half and take them in a large mixing bowl. First drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes.
Step 4: Give a shake to the bowl so that oil is distributed evenly. Then using a spatula give a good stir to the potatoes to coat each one evenly with the olive oil.
Step 5: In another small mixing bowl, add all the other ingredients except Parmesan cheese – salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and chilli flakes.
Step 6: Give everything a good whisk to make an evenly mixed dry spice mix. This is your dry rub for the flavorful Parmesan potato bites.
Step 7: Now start sprinkling this spice mix over the oiled potatoes in installments, mixing well after each addition using a spatula making sure each potato is generously covered & coated with the spices.
Pro tip: You will need the entire spice mix for this 750 gms of potatoes which may seem a lot while you mix; but trust me on this – potatoes need a really generous amount of spices & seasoning as they suck flavors like nobody’s business!
Step 8: When you are happy with the potato mixing, let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Step 9: Meanwhile, preheat your oven at 190 C / 375 F and place the wire rack at upper third level. Line a baking sheet with baking paper for easy cleaning as cheese tends to stick a lot.
Step 10: When you are ready to bake, transfer the marinated potatoes to the lined baking sheet and spread them evenly in a single layer as best as you can.
Step 11: Bake the potatoes in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then take the baking sheet out and flip over each potato.
Step 12: Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes. While the potatoes are baking, grate your Parmesan cheese.
Step 13: After about 40 minutes, your baked potatoes are 90 percent done. Take the baking sheet out and sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the potatoes as evenly as you can.
Step 14: Put the baking sheet back into the oven and bake the potatoes for another 10 minutes to let the Parmesan melt & become somewhat crispy and sticking to the potatoes!
Step 15: Your crispy delicious baked Parmesan potato bites are ready! Transfer them to a large serving platter and serve as a side for your holiday family meal along with your favorite dips! Enjoy!
More delicious potato recipes from Flavor Quotient
Baked Parmesan Potato Bites | How to Make Crispy Parmesan Potato Bites
Author: Priyanka
Recipe type: Side
Cuisine: American
Serves: 5 to 6 Servings
Ingredients
- Baby potatoes – 750 gms, unpeeled
- Extra virgin olive oil – 4 tbsp
- Salt – 2 tsp
- Black pepper – ½ tsp
- Italian seasoning – 2 tsp
- Garlic powder – 1 tsp
- Chilli flakes – ½ tsp
- Parmesan cheese – 70 gms, grated
Instructions
- Wash all the baby potatoes very nicely as we will not peel them; so you need to ensure you remove all the dirt from the skin by rubbing the skin rigorously under running water.
- When you are happy with the cleaning, transfer the potatoes to a colander to allow all the excess water to drain out and potatoes become dry.
- Then cut each potato into half and take them in a large mixing bowl. First drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes.
- Give a shake to the bowl so that oil is distributed evenly. Then using a spatula give a good stir to the potatoes to coat each one evenly with the olive oil.
- In another small mixing bowl, add all the other ingredients except Parmesan cheese – salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and chilli flakes.
- Give everything a good whisk to make an evenly mixed dry spice mix. This is your dry rub for the flavorful Parmesan potato bites.
- Now start sprinkling this spice mix over the oiled potatoes in installments, mixing well after each addition using a spatula making sure each potato is generously covered & coated with the spices.***
- When you are happy with the potato mixing, let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven at 190 C / 375 F and place the wire rack at upper third level. Line a baking sheet with baking paper for easy cleaning as cheese tends to stick a lot.
- When you are ready to bake, transfer the marinated potatoes to the lined baking sheet and spread them evenly in a single layer as best as you can.
- Bake the potatoes in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then take the baking sheet out and flip over each potato.
- Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes. While the potatoes are baking, grate your Parmesan cheese.
- After about 40 minutes, your baked potatoes are 90 percent done. Take the baking sheet out and sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the potatoes as evenly as you can.
- Put the baking sheet back into the oven and bake the potatoes for another 10 minutes to let the Parmesan melt & become somewhat crispy and sticking to the potatoes!
- Your crispy delicious baked Parmesan potato bites are ready! Transfer them to a large serving platter and serve as a side for your holiday family meal along with your favorite dips! Enjoy!
Notes
***Pro tip: You will need the entire spice mix for this 750 gms of potatoes which may seem a lot while you mix; but trust me on this – potatoes need a really generous amount of spices & seasoning as they suck flavors like nobody’s business!
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