An amazing side dish is something I am always on the lookout for, especially since we started our gluten-free journey. I grew up with your typical farmer menu: meat, potatoes and a veggie. This worked really well for me because I wasn’t a fan of vegetables and I could eat a potato of some sort with every meal. Growing up, we also ate a lot of pasta dishes like spaghetti, goulash, lasagna, mac and cheese, along with yummy beef and chicken pot pies. The savory flavors from our grass-fed and pasture-raised meats made these normal dishes even more delicious.
When I moved out, I continued to cook my favorite foods, until, due to my health, we had to switch over to a gluten-free diet. I had to say good-bye to all the pasta and potpies and hello to more vegetables. Thankfully, my taste buds have changed over the years and all those good for you greens, taste better now. However, my love for potatoes hasn’t wavered and because they are gluten-free I haven’t cut them out of our diet. I do however try to add in other nutrient-dense options whenever I can. But when the need for my favorite comfort food arises, this is one of my go-to recipes.
Parmesan Crusted Potatoes
This recipe is not only quick but it is super easy. (See recipe card below)
Start off with your favorite cooking oil. I prefer to use Avocado oil or Grapeseed oil because they have higher smoke points. Drizzle the oil into 9×13 pan and tilt it from side to side until there is a light coating of oil over the entire bottom of the pan.
Once that is finished, stir together the parmesan cheese and seasonings. I prefer to use a Tuscan Style spice blend because I feel the combination just works so well. But if you are feeling a little feisty, I am sure you could pack a punch and add some Cajun or Curry and that would taste amazing as well.
Once the cheese and seasonings are combined well, sprinkle the mixture over the bottom of the pan. Be sure not to just dump it in because the cheese mixture will stick to the oil. It won’t spread nice and evenly, instead, it will just be all clumpy. Just take your time.
Next, cut each potato in half. I love using the little baby red potatoes because the skins are nice and thin and my kiddos don’t complain about eating the skins. We have tried the purple and white ones and while they taste just as yummy as the red ones, the skin texture just isn’t as nice. Once you have cut the potatoes in half, place them cut side down into the pan on top of the cheese mixture. I like to give mine an extra little push to ensure that it is in close contact with the cheese, seasoning, and oil.
Line the potatoes up and fill your pan. A 9×13 pan usually holds between 1 ½ – 2 lbs of potatoes but if you are having company over you could use a large cookie sheet with at least a ½” lip. I have done this on numerous occasions and they cook up just as good. Place the potatoes in the oven and cook for 30-40 mins. You will know they are done when they are soft when you pierce them with a fork. Sometimes the skins start to shrivel up, that’s ok, they will still be delicious.
Once the potatoes are fully cooked, pull them out of the oven and allow them to rest for at least 5 minutes before you remove them from the pan. This time allows for the cheese to really attach to the potato and you are left with a parmesan crust on your potato.
My family loves to dip these in cultured sour cream or greek yogurt.
I hope you enjoy this recipe!
