Roasting reveals all the best parts of a potato: crispy skin, crunchy edges, and a soft, fluffy center. A mound of roasted potatoes simply seasoned with salt and pepper is my favorite comfort food. But, if you dress them up with the tangy, briny, cheesy flavors of a great Caesar salad dressing, this near-perfect food becomes even better.
Combining the key ingredients of a rich and savory Caesar dressing—anchovies, garlic, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, and Parmesan cheese—with potatoes is a no-brainer: Potatoes are the ultimate starchy blank canvas for big bold flavors. To create this happy union, I start with Kenji’s famous crispy potatoes.
Like many of our readers, I’m a big fan of these spuds —it’s a foolproof recipe that needs no improvement. His potatoes incorporate the British method for roasting potatoes: Chunks of potato are boiled until they're just tender, then tossed none-too-gently with fat (here olive oil) to rough up their surface, then roasted until they're crisp and crackling. It’s simple and produces amazing results. I make them routinely at home, whether it’s just for my family’s simple Sunday night supper or for a large holiday gathering. But I’d be lying if I said that these simple potatoes don’t sometimes get (dare I say it), a bit repetitive. But with Kenji’s technique, it’s easy to incorporate other flavors to the roasted potatoes, without compromising the potatoes texture. I’ve tried and tested many flavor combinations at home, and this Caesar flavor variation is my favorite yet.
In Kenji’s recipe, he heats garlic and rosemary in some olive oil, cooks the mixture until the garlic just turns golden, strains it, and separates the infused oil from the solids. The potatoes are then coated with the flavored oil before roasting, and the reserved cooked aromatics are tossed with the crispy potatoes after they’re roasted. This eliminates the risk of burning the solids while roasting.
Following this method to incorporate the savory Caesar flavor into these potatoes, I gently cook anchovies, garlic, and lemon zest in olive oil until the anchovies melt, the garlic begins to brown, and the lemon zest infuses the oil with its bright citrus flavor. The result is a salty, umami-rich, and zippy olive oil that I toss with the potatoes before roasting. The other Caesar ingredients—Worchestershire sauce, more lemon zest, plus lemon juice for a hit of fresh flavor, and plenty of nutty Parmesan cheese—are tossed with the hot potatoes right after roasting.
I add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese as a final flourish just before serving this low-effort, high-reward spin on classic roasted potatoes. Serve them as a side to an impressive roast or as a starter or party snack with a side of creamy Caesar dip for dunking, because I’m a firm believer that you can never have too much Caesar.
Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) or 400°F (200°C) if using convection. In a large pot, heat 2 quarts (2L) water over high heat until boiling. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt (about 1 ounce; 25g), baking soda, and potatoes and stir. Return to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until a knife meets little resistance when inserted into a potato chunk, about 10 minutes after returning to a boil.
Meanwhile, combine olive oil, anchovies, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, and a few grinds of black pepper in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Cook, stirring and shaking pan constantly, until garlic just begins to turn golden and anchovies break down, 1 to 3 minutes. Immediately strain oil through a fine-mesh strainer set in a large bowl. Set garlic/anchovy mixture aside and reserve separately.
When potatoes are cooked, drain carefully, return to the pot off heat, and let them rest in the pot for about 30 seconds to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Transfer to the bowl with the infused oil, season to taste with a little more salt and pepper, and toss to coat, shaking bowl roughly, until a thick layer of mashed potato–like paste has built up on the potato chunks.
Transfer potatoes to a large rimmed baking sheet and separate them, spreading them out evenly. Transfer to the oven and roast, without moving, for 20 minutes. Using a thin, flexible metal spatula to release any stuck potatoes, shake pan and turn potatoes. Continue roasting until potatoes are deep brown and crisp all over, turning and shaking them a few times during cooking, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
In a large bowl, whisk to combine the reserved garlic/anchovy mixture, remaining 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley. Transfer potatoes to the large bowl, sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano, and toss until the potatoes are coated evenly. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano, if desired, and serve immediately.
Special Equipment
Small saucepan
Notes
Russet potatoes will produce crisper crusts and fluffier centers. Yukon Golds will be slightly less crisp and have creamier centers, with a darker color and deeper flavor. You can also use a mix of the two.
The potatoes should be cut into very large chunks, at least 2 to 3 inches or so. For medium-sized Yukon Golds, this means cutting them in half crosswise, then splitting each half again to make quarters. For larger Yukon Golds or russets, you can cut the potatoes into chunky sixths or eighths.
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