Cheesy Baby Potatoes

Crispy roasted herbed potatoes topped with melted gooey cheese taste so delicious, satisfying and are perfect for side dish or even appetiser. They are easy to make, vegetarian, gluten free and can be baked in both oven or air fryer.

If you are looking for a simple yet crowd pleaser thanksgiving side dish then these comforting roasted cheesy potatoes have to be on your list. At my home, whether kids or adults, everyone loves these and finishes them in no time.

Apart from side dish, they can be enjoyed as starter, appetisers or with hot steaming bowl of soup. You can also easily adjust the spices or herbs used for seasoning the potatoes as per your taste.

The cheesy baby potatoes recipe shared here is:

Vegetarian
Gluten free
Easy to make
Can be made in oven or air fryer
No need to pre-cook or boil the potatoes before

Roasted Cheesy Potatoes Ingredients:

Small Potatoes: These petite little potatoes are also known by other names like baby potatoes or mini potatoes. As they are almost bite sized, it makes them perfect for side dish or finger food.

As we leave the peels on for this recipe, it is important to wash and clean the potatoes well before using. Also they should be pat dried completely before tossing in mixture oil & spices as otherwise they may not become crispy.

Butter & Oil: I like to use a mix of butter and olive oil in this recipe for richer taste but you can use only olive oil too. The oil helps in making the spices stick to potatoes and gives them beautiful crispy exterior.

Seasoning & Herbs: These baby potatoes are seasoned with garlic powder, crushed black pepper and italian seasoning which is a mix of dried herbs. You can even use ranch seasoning mix, onion powder, chilli flakes, paprika, freshly minced garlic, paprika or fresh / dried herbs like oregano, basil or rosemary.

Cheese: Use any meltable soft cheese variety to sprinkle over the potatoes like cheddar, monterey jack or pepper jack for giving a spicy kick to potatoes. I have used blend of shredded mozzarella-cheddar cheese here.

How to make cheesy potatoes?

To make these cheesy potatoes, we bake them twice. First time we will bake them till they are crispy from outside and tender from inside. This takes 25 to 35 minutes depending on the size of potatoes.

For the second bake, we will bring these potatoes out and sprinkle shredded cheese on them and bake for 5-7 minutes more till cheese melts completely.

Hope you would like this baked cheesy small potatoes recipe. More recipes with potatoes:

Ingredients:

Baby Potatoes / Small Potatoes- 500 grams (17 oz)
Butter – 1 tbsp
Olive Oil- 1 tbsp
Garlic Powder- 1/4 tsp
Italian Seasoning- 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper (ground)- 1/2 tsp (to taste)
Salt- 1/2 tsp (to taste)
Grated or Shredded Cheese- 1 cup
Chopped chives or cilantro- For garnishing

(Note: Instead of Italian seasoning, you can use ranch seasoning or mix of fresh / dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano etc.)

Directions:

Step 1:
Wash the baby potatoes well to get rid of any dirt and then pat them dry over kitchen towel. Cut them in half or quarters while roughly keeping the size of all pieces same.

Step 2:
Transfer butter in a small microwave safe bowl and heat for 30-40 seconds to melt it. Add olive oil, salt, black pepper & Italian seasoning (or ranch seasoning) to it. Mix well and keep aside.

Step 3:
Set the oven for preheating at 200°C (400°F). While it is preheating, let’s move to next step.

Step 4:
Brush or spray some oil on rimmed baking sheet or pan. Transfer all the chopped potatoes on it and pour herbed butter-oil mixture on them. Mix well so that all potatoes are coated well.

Step 5:
Arrange these mini potatoes on the baking tray in single layer such that the cut side is facing down.

Step 6:
Bake the potatoes in preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 25-30 minutes till they are cooked completely. Check after 25 minutes mark if they have become fork tender. If there is resistance, bake for 5-10 minutes more.

Step 7:
Once the potatoes are tender, add shredded cheese over them. You can even transfer potatoes in an oven safe baking dish (makes serving easier later) before adding cheese on them. Bake for 4-5 minutes at 180°C (360°F) till cheese is melting and gooey.

Garnish with chopped herbs like cilantro, rosemary or chives before serving.

Air fryer:

To make these cheesy potatoes in air fryer, follow the steps below:

Preheat the air fryer at 200°C (400°F). Toss the chopped baby potatoes in oil & seasoning mixture.
Transfer them in preheated air fryer and air fry for 12-15 minutes till they are cooked completely (Check with fork or taste a piece). Do not overcrowd the basket and shake it after half time for even roasting.
Sprinkle cheese on the baked mini potatoes and air fry for 3-4 minutes more till cheese is bubbly and melting. (Before adding cheese, you can transfer the potatoes to a baking dish or casserole that fits in air fryer basket.)

Tips:

Storage & Reheating: Any leftovers can be stored in airtight container in fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat them in microwave, oven or air fryer.
You can make this recipe with smashed potatoes also. Just bake the potatoes as explained in this crispy smashed potatoes recipe and in the end sprinkle cheese and bake (or broil) till cheese melts completely on them.
You can make cheesy russet potatoes in similar way by cutting them in bite sized pieces. Rest all steps will remain same.
If you are using frozen cheese then thaw it first as otherwise its moisture will turn the potatoes soggy.

More oven recipes to try:

Pin for later:

(P.S: This recipe was originally published on 20th Dec’2016 and has been updated with better recipe and images.)

If you try this cheesy baby potatoes recipe & share pics on social media, then don’t forget to tag on Facebook, Instagram or use #kuchpakrahahai.

(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)