Lemon Garlic Potatoes

Lemon Garlic Potatoes are impressive and at once, simple. The perfect combination of soft and crunchy, like your favorite steak fries, but ramped up to a new class in the side dish world. Waxy, baby red potatoes work perfectly in this recipe because they hold their shape during cooking better than other varieties and besides, they’re red (not brown), and small (equals cute) in shape. Infused with just the right amount of garlic and lemon, this Mediterranean-inspired recipe brings a freshness to any menu. The lemon flavor is very subtle but just right and the garlic- well, garlic and potatoes- no explanation needed.

Cut the potatoes in half and quarter any large ones. Place in a collander and rinse for about one minute to help wash off much of the potato starch so they’re not sticky and won’t burn in the pan.

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You’ll use smashed garlic during the initial cooking of the potatoes which get discarded after the potatoes are soft (or leave them in if you want). Minced garlic will be saved for the end because fresh garlic is more bold than cooked garlic. Lemon juice gets infused into the potatoes while they’re cooked in vegetable broth (you could use chicken broth for more intense flavor) and lemon zest gets tossed in at the end for color and bright flavor. The lemon is still pretty subtle and you could squeeze more juice over the potatoes before serving if you want that.

Cooking the potatoes in a large non-stick skillet, once the potatoes are soft enough, turn them over on their cut side and cook in olive oil until the cut is golden brown. Some of the potatoes in the middle of the pan might darken quicker than the rest. Just check them occasionally and move them around a little to distribute. Don’t worry about this too much. It’s nice to have some variation of crispness and color in the potatoes.

As I mentioned before, after the potatoes are crisp and golden grown on their cut side, they’re already buttery tasting thanks to the olive oil you tossed them in during browning. Now toss in the minced garlic, lemon zest and some fresh parsley. Salt and pepper to taste and give them one more squeeze of lemon if you like. For a true Mediterranean flare, add a handful of feta cheese just before serving. The presentation is nice in a shallow serving platter.

Perfect for a fancy Sunday dinner, breakfast or brunch. Leftovers are incredible tossed with some corned beef, sausage, or smoked salmon for a beautiful, chunky hash. Or serve over refried or black beans with an over-easy egg and fresh salsa on top- this variation is great for breakfast OR dinner. The possibilities for these crispy and super soft potatoes are endless.

Yea, and that buttery soft inside I was talking about… Here you go. Truly, all the flavors that come into this easy recipe make it anything but a regular potato dish. Lemon Garlic Potatoes are super bright and fresh at first serving and if you have any leftovers, they add hearty flavor and color to just about anything else you can come up with to put them in. Enjoy and let me know what else you add the potatoes to or what you like to serve them with! For even more company worthy potato recipes, try my Baked Mashed Potato Cakes or Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes.

5 from 3 votes

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Lemon Garlic Potatoes

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Nice and crispy on the outside, buttery soft on the inside, Lemon Garlic Potatoes combine the taste of home fries and roasted potatoes with the perfect amount of garlic and lemon. The lemon is super subtle, but the roasted, fresh potato flavor is anything but!

Course: Side Dish

Servings: 6

Author: Sally Humeniuk

Ingredients

• 2 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed and halved (quarter if large)
• 4 garlic cloves, 2 peeled and smashed, 2 minced
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest, grated
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (about one lemon's juice)
• 1 cup vegetable broth, chicken broth works too
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt plus more end
• 2 tbsp fresh parley, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Place potatoes in colander set over large bowl. Rinse under running water, tossing with hands until water runs clean. Drain potatoes well. (This helps rinse off extra starch so the potatoes don't get sticky as they cook.)

2. In a large nonstick skillet, bring potatoes, smashed garlic, lemon juice, broth, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to medium-high again. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes.

3. Discard the smashed garlic and add the 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Turn all the potatoes cut-side down and continue to cook until deep golden brown, 5-6 minutes. If some of the potatoes in the center of the pan start to brown quicker, kind of switch them around to trade places with some of the potatoes nearer the oustide of the pan. This doesn't matter too much, though. Some really crispy and some more soft on outside is still great. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, lemon zest, and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper. If you want more lemon flavor, squeeze more fresh lemon juice over. Serve.

Recipe Notes

The Garlic Lemon Potatoes are best when served immediately. Leftovers are great especially when served topped with over-easy eggs and a little turmeric or even salsa, but as the potatoes sit over several hours or a day, the olive oil gets absorbed and so the flavors change just like with any precooked potatoes.

Recipe adapted from Cook’s Country.