Herb Roasted Potatoes With Cavolo Nero Chimichurri

Name: Herb Roasted Potatoes with Cavolo Nero Chimichurri
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 680g baby new potatoes; 1/4 cup (120ml) olive oil; 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped; 2 teaspoons zest from 1 lime; 2 cloves garlic, finely crushed; 3 tablespoons olive oil; salt; 100g cavolo nero (stems removed); 130g spinach; 1 cup (15g) coriander; 1/2 cup (240ml) olive oil; 1/4 (120ml) cup water; juice of 1 lime; 1/4 cup (125g) cashews; 1 clove garlic; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; salt & pepper; Greek or natural yoghurt; Sliced red chilli; Coriander leaves; Pickled red onion

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Herb Roasted Potatoes with cavolo nero and spinach chimichurri, yoghurt and chilli. This is SUCH a good combination. This time of year, cavolo nero and spinach are two of my hero ingredients, I love them so much. And this is one of my favourite ways of serving them. The roasted potatoes are tossed in garlic and chives, they are covered in herbs at every bite and complemented with the zingy chimichurri.

In-season ingredients like cavolo nero this time of year are affordable, healthy and by eating vegetables that are in season, you make your life so much easier as a cook, as there’s less you need to do, to make them taste incredible. But the roasted potatoes are the best part in my opinion. Fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Why you will love these Herb Roasted Potatoes with Chimichurri

They make a perfect side dish of potatoes without being boring and bland.
The cavolo nero chimichurri is a twist on the classic chimichurri which I find so delicious and it sort of bulks it out a little without the need for more and more herbs.
Crispy potatoes are everyone's favourite and you really just can't beat them. This recipe is a simple way to roast them with herbs.

You will need the following ingredients:

Baby new potatoes - the cutest of potatoes, small and round with a fine skin and waxy texture. They keep their shape once cooked and get you a crisp exterior with good shape.

Olive oil - Since we are roasting the potatoes, and thus heating the oil, there's no point using your finest extra virgin olive oil as the heat will alter the fresh flavour of it. Use regular olive oil (it's cheaper anyway!) and it'll do the job perfectly. Save your good stuff for finishing dishes and salads.

Chives - they give a mellow onion flavour essentially, without any of the raw sharpness an onion can give, which is why I love them.

Garlic - 2 cloves in the potatoes and then 1 in the chimichurri is enough I find for a garlic flavour through the whole dish. I err on the side of caution in the chimichurri as it doesn't get cooked so the garlic does have a raw element.

For the chimichurri:

Lime - its juice is acidic and this adds brightness to the dish and also rounds it out.

Cavolo Nero - a type of Italian cabbage, it’s such a dark green it’s almost black – hence the name “nero” which means black in Italian. If you can’t find it, curly kale should work similarly, especially when paired with the spinach as the recipe states.

Spinach - this goes in the chimichurri alongside the cavolo nero. You could use all spinach or all cavolo nero if you don't have both.

Coriander - fresh and herbaceous, this is a classic ingredient in a chimichurri and adds the herby note needed alongside the cavolo nero and spinach. I prefer to toss the roasted potatoes in chives rather than coriander as I find chives withstands the heat of the potatoes better.

Cashews - may sound a little odd but once blended, these give the chimichurri some body and texture. Cashews have a gentle flavour that don't overpower the rest.

Yoghurt - the herb roasted potatoes will sit on a bed of yoghurt to add a creamy tang. It is optional but I would highly recommend it.

Substitutions and Variations

Cavolo nero - use all spinach in the chimichurri if you can't find it or use kale, as it's from the same family so should work the same.

Lime - substitute for lemon if you have it on hand.

Olive oil - in the chimichurri, I would stick with olive oil as it carries good flavour but for roasting the potatoes, you could use vegetable oil or rapeseed oil.

Baby new potatoes - you could use larger potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces. Don't make the pieces too small as they can turn into mash and you lose the good texture (which is why I like baby potatoes) but it would still be delicious with larger potatoes.

Here's how to make Herb Roasted Potatoes with Chimichurri

Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.

ONE: Preheat the oven to 220C. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 5 minutes. Potatoes should show a slight resistance when poked with a knife. Tip onto an oiled tray and roast for 40 minutes until crisp and golden.

TWO: Whilst they are cooking, mix together the remaining olive oil with the chopped chives and the crushed garlic in a small bowl.

THREE: Once the potatoes are crispy and golden, remove from the oven, pour the garlicky olive oil into the pan and give it a good stir. Season to taste

FOUR: For the chimichurri, blend all the sauce ingredients together in a small blender or food processor until lovely and smooth

FIVE: Layer up your plate with yoghurt and the chimichurri.

herb roasted potatoes on yoghurt with chimichurri

SIX: Top with the crispy potatoes. Drizzle over some remaining chimichurri. Top with the pickled red onion, the chilli and some parsley leaves to make it look pretty!

Cooking Tips

Roasting the potatoes: To ensure crispy potatoes, make sure there is enough oil in the tray and make sure the oven is hot enough. You then need patience. Don't be tempted to remove the potatoes from the oven before they are golden and really crisp. They may even need longer than 40 minutes depending on your oven.

Season generously: This is a recipe where salt is VERY important. It's the same in all recipes really but this one needs salt in all elements of the recipe to make sure it really sings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you boil potatoes before roasting them?

Yes this recipe, use. This softens the potato insides before the roasting begins, so you won't risk burning the outsides and end up with still a hard centre.

Why won't my potatoes crisp in the oven?

It can help to steam dry the potatoes once they are parboiled. This means draining them and sitting them in the sieve over the pan or in the sink to have some of the steam evaporate. This means a less wet potato and a crisper exterior of the potato. Finally, if you struggle with getting them crispy, try laying the potatoes in one layer on the baking tray to avoid overcrowding.

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