Have you ever made Cacio e Pepe Roasted Potatoes? Because if the answer is no, we're going to need to fix that asap! This insanely crispy, cheese, salt and peppery potatoes are absolute perfection.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Matt and Adam came up with this idea for the crispiest, cheesiest, most delight Cacio e Pepe Roasted Potatoes and today, it's here on WGC. You all know I am an equal opportunity potato eater. I love them mashed, I love them in french fry form, I love them in a gratin... I could go on and on. But these Crispy Cacio e Pepe Roasted Potatoes might just take the cake. They are boiled and then baked which makes them extra crispy and perfect. You can eat these on their own or dunk them in ketchup if you're super extra!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Yukon Gold Potatoes
- Salt & Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Unsalted Butter
- Parmesan Cheese
- Pecorino Romano Cheese
- Lemon Juice and Zest
- Fresh Chives and Basil
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make Cacio e Pepe Potatoes
Step 1: Place the peeled and diced potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Heavily salt the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes until fork tender, about 10 minutes.
Step 2: Drain the potatoes. Once drained, place a plate on top of the colander and firmly hold it down, then shake the colander as hard as you can without losing any of the potatoes until they are a bit messy.
Step 3: Transfer the potatoes to the prepared sheet pan and let dry for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the oil onto a wire rack nestled in a sheet pan and heat in the oven for 10 minutes.
Step 4: VERY carefully, remove the sheet pan from the oven with the hot oil and transfer the potatoes on top of the oil. Do this very gently so the potatoes/oil don't splatter.
Step 5: Gently mash the potatoes with the back of a spoon or flat surface until they fill most of the sheet pan, then season with kosher salt and tons of freshly cracked black pepper. Scatter the butter over top of the potatoes. Transfer back into the oven.
Step 6: Bake until the potatoes are crispy on the bottom, about 45 minutes. Give the potatoes a toss and continue to bake until they are crispy and golden almost all over, another 45 minutes. 5 minutes before they are done, add the cheese and place it back into the oven to melt.
Step 7: Let the Cacio e Pepe Roasted Potatoes cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper, add more cheese if desired (duh) and sprinkle with the lemon juice, zest and herbs.
How to Store Cacio e Pepe Potatoes
They definitely have the best crispy texture when right out of the oven. But you can sure store these in the fridge and have a delicious side on hand for a few days. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I re-heat these either in the oven at 400 for 10-ish minutes or on the stovetop in a nonstick pan or the good old microwave.
How to Freeze Cacio e Pepe Potatoes
You can also freeze these in an airtight container or freezer bag for upto three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and follow the above instructions, or warm frozen potatoes directly in the oven.
Tips & Tricks
A couple tips and tricks when it comes to make Cacio e Pepe Roasted Potatoes!
- You want to always make sure to add the potatoes into COLD water before boiling. If you throw them right into boiling water, they won't cook evenly.
- The drying rack is critical before roasting. You want the potatoes to be really dry before they go into the oven to roast. Trust me - don't skip it.
- The hot oil that goes on the pan before you add the boiled potatoes is also critical. Be careful when you're doing that step. We do it because when you add potatoes to the hot oil, they automatically start to crisp up which helps the finished Cacio e Pepe Roasted Potatoes texture!
FAQs
Is it best to boil potatoes before roasting?
You don't have to boil potatoes before roasting, but it does make them even crispier! In this recipe, you'll cook them both ways for max flavor and crispness.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Cacio e Pepe Roasted Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
- Fresh lemon juice and zest to finish
- Fresh chives to garnish
- Basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Nestle a wire rack on top of a sheet pan and set aside.
- Place the peeled and diced potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Heavily salt the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes. Once drained, place a plate on top of the colander and firmly hold it down, then shake the colander as hard as you can without losing any of the potatoes until they are a bit messy. Transfer the potatoes to the prepared sheet pan and let dry for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the oil onto a separate sheet pan and heat in the oven for 4-5 minutes.
- VERY carefully, remove the sheet pan from the oven with the hot oil and transfer the potatoes on top of the oil. Do this very gently so the potatoes/oil don't splatter. Gently mash the potatoes with the back of a spoon or flat surface until they fill most of the sheet pan, then season with kosher salt and tons of freshly cracked black pepper. Scatter the butter over top of the potatoes. Transfer back into the oven.
- Bake until the potatoes are crispy on the bottom, about 45 minutes. Give the potatoes a toss and continue to bake until they are crispy and golden almost all over, another 15-30 minutes. 5 minutes before they are done, add the cheese and place it back into the oven to melt.
- Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper, add more cheese if desired (duh) and sprinkle with the lemon juice, zest and herbs.
I just started to prepare these and didn’t realize there is a mesh tray that you have placed in the bottom of the baking tray. Im going to have to proceed without it! Eek! Where do you purchase one of these flat mesh racks?
I'm planning to make these for Thanksgiving! Do you think I could boil the potatoes, dry them out, put them in the fridge, then do the rest on Thanksgiving day? Or would I be better to do the whole thing in advance as you suggest and then warm them up that day? Does the crispiness get lost if made in advance?
ya crispiness isnt quite the same if you bake/roast them ahead of time! But if you want to boil them, craggle them up and then put them in the fridge, that would save a lot of time for day of Thanksgiving
Hi Stacy,
I’m looking at 2 hours timing on these!! Are you going to prep and drain potatoes today and then bake tomorrow? I’m just trying to decide what to do!!
Lord have mercy! I made these before there was any ratings on them, and my goodness....they were absolutely delicious. Thank goodness the prep and cook time is full of steps and lengthy in nature, or else my husband would be asking for them on our bi-weekly menu planning (or even more often)
Hi Gaby, is it possible to make this recipe ahead of time? Thinking about Thanksgiving and lots going on in the oven 🙂
yes and you can re-heat it right before serving
How much basil do you add? I do not see any basil in the photo. I assume to your liking but what would you recommend?
Just to garnish! Maybe a handful of little baby basil leaves
Yum…looks delicious! Approx how much pepper?? The pepper measurement listed in your amazing Cacio e Pepe pasta recipe is truly helpful. Makes it foolproof every time. TY
I haven’t made these, but have made other similar smashed potatoes. I simply can’t imagine it taking 90 minutes in a 425 oven for these to crisp up.
What am I missing?
I was wondering the same thing!
no burn - there are a LOT of potatoes in this recipe and they are close together so they are tight together to prevent burning. You need the long cooking time to crisp them up and really get max flavor / texture
Have you ever made with sweet potatoes?
Nope! Not yet
Thats a long cooking time! No burn???
no burn - there are a LOT of potatoes in this recipe and they are close together so they are tight together to prevent burning. You need the long cooking time to crisp them up and really get max flavor / texture