Recipe: Balsamic Roasted Fingerling Potatoes | Cooking On the Side (2024)

Side Dishes

I’ll try almost any recipe that has “balsamic” in the name. Balsamic vinegar is like this magical elixir that dials up the flavor of anything it touches. I’ll never forget the first time I tried strawberries with balsamic vinegar – how in the world did it make them so sweet? And, of course, you can’t beat the mouthwatering tang it brings to vinaigrettes and marinades.

It hadn’t occurred to me to try balsamic vinegar on potatoes until I saw the suggestion on a mesh bag of potatoes. I found some pretty colorful fingerlings at Whole Foods and thought the balsamic approach might be a great way to punch up the flavor of this otherwise rather waxy variety. Using vinegar also allowed me to cut back a little on the salt without sacrificing flavor.

Well, the balsamic roasted fingerlings were fantastic. The vinegar gave the potatoes just the slightest bit of tanginess, while the olive oil made them nice and crisp. There wasn’t much flavor difference among the different color potatoes, but they were definitely pretty to look at. This was one of our Easter side dishes this year and everyone loved them (my daughter especially enjoyed the purple ones. :-)).

Recipe: Balsamic Roasted Fingerling Potatoes | Cooking On the Side (1)

Balsamic Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Inspired by the Roasted Balsamic Potatoes, Onions and Broccoli recipe on a bag of baby potatoes.

Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 40 min | Total time: 55 min

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/2-2 lbs. fingerling potatoes
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Halve the fingerling potatoes (if some are especially small, you can leave them whole; you want them all to be about the same size in order to roast evenly).
  3. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes onto a rimmed baking sheet. Roast 30-40 minutes until cooked through and crispy on the outside, stirring occasionally.
  4. Garnish potatoes with chives before serving.

Side Dishes

25 Comments

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25 Comments

  1. Mmm, simple and delicious, love this!

    Posted 4.28.11Reply

  2. Jill wrote:

    Yum, I love potatoes. Is it okay to dip them, too? If it is, what dip flavor would you recommend? Thanks!

    Posted 4.28.11Reply

  3. How gorgeous are these potatoes Kathy?! Yum 🙂 Have a great Thursday!

    Posted 4.28.11Reply

  4. marla wrote:

    Love this Kathy, I agree the balsamic is a great idea!

    Posted 4.28.11Reply

  5. Love just about any kind of potatoes! So cute that your daughter liked the purple ones 🙂

    Posted 4.28.11Reply

  6. Jeanette wrote:

    I love balsamic vinegar on roasted vegetables, and these balsamic roasted potatoes look fantastic!

    Posted 4.28.11Reply

  7. Wonderful recipe! Your potatoes look amazing 🙂

    Posted 4.28.11Reply

  8. Maria wrote:

    Wow, these look amazing! I love anything with balsamic!

    Posted 4.28.11Reply

  9. Yes of course. This will do the trick. Reduce the balsamic down to make a syrup, and it’s also great on roasted potatoes and brussels sprouts.

  10. Aggie wrote:

    These are just beautiful potatoes!!

    Posted 4.30.11Reply

  11. Lovely photos! I’m like you, give me balsamic anything and I’m a happy girl! I’ll have to get some multi-color potatoes next time I’m near Whole Foods. 🙂

    Posted 4.30.11Reply

  12. Shaina wrote:

    These turned out just gorgeous with the different colors, Kathy!

    Posted 5.1.11Reply

  13. I love balsamic. I’ve been on a kick lately and have been getting all kinds of flavored ones. I gotta try this recipe. Sounds perfect!

    Posted 5.1.11Reply

  14. Mindy wrote:

    I make stovetop roasted fingerlings, and I will definitely add some balsamic to them next time I make them! Thanks!

    Posted 5.2.11Reply

  15. I can honestly say that I never met a potato I didn’t like. I don’t think I’ve ever had balsamic vinegar on them, but I’m about to get in the kitchen and give this recipe a try! Yum!

    Posted 5.5.11Reply

  16. Dan wrote:

    Those potatoes look perfectly roasted. I’m a big balsamic fan myself, so I’ll be trying this soon. Thanks for sharing!

    Posted 5.25.11Reply

  17. This receipe looks delicious . It does not say how to make the potatoes into fingerlings.
    Do you think this would also be good with sweet pototoe fries? How about sweet pototoes just by them selves?

    Posted 7.16.11Reply

    • Kathy wrote:

      Fingerling potatoes are actually a specific type of potato. I’ve never tried sweet potatoes with balsamic vinegar but they’re already so sweet on their own I imagine they’d probably be better without it. The balsamic does add great flavor to an otherwise rather neutral-flavored potato like the fingerling.

      Posted 7.16.11Reply

      • Sweet potato fries with balsamic dressing is A.MA.ZING!!!!!!

        Posted 12.17.13Reply

        • Kathy Strahs wrote:

          I haven’t tried sweet potatoes with balsamic, but I’d love to!

          Posted 12.17.13Reply

  18. Eileen wrote:

    I made these yesterday – they were really good !

    Posted 12.26.12Reply

  19. I agree that recipe involving balsamic vinegar has to be amazing. Thanks for the recipe.

    Posted 12.17.13Reply

  20. Toni wrote:

    Made these for New Year’s Eve last night with mixed fingerlings (purple, red, gold) and found that the purple potatoes definitely showed off the flavor of the balsamic marinade better than the lighter-colored potatoes did. The others just paled in flavor information comparison, and even tasted a bit strange. The next time I make balsamic potatoes, I’ll use purple fingerlings only. Also, I found them lacking slightly in salt, but I do like things highly seasomed so perhaps this is a personal preference. I also aded a bit of chopped dried rosemary, sage, and some roughly chopped fresh garlic to the mix. They were delicious, and cutting them a bit smaller and/or increasing oven temp to 450° will lessen the cooking time if you’re in a rush. Just don’t forget to stir them every 10-15m so they don’t burn!

    Posted 1.1.17Reply

    • Kathy Strahs wrote:

      So glad you liked them, Toni — Happy New Year! ~Kathy

      Posted 1.1.17Reply

Recipe: Balsamic Roasted Fingerling Potatoes | Cooking On the Side (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak potatoes before roasting? ›

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

How do you roast fingerling potatoes in Ina Garten? ›

Directions. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the whole potatoes, salt, and pepper, and toss well. Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender when tested with a small knife.

What are the best tasting fingerling potatoes? ›

Russian Banana – The superstar of the fingerlings and a favorite among chefs heralded for their excellent flavor and versatility. Yellow, banana-shaped, waxy-type tubers with firm texture great baked, boiled and steamed. From the Baltic Region of Europe/Asia has a rich and buttery taste.

Are fingerling potatoes healthier than regular potatoes? ›

Nutritionists often recommend them as a healthy alternative to traditional potatoes. These are also great for adding more fiber to your diet - since fingerlings are eaten with their skin still on. For more information on the health benefits of potatoes, check out potatogoodness.com! Why Should You Eat Onions?

What kind of oil does Gordon Ramsay use for roast potatoes? ›

For Gordon's roast potato recipe you'll need: 1.2kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward. 100g goose or duck fat (or olive oil) 2 tbsp semolina.

Is it better to boil potatoes before roasting? ›

In most potato recipes, I recommend starting potatoes in cold water and bringing them up to a boil. This helps ensure that the exteriors don't turn to mush before the insides have a chance to cook through.

What happens if you don't soak potatoes before baking? ›

Soak the potatoes in cold water to remove the excess starch from the outside of the potato. There are a few reasons why you want to remove that starch (it makes the potatoes burn, it keeps them from crisping up, it turns to sugar) but all you really need to remember is to soak them at least one hour.

What happens if I don't soak potatoes before frying? ›

The main reasons to cut the potatoes and pre-soak in water are: To allow the excess starches and sugars to be removed from the outer surface of the fry strips AND to keep the potatoes from browning prematurely from exposure to air. Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color.

What is the difference between baby potatoes and fingerling potatoes? ›

Fingerling Potatoes - Fingerling potatoes have a small, tubular shape and have a variety of skin and flesh characteristics. New Potatoes - New potatoes are young potatoes that have been harvested early. They have thin, delicate skin and creamy flesh. Also called baby potatoes, they come in a variety of colors.

What is special about fingerling potatoes? ›

Fingerling potatoes are also rich in vitamin C, and antioxidant that can bolster immune function and fight against foreign invaders and bacteria.

Why are fingerling potatoes so good? ›

Like other waxy potatoes, fingerlings have a low starch content. They roast up buttery and creamy. This makes them different from russet potatoes, whose drier, starchier texture works well for Air Fryer French Fries and Crock Pot Baked Potatoes. Olive Oil.

Why are my fingerling potatoes bitter? ›

Exposure to light means they make chlorophyll, which turns them green. When this happens, an alkaloid called solanine — a bitter toxin — develops. Solanine, when eaten in large quantities, can be toxic. You need to cut or scrap any green parts of the potato flesh or skin and discard those pieces.

How many fingerling potatoes per person? ›

This is the only way to enjoy fingerling potatoes! Estimate 1/2 pound of potatoes per person. I usually make extra because the leftovers are great!

What is another name for fingerling potatoes? ›

French Fingerling potatoes have acquired several names throughout history, including Roseval and Nosebag potatoes, and the variety was selected for commercial production for its size, productive nature, and resistance to scab.

How to cook potatoes Gordon Ramsay? ›

Carefully add the potatoes to the hot tray along with the garlic and rosemary. Toss to coat in the fat and spread out in a single layer so they cook evenly. Roast for 40-45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to serve.

Why do chefs soak potatoes in water? ›

The reason is to prevent the potatoes exposure to air, which causes dehydration, oxidation, and discoloration.

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