Perfect Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- PREP 10min
- COOK 30min
- TOTAL 40min
These roasted fingerling potatoes taste smoky, creamy, and are perfectly golden brown. We love serving them with our ridiculously tasty potato salad inspired dipping sauce (shared below). Think of these fingerlings as the perfect appetizer for serving friends or as a flavorful side dish to meats, fish or other vegetables. To roast the potatoes, use the largest oven-safe skillet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.
You Will Need
For the Potatoes
1 ½ pounds (680g) fingerling potatoes, scrubbed, halved lengthwise
2 to 3 small unpeeled garlic cloves, optional
2 tablespoons avocado oil or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, or more to taste
Flaky sea salt for serving
Potato Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup (56g) mayonnaise, see homemade mayonnaise
1/4 (56g) cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon or yellow mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 medium dill pickle, see homemade dill pickles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 large hard-boiled egg, chopped small, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). If using a cast iron pan, place it in the oven to warm while you prepare the potatoes. If using a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil and slide it into the oven to warm up.
In a large bowl, toss the halved potatoes and unpeeled garlic cloves (optional) with the oil, salt, and pepper.
When the oven is hot, and the potatoes are well tossed, carefully add them to the cast iron pan, then use kitchen tongs to arrange them into one layer with all cut sides facing down. If you run out of space, it’s okay if a few potatoes pile up the sides or on top of each other.
Roast the potatoes for 15 minutes, and then check for browning. If the potatoes have not yet turned a golden brown on the bottom, place them back into the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes. When the potatoes are mostly golden brown on the cut side, stir them around the pan, moving any potatoes that have no color on them into the middle of the pan (where it is hottest), and then continue to roast until the potatoes are fork tender and golden brown (watch our video for reference).
While the potatoes roast, make the dipping sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, 1 tablespoon vinegar, minced pickles, dill, egg, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Taste and adjust with more vinegar, salt, and/or pepper. For an extra smoky kick, stir in a pinch of smoked paprika.
If you roasted garlic cloves alongside the potatoes, when the potatoes are finished, and the garlic cloves are cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft roasted garlic out of the peel and mince with a knife. Stir the minced roasted garlic into the sauce.
To finish the potatoes, when roasted and while still hot in the oven, toss them with the vinegar and smoked paprika. Taste, then adjust with additional vinegar and paprika. Finish with a little flaky salt sprinkled on top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Potato substitutes: You can substitute fingerling potatoes with small waxy potatoes like baby potatoes (creamers/New Potatoes), Red Bliss potatoes, or an all-purpose potato like Yukon Gold.
- Garlic: After roasting the whole cloves, we stir the soft roasted garlic into the dipping sauce. This is optional but delicious!
- Smoked paprika: It adds a deep, smoky aroma and flavor. Unless noted on the packaging, it isn’t typically hot (spicy). It’s usually mild and a bit sweet.
- Hard boiled egg: It is optional, but I love it in the dipping sauce. See how to make hard boiled eggs on the stove or our Instant Pot hard boiled eggs.
- Storing the sauce: You can make the sauce up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.