Rosemary Roasted Rainbow Potatoes are a colorful and easy side dish that brings some excitement to the table, and they’re no more trouble to make than regular roasted potatoes. These easy roasted potatoes bring a splash of color to any meal.
It’s no more difficult to roast rainbow hued new potatoes than it is regular old potatoes, so why not? Many grocery stores carry them now, and you can always ask your produce manager to stock them, they’re usually happy to help.
You can find new potatoes in all kinds of colors, and shapes…some of them are only colored on the outside, others are brightly hued inside as well. You’ve seen little red potatoes, and you’ve likely seen blue potatoes in your regular grocery store. If you shop at Trader Joe’s you’ve probably seen their red, gold, and purple potato medley. But that’s just the beginning…
Farmers markets and specialty produce companies* are bringing all kinds of rainbow colored potatoes to market. Mine are a mix of blue, yellow, purple, ruby, and red, ~ both round and elongated fingerlings.
I toss them in olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary sprigs. I’ll replace the oven-burnt rosemary with a sprinkle of fresh leaves after the potatoes have roasted. It’s simple, but delicious, so why mess with it?
TIP: The olive oil serves several purposes ~ it adds great flavor, keeps the potatoes from sticking to the roasting pan, and brings out their brilliant color. The more you use, the more flavor and the better texture you’ll get.
It’s always good practice to eat the rainbow, and potatoes are no exception. Each variety has a separate nutritional profile, so when you mix things up you’re helping your body get the best range of nutrients.
*My favorite source for unusual produce is Melissa’s, which I can get at my local supermarket, but you can also find them online. Their selection of potatoes is wonderful!
Rosemary Roasted Rainbow Potatoes
Ingredients
- About 2 pounds, or 1/3 pound per person assorted baby potatoes, multicolored
- extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary, about 6 large sprigs
Instructions
- Set oven to 375F
- Rinse and dry the potatoes. Slice them in half, lengthwise and add them to a large bowl. Note: you want the potatoes to cook evenly, so if you have larger potatoes, cut them in wedges or slices to match the smaller ones.
- Toss the potatoes with olive oil to lightly coat them, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on one or two baking sheets, and add half of the rosemary.
- Roast until the potatoes are tender, about 30-40 minutes. Rearrange them once or twice during that time so they cook evenly.
- Remove the burnt rosemary stems and strip the leaves from the remaining rosemary and toss with the potatoes. Serve immediately.
Make it your own ~
- Use any number of seasoning blends, herbs, or spices with these potatoes, the sky’s the limit.
- Even if you don’t have all the colorful varieties that we have here in California, you can certainly find red or blue potatoes, so use them. I love to serve blue potatoes with a drizzle of freshly made BASIL PESTO or CHIMICHURRI SAUCE, it’s gorgeous and super healthy.
- There are lots of other ways to serve new potatoes ~ you can boil them, but you can also smash them, grill them, cream them, or even hasselback them!
- If you’ve got a green thumb, trying growing your own colorful potatoes.
Don’t forget to pin these colorful Rosemary Roasted Rainbow Potatoes ~
Sue, many many veggies and fruits are bred together just like dog breeds are bred together. This doesn’t mean GMO, as it is a fairly natural process of splitting seeds and putting them together in a pot. I worked for a seed company and the misinformation about GMO and the process is rampant. The potatoes seen here are a mix of varieties sold together lusually] anyway. But certainly not GMO.
Sue, are they genetically modified?
No Michelle, they’re natural varieties, and super healthy!
I love rosemary potatoes, these are gorgeous!
Love these Sue! I wish I could get my hands on potatoes that looked like these. No such luck in northen England, but on a trip to London, I may have to pick some up! Great recipe.
Looks like artwork! And who doesn’t love potatoes? I will look for these beautiful potatoes!
Thanks Chris, those potatoes are such fun, it makes dinner prep actually fun!
Looks wonderful! I must try, as I love roasted vegetables. I have a question for you. If you coat half the rosemary sprigs with olive oil, would they not burn as much? I would still discard them and use the rest of the rosemary to toss in at the end. Thanks!
Definitely try coating the rosemary with oil that might help, but in the end the majority of herb flavor is going to come from the fresh leaves at the end. I just love the smell of the rosemary cooking in the oven!
I was just wondering if they have different nutrients, calories, etc. so thanks for including that tidbit! These are so beautiful and you’re right, they could turn a bland, colorless dinner into an exciting colorful plate. Love the simplicity too – brilliant and no doubt delicious 🙂
I’ll taste the rainbow if it looks like this. COZY!! And delicious.
The colours alone just make me want to dance in the kitchen! So beautiful!
Haha ~ that’s just how I feel!
Absolutely beautiful and such a simple and delicious way to enjoy beautiful potatoes!
Looks very nutritional, it’s worth the try