Calabrian Chili Potatoes with Lemon Parsley

Like so many recipes, these calabrian chili potatoes came about due to a surplus of ingredients in my pantry. And what resulted was crispy, spicy, bright and golden roasted potatoes that will change how you view potatoes forever. I’m being dramatic, but I mean it.

I’ve recently become obsessed with the perfect bite. And too often potatoes are compartmentalized to just salty and umami. But if you add in some herbs, heat and acid, it completely changes the game.

These potatoes are hot, but so are you, and here’s how to make them (and change your entire POV on what russet potatoes can be!)

What is Calabrian chili and how do we use it for these crispy potatoes?

At its simplest, Calabrian chili paste is a spicy, unique condiment from the Calabria region of Italy. This paste has a smokey, salty and spicy flavor and it is gaining massive popularity for its versatility.

It is made from dried peperoncino peppers, and usually crushed with olive oil, salt and occasionally vinegar. It’s shelf stable and pretty easy to find in the US, you can usually find a jar in the pickled peppers section of your grocery store.

In this recipe, we use the chili paste for both flavor and cooking. The oil in the chili paste coats the potatoes before roasting. And the fat in the oil creates the rich, crispy, crunchy edges that makes these potatoes so craveable. And the spice from the chili adds automatic flavor, making the function of Calabrian chili paste two-fold in this recipe for crispy potatoes.

The role of the lemony parsley topping

This potato recipe is hot, fatty and crispy, but it is lacking one thing – brightness and acid. And that’s where parsley and lemon come in.

You would be surprised how much a simple herb can completely change a bite. There’s no reason to go drowning your potatoes in ketchup (fun fact, another form of acid) when you can add a different level of flavor. Just try it once, and report back 😉

Ingredients you will need for these crispy potato medallions

The ingredients really shine in this recipe, you don’t need much!

For the crispy potatoes

• 3 large russet potatoes about 15 ounces each
• 1/4 cup Calabrian chili paste stored in olive oil
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt to taste

For the gremolata

• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley packed
• 1/2 large lemon for juice and zest
• salt and pepper to taste

How to make the Calabrian Chili Potatoes

The potatoes use the classic technique of boiling then roasting to achieve max crispness. Here’s the detailed method:

• Cut your potatoes into medallion sized pieces, about 1/2 cm thick.
• Place the potatoes in a large pot, and cover them with cold water. Add a liberal amount of salt to the pot and then bring it to a boil.
• Boil the potatoes for about 6-8 minutes or until they are fork tender (don’t boil too long or you risk them falling apart!) and then drain them and set them aside.
• Begin preheating your oven to 450F.
• In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with olive oil, the calabrian chili paste and salt to taste. Make sure each potato is fully coated in the the chili paste, they should look a bit red!
• On a baking sheet, lay out all the potatoes evenly. Be sure not to crowd the pan.
• Roast the potatoes at 450F for 20-30 minutes, flipping about halfway through. Remove when the potatoes are golden brown and crispy!

How to make the lemony parsley garnish

This recipe for crispy potato medallions is all about timing. Get your potatoes in the oven first, then prep the parsely lemon garnish. Here’s the details there:

• While the potatoes are roasting, prepare the lemon parsley condiment.
• Remove the stems from the parsley and roughly tear the leaves. In a small bowl, add lemon zest and lemon juice and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• When the potatoes are out of the oven, let them cool slightly and then serve with the parsley lemon topping.

Looking for more potato recipes?

I don’t make potatoes often, but when I do I make it count. Linking a few good ones below!

And that’s it for this crispy (~spicy~) potato recipe!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Watch the recipe video here:

https://youtu.be/ySuWY3Qrafk