Dinner Party Potatoes

I call these Dinner Party Potatoes strictly because the words “cheesy-potatoes” would cheapen them, but also because attaching any one cheese to this particular recipe would be wrong. These potatoes are designed for a bright hard cheese (aged cheddar, mimolette, pick your poison) that is not melted, but instead freshly grated into a fluffy pile that almost pillows on top of the crispy potatoes. It creates a texture contrast of crispy and delicate and is the culmination of my mission to make a smashed potato that is not only delicious but unique.

Where I might lose you is the addition of lime juice, it goes on before the potatoes roast and then once again when they are out of the oven. Before you get nervous, just know that the combination has been in French cuisine for decades, and it’s surprisingly acidic and delicious.

And lastly, their namesake comes from the fact that these potatoes are easy but impressive. When you’re juggling a million things in one dinner, you need a side dish that is tried and true. Enter in: Dinner Party Potatoes. Fresh aged cheese, bright acid and crisp potatoes all in one perfect plate.

Ingredients for these smashed fingerling dinner party potatoes

• 1 pound fingerling potatoes
• 1 tablespoon sea salt, plus more as needed
• 2 small limes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 ounces mimolette cheese or a hard-aged cheddar, the brighter the orange, the better
• salt and pepper to taste

How to make these dinner party potatoes

While the main event is prepared at your dinner party, these potatoes are the easiest way to get a stunning and satisfying appetizer or side on the table in a pinch. Or, they’re great to bring to someone else’s party and then reheat in the oven! It’s so simple and oh-so-good. Here’s how to make them:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add in the sea salt.
• Boil the fingerling potatoes for 8-10 minutes or until fork tender.
• Spread out the potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use a rolling pin to smash them down thinly. Make sure each potato has enough room, none should overlap.
• Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and the juice from one lime. Season with a bit of salt.
• Roast the potatoes at 450°F for 15 minutes. Flip and roast an additional 15 minutes.
• While the potatoes are roasting, use a microplane to freshly grate the cheese into a fluffy pile. A microplane is best for this task, but a food processor will also work.
• When the potatoes are out of the oven, top them with the juice from the second lime. Taste and season as needed.
• To serve, pile the potatoes on a large plate and gently sprinkle the cheese on top. It will be a lot of cheese, we like this. Grate fresh black pepper on top and serve!

More side dishes from the blog

Here are some perfect recipes for your next dinner party!

That’s all for these Dinner Party Potatoes!

And if you make any of my recipes, 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.