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Cheesy Vegetarian

Easy Homemade Parmentier Potatoes

A super simple recipe for easy homemade Parmentier potatoes – small and ultra crispy potato cubes flavoured with rosemary and garlic. The perfect side dish for a special occasion!

A serving bowl of Parmentier potatoes with a text overlay.

The humble potato has got to be one of the most incredible foods on the planet. It doesn’t look like much, but man, it can make a good meal. Parmentier potatoes are one of my all-time favourite potato side dishes – they’re super crispy, herby and garlicky, and pretty much just everything that a potato dish should be.

Crispy Parmentier potatoes on a baking sheet.

What are Parmentier potatoes?

Parmentier potatoes were named after a French man called Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, who lived in the 17 and 1800s, and is apparently best remembered as a ‘vocal promoter of the potato’.

(…I think I’ve just found my life’s purpose…)

I imagine modern-day Parmentier potatoes are probably a little different to what they were back in the 1870s, but these days Parmentier potatoes are basically small cubes of potato, cooked until crispy.

In my view, they’re like a mini version of a classic roast potato, except with even more flavour, and even more crispy bits.

A bowl of crispy Parmentier potatoes with fresh rosemary and garlic.

How do you make Parmentier potatoes?

There are various methods of making Parmentier potatoes. As I was researching this recipe, practically every single recipe I looked at used a different cooking method.

Some recipes involve part-boiling the potatoes before roasting.
Some recipes involve pan-frying the potatoes before roasting.
Some recipes don’t use the oven at all.

It seems that the end result is far more important than the cooking method you use – as long as you end up with delicious Parmentier potatoes when you’ve finished, I don’t suppose it matters too much which method you use.

So, as you might expect – I went for the easiest method, which requires the least amount of effort possible. Because who wants to make life harder for no reason?

Close-up photo of Parmentier potatoes on a baking tray with cloves of garlic.

Parmentier potatoes recipe

Step 1: Peel and cut the potatoes

As you may know, I try to avoid peeling my vegetables if I can avoid it, but this is one of those occasions where it’s actually worth doing.

Just peel your potatoes, and cut them up into little cubes. Ideally, your cubes will be about 1-2cm in size. They do shrink a little as they cook, so don’t go too tiny.

Try to get the cubes vaguely even so they cook at the same rate – but don’t worry if it’s not perfect. It actually gives a nice little bit of variety if some of your potatoes end up crispier than others!

Raw potato cubes on a baking tray.

Step 2: Roast with garlic and rosemary

Add some sprigs of fresh rosemary and some whole cloves of garlic to the tray. Obviously the bulk of these will be removed before serving (I’m not suggesting you munch away on a whole stick of rosemary), but they infuse an amazing flavour into the potatoes.

Toss everything in a good amount of oil, and pop them in the oven to roast.

Raw potato cubes on a baking tray with fresh rosemary and garlic.

Step 3: Serve!

Yep, that’s all there is to it. Just make sure you remove the whole cloves of garlic and any particularly woody stems of rosemary before you eat.

This is the sort of recipe that I really love. It really couldn’t be an easier potato dish – but it couldn’t be more delicious either! These potatoes seem a little fancy, and they’re the sort of thing I’d be proud to serve for guests, but they’re also ultra easy to make.

Crispy Parmentier potatoes on a baking tray.

How to serve Parmentier potatoes

Parmentier potatoes are very definitely a side dish – they need something alongside them to create a full meal.

They’re the perfect accompaniment to a roast dinner (even a fancy one like for Christmas or Easter!).

Of course, if you’re a vegetarian you won’t be making any type of roast meat, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a brilliant roast. Here are a few ideas of things to serve alongside your Parmentier potatoes:

  • some sort of nut roast or bean roast (this cheesy bean roast is my all-time favourite)
  • veggie cutlets (and plenty of gravy)
  • a rich gravy-based stew, like my mushroom bourguignon
  • toad in the hole
  • any type of vegetable pie – this mushroom stroganoff pie would work well
  • vegetable en croute

Any of these would work really well with some Parmentier potatoes and some extra veggies.

A bowl of Parmentier potatoes with roasted garlic and fresh rosemary.

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Easy Homemade Parmentier Potatoes

A super simple recipe for easy homemade Parmentier potatoes – small and ultra crispy potato cubes flavoured with rosemary and garlic. The perfect side dish for a special occasion!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine French
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 3
Calories 260kcal
Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

  • 800 g (~ 1 3/4 lb) potatoes
  • 2 Tbsp oil (I used rapeseed oil)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • Few sprigs fresh rosemary
  • ~ 6 whole cloves garlic

Instructions

  • Peel the potatoes, and cut into 1-2cm dice.
  • Toss the potatoes in some oil, and lay them in a single layer on a baking tray. Sprinkle plenty of salt and pepper over the potatoes, and add a few whole sprigs of fresh rosemary and a few whole cloves of garlic (no need to peel them).
  • Roast at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for approximately 35 minutes, stirring halfway, or until golden brown and crispy.
  • Remove the garlic cloves and any particularly woody stems of rosemary before serving (small rosemary leaves that break off are fine to leave!).

Notes

If you need to reheat any leftovers, it’s best to use the oven, as potatoes can lose their crispiness in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 40.7g | Protein: 4.5g | Fat: 9.5g | Saturated Fat: 1.3g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 791mg | Potassium: 1046mg | Fiber: 6.5g | Sugar: 2.9g | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition Facts
Easy Homemade Parmentier Potatoes
Amount Per Serving (1 portion)
Calories 260
Calories from Fat 86
% Daily Value*
Fat 9.5g15%
Saturated Fat 1.3g7%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 791mg33%
Potassium 1046mg30%
Carbohydrates 40.7g14%
Fiber 6.5g26%
Sugar 2.9g3%
Protein 4.5g9%
Calcium 35mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/3 of the recipe.

Looking for another side dish good enough for a special occasion? This creamy sweet potato gratin is perfect:

The post Easy Homemade Parmentier Potatoes appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.

Cheesy Vegetarian

Creamy Three Bean Stew

This creamy three bean stew is the ideal healthy comfort food – with fresh veg and three types of beans, in a luxurious creamy tomato sauce!

Overhead shot of a bowl of creamy three bean stew with a dollop of sour cream.

This creamy three bean stew is basically my perfect dinner. It feels like a luxurious, comforting meal, but is packed with fresh vegetables and protein-rich beans (three kinds, in case you couldn’t have guessed) – all coated in a creamy, silky sauce with heaps of flavour (swoooon).

It ticks all the boxes!

A bowlful of creamy three bean stew topped with parsley and a dollop of sour cream.

Healthy comfort food

Veggie-packed comfort food has got to be my all-time favourite food category, and it doesn’t get much better than this creamy three bean stew. It’s absolutely full of goodness, but is about as far from rabbit food as you can get (I’ve never been much of a salad person).

After eating a meal like this, you feel totally satisfied, and your body thanks you too.

Close up photo of a spoon being dipped into a bowl of creamy bean stew.

What’s in this creamy three bean stew?

There are 3 main elements to this hearty vegetarian stew:

  1. the vegetables – I chose carrots, courgette (zucchini) and mushrooms
  2. the beans – three different types! I used black beans, kidney beans and cannellini beans
  3. the sauce – made with tomatoes, creamy tomato soup, and an extra dollop of cream for good measure

As long as you make sure your bean stew contains these three elements, it will be a success – even if you decide to switch things up a bit (see below for some ideas for how to adapt the recipe!).

A spoon taking a scoop of vegetarian bean stew from a bowl.

How to make creamy three bean stew

Step 1: Fry off the vegetables

Start by dicing your veggies, and adding them to a large saucepan. Cook them for a few minutes until they’re just starting to soften.

Diced vegetables being cooked in a saucepan.

Step 2: Add most of the remaining ingredients

We’re already at the ‘add everything else’ stage – this recipe really couldn’t get much simpler.

Add the beans and sauce ingredients to the pan, and leave everything to simmer for a little while, until the sauce has thickened nicely and the vegetables and beans are totally soft.

Three bean stew being cooked in a saucepan.

Step 3: Make it extra creamy

As a little finishing touch, I like to add one more little dollop of something to make it extra creamy. To be honest, there are lots of ingredients you could use for this purpose, which would all have pretty much the same effect:

  • cream
  • sour cream
  • Greek yogurt
  • cream cheese

Just be careful if you’re using the low fat version of any of these ingredients, as low fat dairy products can sometimes split and curdle in this kind of situation.

It’s best to stick to the full fat version if you can, or if you really want to use low fat, temper the ingredient first. To do this, mix a spoonful of your hot stew into the yogurt (or whatever you’re using) first, then add it all back into the pot. This helps to minimise the temperature shock, and reduces the risk of curdling.

A dollop of sour cream being added to a rich tomatoey bean stew in a saucepan.

The difference that one good dollop of sour cream had on my three bean stew was really pretty amazing:

Creamy three bean stew in a saucepan.

It makes the whole thing so much more luxurious, and transforms a simple bean stew into something seriously tempting.

A bowlful of creamy vegetarian three bean stew topped with parsley and sour cream.

How to serve three bean stew

This stew already contains all the most important food groups, so there’s no need to serve anything alongside it if you don’t want to. Just a nice big bowl and a spoon are all you need.

Personally though, I think a bit of garlic bread or some crusty bread and butter are absolutely perfect for mopping up the bowl and adding a nice bit of crunch…

A hand using a piece of garlic bread to scoop up some three bean stew.

How to adapt the recipe

One of the best things about this recipe is that it’s endlessly adaptable – it’s such a good fridge clearer. I would be willing to bet that almost all of you could make this three bean stew entirely from ingredients you already have in the house.

Who doesn’t already have a cupboard full of random tins of beans? And a fridge full of veggies that could do with being used up?

Just chuck ’em all in – the more the merrier.

You could choose different vegetables, different beans, or adjust the sauce ingredients, and you’ll almost certainly still end up with a really tasty meal. In fact, it’s pretty fun if it ends up slightly different each time you make it.

Overhead shot of a bowl of creamy three bean stew.

Print

Creamy Three Bean Stew

This creamy three bean stew is the ideal healthy comfort food – with fresh veg and three types of beans, in a luxurious creamy tomato sauce!
Course Main meal
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 368kcal
Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 onion, sliced or diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium courgette (zucchini), diced
  • ~ 5 medium mushrooms, diced
  • 400 g tin cannellini beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 1/4 cups, when drained)
  • 400 g tin black beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 1/4 cups, when drained)
  • 400 g tin kidney beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 1/4 cups, when drained)
  • 400 g (~ 1⅓ cups) tinned tomatoes
  • 400 g (~ 1 1/3 cups) tin cream of tomato soup
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled
  • 2 tbsp cream, cream cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt (full fat versions)
  • Small bunch fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

  • Heat a dash of oil in a large saucepan, and add the diced onion and carrot. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion has softened slightly. Add the garlic, courgette and mushrooms, and cook for a further 5 minutes, until the vegetables are beginning to soften.
  • Add the three drained tins of beans, tin of tomatoes, and tin of tomato soup. Also add the oregano and black pepper, along with a crumbled stock cube (or just some salt, if you prefer).
  • Bring to a simmer, and cook for around 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to produce a thick sauce.
  • Add the cream, mix to combine, and serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Feel free to use different vegetables or different beans, depending on what you have in the kitchen.

It’s best to use full fat dairy products for cooking, as low fat varieties tend to split and curdle when added to heat. If you really need to use a low fat dairy ingredient, temper it before adding it to the stew. To do this, mix one spoonful of the hot stew into the low fat yogurt (or whatever it is), and stir it together. Then add it back into the stew. This reduces the temperature shock to the yogurt, and minimises the risk of curdling.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 60.1g | Protein: 18.6g | Fat: 7.4g | Saturated Fat: 2.5g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 1082mg | Potassium: 1217mg | Fiber: 17.8g | Sugar: 9.8g | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 7mg
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Three Bean Stew
Amount Per Serving (1 portion)
Calories 368
Calories from Fat 67
% Daily Value*
Fat 7.4g11%
Saturated Fat 2.5g13%
Cholesterol 11mg4%
Sodium 1082mg45%
Potassium 1217mg35%
Carbohydrates 60.1g20%
Fiber 17.8g71%
Sugar 9.8g11%
Protein 18.6g37%
Calcium 111mg11%
Iron 7mg39%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/4 of the recipe.

Love healthy comfort food? My veggie-packed slow cooker black bean soup is perfect:

The post Creamy Three Bean Stew appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.

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