Try my Calabrian potatoes when you want zesty, crispy, buttery potatoes ready in about 30 minutes. The potatoes are tossed in a compound butter made with Calabrian chili paste, green onions, parsley, rosemary, and a touch of salt, then pan-fried until golden and crisp.
These aren’t your typical rosemary-and-garlic potatoes. Yes, there’s rosemary and garlic-like flavor from the aromatics, but Calabrian potatoes bring a bright, tangy heat from Calabrian chili paste that lifts the whole dish.
I first tasted these flavors in Sorrento, Italy. The dish centers on Calabrian chili paste — made from crushed Calabrian peppers blended with oil and salt — which is fruity, tangy, and slightly smoky with a pleasant, lingering heat. Tossed with butter, onions, and herbs, it transforms simple potatoes into the star of the plate: crisp on the outside, tender and creamy inside, and coated in Mediterranean flavor. This is a one-pan recipe you’ll want to make often.
Table of Contents
- Calabrian you say?!
- Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- How to Make Calabrian Potatoes
- Recommended Tools
- Storing and Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Calabrian Potatoes Recipe
These tangy Calabrian potatoes pair beautifully with Italian mains like roast beef, meatballs, zuppa toscana, or chicken parmigiana. They also go great with grilled sausages or a simple roasted protein.
Tip From Kevin
Calabrian you say?!
Calabrian chili paste, usually found in the condiment aisle, is made from crushed Calabrian peppers, oil, and salt. It offers a rich, smoky heat with fruity, tangy notes and works well to boost the flavor of pastas, pizzas, sauces, and pan-fried dishes like these potatoes.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
(See the recipe card for exact quantities)
- Small Yellow Potatoes – Baby Yukon Golds are ideal: they crisp well on the outside while staying creamy inside and are the perfect size when halved.
- Calabrian Chili Paste – I prefer the paste to whole peppers because it already contains oil, is easy to measure, and blends smoothly into the compound butter.
- Green Onions – Substitute with shallots or chives if needed.
- Parsley – Fresh parsley adds a bright, herbaceous note; use about a tablespoon, chopped.
- Rosemary – Use ½ teaspoon ground rosemary or 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary; both work well here.
- Butter – Bring the butter to room temperature so it mixes easily with the chili paste and herbs.
- Kosher Salt – Adjust to taste, especially if your chili paste is salty.
How to Make Calabrian Potatoes
- Make the butter. Mash together room-temperature butter with chopped green onions, Calabrian chili paste, parsley, rosemary, and kosher salt until evenly combined.
- Boil the potatoes. Halve the baby Yukon Golds and place them in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and boil over medium-high heat until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return the potatoes to the pan.
- Combine, brown, and serve. Add the compound butter to the hot potatoes and stir to coat and melt. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until the potatoes develop a golden, slightly crisp crust, about 3–5 minutes. Serve immediately while hot.
Recommended Tools
- Saucepan – A wider pan helps coat and brown the potatoes more evenly.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Don’t leave cooked potatoes at room temperature for more than a couple of hours before refrigerating.
Reheat in a 425°F oven until warmed through, or use an air fryer for quick reheating that restores crispness.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Baby Yukon Golds are my top pick: they have the ideal balance of waxy and starchy texture for pan-frying and are a convenient size when halved. Other baby yellow varieties or fingerlings also work well. Some people slice larger russets into medallions and roast or pan-fry them, but halved small potatoes retain a creamier interior.
Calabrian chilis are moderately hot, typically hotter than jalapeños. The paste’s heat is noticeable but not overwhelming; adjust the amount to match your tolerance.
Yes. After boiling and tossing the potatoes in the compound butter, arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast at 425°F for 10–15 minutes, flip, and roast another 10–15 minutes until golden and crisp.
Calabrian Potatoes
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Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
- 1 lb small yellow potatoes cut in half
- 3 tbsp butter room temperature
- 4 green onions finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Calabrian chili paste
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground rosemary or 1 tsp fresh minced
Instructions
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In a small bowl mash together the butter, green onion, chili paste, parsley, salt, and rosemary. Set aside.
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In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, boil the halved potatoes until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return to the pan.
Stovetop
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Add the compound butter to the hot potatoes and stir to coat. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes develop a golden crust, stirring often, about 3–5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Roasted
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After boiling and coating the potatoes in the butter, spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast at 425°F for 10–15 minutes. Flip and roast another 10–15 minutes until golden and crisp.
Nutrition
The nutrition information is an estimate and should not replace professional advice.
