This is one of those amazing side dishes that disappears incredibly fast! It’s a fancy, restaurant-worthy recipe that is sure to impress special guests. (If you are serving a large crowd, I recommend doubling the recipe, since it only serves four as a side.)
If you’ve been skeptical about arugula in the past, I encourage you to give this recipe a try; the spicy, peppery-tasting green pairs beautifully with a bold and bright pesto. If you can’t find baby arugula, be sure to chop regular arugula into bite-sized pieces so it’s easier to eat. Hemp hearts add a kick of protein and omega-3 fatty acids for a nutritional boost. This dish is amazing served warm, but the chilled leftovers taste great as well.
Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (1 kg) Yukon Gold or red potatoes, unpeeled, chopped into 1 in (2.5 cm) cubes (about 6 cups/1.5 L)
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) + 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large garlic head
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup (250 mL) lightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 3 to 4 Tbsp (45 to 60 mL) hemp hearts
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) fresh lemon juice, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups (750 mL) baby arugula, chopped
- Fresh lemon juice, for serving (optional)
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) hemp hearts, for garnish
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories390
- protein7g
- fat23g
- saturated fat3g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates42g
- sugars3g
- fibre7g
- sodium207mg
Directions
01
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Line extra-large baking sheet (15 x 21 in/38 x 53 cm) with parchment paper.
02
Place potatoes on baking sheet and toss with oil until thoroughly coated. Spread potatoes into even layer. Season with a couple of pinches of salt and pepper.
03
Slice top off garlic bulb so all individual garlic cloves are trimmed. Place garlic bulb on square of aluminum foil (about 8 in/20 cm square) and drizzle top of cloves with olive oil. Wrap garlic bulb entirely in foil and place on baking sheet with potatoes.
04
Roast potatoes and garlic for 20 minutes, then remove pan from oven and flip potatoes with a spatula. Return potatoes and garlic to oven and continue roasting for 15 to 20 minutes more, until potatoes are golden and fork-tender.
05
In food processor, combine pesto ingredients and process until mostly smooth, stopping to scrape down bowl as necessary. Keep pesto in processor because we will add the roasted garlic as the final step.
06
Remove potatoes and garlic from oven. Carefully unwrap garlic bulb and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle.
07
Turn off oven and return potatoes to oven with the door ajar so they stay warm. (You can also put the potatoes into an oven-safe casserole dish so the dish stays warm when serving.) Squeeze roasted garlic cloves out of the bulb. You should have about 2 Tbsp (30 mL) roasted garlic. Add into food processor with pesto. Process until mostly smoothu2014you can add a touch more oil if necessary to get it going.
08
This is the important part where you need to act fast; I like to assemble the salad very quickly so that itu2019s warm when I serve it. Grab a large serving bowl and place arugula in bottom of bowl. You can break arugula up into smaller pieces with your hands a bit. Then, remove potatoes from oven and quickly place in serving bowl on top of arugula. Toss potatoes and arugula with pesto until thoroughly combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Sometimes I add another drizzle of lemon juice if I feel like the dish needs more acidity. Sprinkle on hemp hearts and serve immediately.
Angela Liddon
Angela Liddon is the founder, recipe developer, photographer, and writer behind OhSheGlows.com—an award-winning destination for energizing, plant-based recipes, with millions of visitors each month. Her first cookbook, The Oh She Glows Cookbook (Penguin Canada, 2014), is an international best-seller. Angela and her family live in Oakville, Ontario.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
GF Almond Tahini Ice Cream Cookie Cake
Ice cream cakes and/or cookies are everyone’s favourite. And here’s a great option for a delicious “Dad’s” cookie cake that’s gluten free! A simple-to-make cookie cake that’s made even easier when the dough is tossed together in a food processor. End a delicious Dad’s Day meal with this deliciously cool and creamy sweet dessert. Best beer? Extra yum when served with small glasses of chocolate-flavoured stout or porter. When Dad loves his cookies We made this delicious dessert into a cake, but it can easily be made into individual ice cream cookies. Roll out dough into 1/4 in (6 mm) thickness and cut into 2 in (5 cm) rounds. Bake, cool, and chill. Once chilled, spoon ice cream in between chilled cookies. Freeze until firm. Drizzle with melted chocolate or dip into melted chocolate.
Pork Tenderloin with Espresso BBQ Sauce
Coffee-flavoured BBQ sauce? Why not? It’s a strikingly flavourful combo—sweet, tangy, bold, and rich. It can be used not only on pork but on a variety of other meats. We marinated tenderloin in it and doubled up on the smoky flavour by grilling it on a cedar plank. Serve with a side order of grilled broccolini for extra yum. Best beer? You can’t go wrong with an IPA or a honey lager to complement this flavourful dish. Looking for an easy way to grill broccolini? Toss with a little oil and season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Near the end of grilling, place broccolini beside plank with tenderloin on hot grill for about 6 or 7 minutes. Using tongs, turn a few times until tender and lightly charred. Place on platter with sliced pork and drizzle with lemon juice and some shaved Parmesan.
Everything-But-Meat Salad
If there’s a vegan or vegetarian in the crowd, then this dish will be sure to please. Chock full of complementary textures and flavours, it not only qualifies as eye candy, but is also a substantial stand-alone meal—a stunning meal in a dish! Best beer? Serve this salad with an IPA or pale ale. For a more adventurous sip, it’s equally delicious with a Belgian pale or dark ale. Endlessly customizable When it comes to this powerhouse salad, the sky’s the limit. Swap out apples with orange wedges, or mix up your greens by substituting spinach for endive. Bump up the protein with some canned chickpeas or black beans, if you wish. Or cut up some corn tortillas into bite-sized strips, fry in pan until crisp, then toss over salad for added crunch.
Grilled New Potatoes and Lentils with Creamy Lemon Dressing
Early summer potatoes, cooked and grilled, are just the ticket for this fabulous salad. Coupled with lentils, they’re a delicious add-on to any meal plan. This recipe offers an added bonus: it can be made in stages, so you’re not cooking all afternoon. Best beer? You can’t go wrong serving this dreamy salad with a simple and uncomplicated pale ale. Variety is the spice of potato-salad life Potato salad lends itself to any number of variations, and this recipe doesn’t disappoint. Try swapping out microgreens for baby spinach leaves. Another interesting slant: crisp up (optional) prosciutto on the grill before breaking into bite-sized pieces and scattering over the salad.