Add some much needed spice to those bland potato wedges with these few simple ingredients to make those spuds explode with flavor.
Just like you need a backup date, backup plans, backup boyfriend, you need a backup potato dish on nights when you just don’t know what else to make.
Potatoes always seem to be on standby to fill in a meal, especially a gluten free one.
Serve alongside your favorite sandwich, roast chicken, meatloaf, burger, or just about anything else that requires some cajun lovin’.
Ingredients
This recipe is adapted from the Queen of oven fries herself, Ms. Rachel Ray. She would often say on her show that oven fries were her all time favorite.
I guess they’re so easy to make can be dressed up in so many ways. You will only need 6 ingredients for some Cajun Lovin’.
- Russet Potatoes – You could use any other potato too, but russets are extra creamy. They’re also long and make for long wedges.
- Oil – I use extra virgin olive oil, but you can use whatever cooking oil you have on hand that is suitable for high heat such as coconut, avocado, or ghee. I wouldn’t use butter because, unless the milk solids have been removed, those fats will burn too easily and make black spots on your taters.
- Paprika – Ground paprika comes in 3 forms: sweet, smoked, and hot. I would avoid the hot version, unless you enjoy the heat!
- Cumin – Ground cumin is like MSG for so many cuisines. It adds this extra oomph of goodness and “meatiness” when there is no meat.
- Thyme – Fresh or dried will work. If you don’t have thyme, any other dried woody herb works well such as rosemary, Italian seasoning, marjoram, or oregano.
- Hot Sauce – I like a nice vinegary southern hot sauce such as one from The Gumbo Shop, but Tabasco or Frank’s Hot Sauce work well too.
- Salt ‘n Pepa – Use as much as you like. I’m a salt whore so am VERY generous with my salt.
Time needed: 30 minutes
How to make Lovin’ Cajun Oven Potato Wedges
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Don’t give them a lukewarm reception. Make sure those taters enter a HOT oven.
- Cut potatoes
Make sure those potatoes are washed first! Then dry them off and cut in half lengthwise and in half in again, so you have 8 quarters.
- Cut each wedge in half again.
You will end up with 16 wedges total. 8 for him and 8 for you. This is not something to do ahead of time, since potatoes discolor once cut. They either need to be cooked right away or soaked in water to keep from turning pink.
- Optional step – for extra crispiness
If you have time to spare, you can soak the potatoes in water in 15 minutes. This removes excess starch so the potatoes crisp up better in the oven. You do need to dry off the potatoes after removing them from the water, so you don’t have watery potatoes.
- Mix with seasonings
Put all the ingredients into a bowl. Don’t forget the salt and pepper!
- Mix
Make sure each wedge is coated thoroughly with all that yummy spice.
- Spread ’em
Lay them onto a baking sheet. I put them on foil to avoid extra cleanup. You shouldn’t need any additional oil, since they potatoes have already been mixed with some. However, if you really want to make sure they don’t stick, slather on some extra oil onto the pan.
- Cook for 20 minutes
Prick with a fork or knife to ensure complete creaminess. If met with any resistance, pop the pan back into the oven for 5 minutes. Continue cooking until the potatoes are soft.
- Serve hot
Gently pick up the wedges from the pan, and serve next to your favorite roast, sandwich, or burger.
Lovin’ Cajun Oven Potato Wedges
Recipe adapted from Rachel Ray.
Ingredients
- 2 ea russet potatoes
- 2 Tb extra virgin olive oil or other cooking oil of your choice
- 1/2 tsp thyme fresh or dried
- 1/2 tsp ground paprika smoked or sweet
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 3-4 dashes hot sauce
- salt 'n pepa as much as you like. For me this is 1 tsp of kosher salt and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
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Wash and cut potatoes into wedges. Each potato should give you 12 wedges.
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Toss potatoes with remaining ingredients. Spread onto a baking sheet.
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Bake for 20 minutes. Test a potato wedge for doneness. It should be easily pierced with knife or fork with no resistance. If it is not soft and creamy, put the baking sheet back in the oven for 5 minutes and check them again until completely cooked.
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Use a spatula to remove potatoes from the pan. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
- If I don’t feel like cleaning up, I will line the baking tray with foil. Just be very careful not to tear up bits of foil as you scoop up the cooked potatoes.
- If you happen to cut very thick potato wedges and your wedges are still not cooked through after 25 minutes, turn the oven temperature down to 400 degrees F. If you keep the oven at 450 degrees F, the potatoes may start to burn.
- If you want your potatoes to be extra crispy, soak the wedges in water for 15 minutes prior to mixing with the seasoning. Then dry them off and proceed with the rest of the recipe. This will help wash off excess starch, so they crispy up better.
- If you don’t have thyme, any other dried woody herb works well such as rosemary, Italian seasoning, marjoram, or oregano.
- You can find ground paprika as hot, sweet, or smoked. You could use the hot version but only if you can handle the heat!
- If you need to hold the potatoes, since the rest of your meal is not quite so hot, you can hold the potatoes at a 200 degree F oven for up to an hour. Or, just simply reheat at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.