Rustic potatoes with star sauce

Last Friday, I cooked rustic potatoes with tomato sauce again. It's the kind of recipe I often turn to when I want something quick, filling, and meatless or dairy-free. The potatoes are easy to prepare, and the garlic tomato sauce really brings out all the flavor. When I don't have celery, I just make it with parsley, but if you have it, I definitely recommend adding it.

Quick Info

Total time: about 1 hour (including baking)
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Baking time: 40-45 minutes (depending on the oven and the size of the potatoes)
Servings: 4-6
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: vegan, main dish, for lunch or dinner

Ingredients

Potatoes:
- 1400 g potatoes (weighed after peeling)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon Fuchs pizza seasoning or any herb mix you have (oregano, basil, thyme, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Sauce:
- 3 heaping tablespoons tomato paste (28% dry matter)
- 3 large cloves of garlic
- 2 teaspoons vinegar
- 130 ml still water
- 1 teaspoon oil
- A few sprigs of parsley (finely chopped)
- Salt to taste

Optional: finely diced celery (if you have it)

Instructions

1. Peel and wash the potatoes thoroughly, then cut them into quarters. If they're larger, cut them into even-sized pieces so they bake evenly. After cutting, rinse them again to remove excess starch and let them drain for a bit.

2. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the oil, salt, and spices. Mix well with your hands or a large spoon, ensuring they are evenly coated.

3. Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on the tray without overcrowding them to ensure they brown nicely.

4. Place the tray in the preheated oven at 200°C. Bake the potatoes until they are beautifully browned on the outside and soft on the inside. It usually takes about 40-45 minutes for me, but it greatly depends on the oven and the size of the potatoes. Halfway through, turn them with a spatula to ensure even coloring.

5. While the potatoes are baking, make the sauce. In a bowl, combine the tomato paste. Crush the garlic using a press or chop it very finely, then add it to the paste. Pour in the vinegar, water, and oil, add salt to taste, and mix everything well.

6. Finally, add the chopped parsley (and celery if you have it, finely diced). Mix again, and the sauce is ready.

7. Serve the potatoes warm, with the sauce on top or on the side.

Why I make this recipe often

Rustic potatoes with tomato sauce are practical, economical, and don't require complicated ingredients. I love that I can adapt the sauce based on what I have in the fridge, and it takes little time to pop them in the oven. They are delicious both warm and at room temperature.

Tips and Variations

Tips
- Don't overcrowd the potatoes on the tray; if necessary, use two trays so they can brown instead of steaming.
- If you have celery, dice it small and add it directly to the sauce; it adds extra flavor and texture.
- The sauce can be adjusted with more water if you want it thinner, or more tomato paste if you prefer it thicker.
- Check the potatoes after 35 minutes – if they are soft and golden, you can take them out earlier.

Substitutions
- Instead of Fuchs pizza seasoning, you can use any dried herb mix: oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, according to your preference.
- Parsley can be replaced with cilantro if you like, but the final flavor will be different.
- If you don't have tomato paste, you can use thick tomato puree, but the flavor will be slightly milder.

Variations
- For a more colorful version, you can add some slices of roasted bell pepper to the sauce.
- If you're not fasting, you can sprinkle some grated cheese over the warm potatoes.
- You can also add other vegetables, such as diced carrots or zucchini, baked together with the potatoes.

Serving Ideas
- The potatoes and sauce work well as a main vegan dish.
- Pairing it with a cabbage or beet salad makes for a complete meal.
- It can also serve as a side dish if you have some homemade meat.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I boil the potatoes instead of baking them?
I don’t recommend it for the final texture. Baking leaves them slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Boiled potatoes can become too mushy for this recipe.

2. Can the sauce be made without garlic?
Yes, but the flavor will be quite different. Garlic adds a lot of aroma and is noticeable when it's missing.

3. What can I substitute for vinegar?
If you don't want vinegar, you can use lemon juice, but vinegar provides a more pronounced acidity typical of tomato sauces.

4. Can the baked potatoes be frozen?
No, their texture becomes crumbly after freezing, and they won't taste the same.

5. Can I use new potatoes?
You can use them, but make sure to peel them well, as they can toughen on the outside during baking.

Nutritional Values

Estimate (for 1 serving out of 6):
- Calories: 220-250 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 45-50 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Fat: 4-5 g

Most of the calories come from the potatoes and tomato paste, with a small amount of fat from the oil. The sauce doesn’t add many calories but brings intense flavor.

Storage and Reheating

Baked potatoes with sauce are best fresh. If there are leftovers, they can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 2 days. They can be reheated in the oven or in a skillet, preferably without the sauce, then add the sauce cold or at room temperature. I don’t recommend freezing, as the texture of the potatoes deteriorates. The sauce can last in the refrigerator separately for 2-3 days without any issues.

1. The peeled, washed potatoes, cut into quarters and washed again are set to drain, then mixed with oil, salt, and spices. We place them in a baking tray lined with parchment paper and put them in the preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius until they are golden brown. 2. The sauce is prepared by mixing the tomato paste with crushed garlic and the rest of the ingredients. And that's it. Simple, delicious, and economical. I told you it's easy to prepare them. ;) Note! The sauce also includes diced celery; I didn't add it here because I didn't have any, but I assure you it's very tasty.

 Ingredients: 1400 g peeled potatoes 2 tbsp oil 1 tbsp pizza seasoning from Fuchs or any herbs you like 1 tsp coarse salt Sauce 3 tbsp tomato paste (28% dry matter) 3 large garlic cloves 2 tsp vinegar 130 ml still water 1 tsp oil a few sprigs of parsley salt to taste

 Tags:  rustic potatoes tomato sauce