Paprika and Parmesan Potato Wedges

Roasted to perfection and perfectly seasoned, Paprika and Parmesan Potato Wedges are the perfect side dish – smoky, garlicky, onion-y, and cheesy – could these get any better? Oftentimes, these are served with finger foods like pizza or chicken wings.

Who doesn’t love a good potato wedge?  Just look at how delicious these Paprika and Parmesan Potato Wedges look! Yum! I’ve loved them ever since I can remember, but I don’t remember loving them this much since I was about twelve or thirteen years old.  (That was a long, long time ago!)

POTATO WEDGES – THE ULTIMATE SIDE!

Whenever we order pizza, being the big eater that I am, I always like to have a side dish as well.  I’m not sure whoever thought of serving pizza with garlic bread, potato wedges, or chicken wings, but I’d like to meet them one day.  They’re one of my heroes. 

Usually when we order pizza, we order a family value special so that we can accommodate everyone’s tastes and preferences.  Potato wedges come with that order, but even though we love our local pizza joint, their potato wedges are mediocre at best.

So, since I was making homemade pizza for dinner one night, I thought I would make my favourite potato wedges to go along with it.  You can find my homemade pizza recipe right here: Grilled Veggie Pizza with Cheese Filled Crust.  And, also, I made wings to go with the pizza and the Paprika and Parmesan Potato Wedges.  You can find one of my favourite wing recipes right here: Chili Ginger Garlic Honey Wings.

MY LOVE OF POTATO WEDGES RUNS DEEP!

Way, way back in the mid-90’s, I used to live with my family in a very small town in Northern Ontario.  The population of this town was 3,500.  There wasn’t much to do, which was great, because we were forced to be really creative to keep ourselves busy.  But, it was also a bad thing, because with very little to do, it was easier to get into trouble.

One of my most fondest food memories, other than the waffle fries at Burger Queen (yes, queen!) that were often given to us kids for free if we ran an errand or two for the owners, was the potato wedges at a little mom and pop shop called Reddi Chef.  (I just Googled it to see if it still exists.  Same location, new name.  But by the looks of those menu boards, they still serve those potato wedges.  I’m taking a road trip there this summer!)

At Reddi Chef, I could buy a box of potato wedges for $2.  They were crispy and salty and peppery.  And, if I happened to have an extra fifty cents, they would smother the potato wedges in a thick, beef gravy.  I cannot count how many times I would have a box of potato wedges for dinner if mom and dad were working late!  Those potato wedges were the best – until now.  Now, I think my Paprika and Parmesan Potato Wedges are the best!

WHAT MAKES A GOOD POTATO WEDGE?

A good potato wedge doesn’t need to be hard to make or difficult to muster.  I believe that there are two factors that are mostly responsible for a good potato wedge experience.  First, you need to have a good seasoning.  Potatoes love salt and pepper, but for me, potatoes are not good potatoes until they have a bit of onion and garlic flavour as well.

The second factor is heat.  A good potato wedge demands a hot oven.  When roasting any vegetable really, at a minimum you must set your oven to 400 degrees.  In fact, sometimes, depending on the veggie and what I’m trying to achieve, I’ll go as high as 450 degrees.  The high temperature will give you the crispy outside, but the pillow-y, fluffy inside we all love.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this Pizza Potato Wedges recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Potatoes – I like to use baking potatoes for wedges. Any white-flesh potatoes will do just fine.
• Olive Oil
• Paprika – You can use either sweet or smoked paprika.
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder – Use garlic powder and not granulated garlic. There’s a big difference in the taste!
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• Parmesan Cheese
• Parsley – Use fresh parsley for flavour, freshness, and garnish.
• Nonstick Cooking Spray

HOW TO MAKE PAPRIKA AND PARMESAN POTATO WEDGES

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper. (I used two baking sheets.) Generously coat parchment paper with non stick cooking spray. Lay the potato wedges, cut side down in rows. Do not allow the wedges to touch or overlap. Sprinkle the top of the wedges with half of the salt and half of the ground black pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven. Using metal tongs, turn each potato wedge over so that the opposite cut side is facing down. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and ground black pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, whisk together the olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, parsley, and half of the parmesan cheese. Transfer the potato wedges to a large bowl. Pour over the olive oil mixture. Toss well to coat. Empty the potato wedges back onto the sheet pan and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Plate, sprinkle over the remaining parmesan and more parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

PARMESAN CHEESE

I know a wedge of parmesan – even a small one – can be anywhere from 12 to 20 dollars. So, you can use other cheeses that will save you a few bucks. My go-to cheese if I can’t get good parmesan is pecorino romano. It has a very similar taste and texture.

I have another option that’s a little outside the box, but don’t knock it until you try it! Have you heard of nutritional yeast? It’s quite good and is an ingredient many vegans will use as a parmesan alternative. Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast commonly used as an ingredient in creamy, dairy-free cheese substitutes. You can often find it used as a topping for foods like my Doritos Cool Ranch Popcorn.

I’ve also used it in my Homemade Ranch Seasoning, which is great stirred into buttermilk to make a salad dressing. Or into sour cream for a very tasty ranch dip! I’ve also used it in this Garlic Bread recipe. Honestly, Dear Reader, it’s delicious! Finally, in addition to a wedge of real parmesan, the stuff you can easily find in a can at any grocery store works well in this recipe too!

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!