Roasted Potatoes Get The Ultimate Savory Treatment With This Canned Ingredient

If you like variety in the foods you eat, roasted potatoes are among the most versatile side dishes you can make. Due to their mild, neutral flavor, roasted spuds instantly become more flavorful when paired with savory ingredients like sauteed onions, shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, and even anchovies. You read that right: Anchovies are among the easiest ways you can give your next batch of roasted potatoes an ultra-savory boost with just a small amount of prep work. Since anchovies are rich in umami flavors, they easily complement roasted potatoes' subtle taste.

More specifically, anchovies are small saltwater forage fish that you can purchase as fillets or as a paste in shelf-stable cans or tubes. Since anchovies are a delicate fish, they're almost always preserved in oil and salt which contributes to their savory, umami-rich flavor.

Sure enough, like many of the creative ways you can use a tin of anchovies, adding these salty, briny foods to your next pan of plain or rosemary and garlic roasted potatoes can be done in more ways than one. Simply mix the potatoes with one or two cans of drained, chopped anchovies plus a small amount of cooking oil and your preferred seasonings. Then, all you need to do is roast the simple mixture in a baking dish or parchment-lined sheet pan.

Beyond mixing anchovies with potatoes prior to roasting, there are even more delicious ways to combine these two complementary foods. For starters, instead of using drained, chopped anchovies directly from the can, consider taking a few extra steps to transform these tinned fillets into a savory sauce you can pour onto potatoes before roasting.

All you need to do is mash your anchovy fillets with some butter, olive oil, chopped garlic, and lemon juice over your stove until the fish fillets partially melt or break down into small, oil-infused pieces. You can also use anchovy paste to make a sauce that has a smoother, more uniform consistency. Either way, once prepped, coat your potatoes in this butter-infused, anchovy-based sauce and roast. Alternatively, you can also roast your potatoes separately following your most-preferred method and then, use anchovies as a veritable last-minute topping.

For example, smash your roasted potatoes for the crispiest results and then, pour over the same anchovy-based sauce when serving. Whichever preparation method you decide to use, make sure to give your fresh-cooked potatoes an extra pop of flavor (and color) at mealtime with bright-tasting herbs such as dill, parsley, and celery leaves. You can also top this savory side dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, jarred capers, or chopped Calabrian chilis for a punch of extra flavor.