Even though I try not to heat up the house with my oven too often in the summer, I am definitely willing to make an exception for the right recipe.
Last week, that exception came when I decided I didn’t want one of the typical cold summer sides like coleslaw, potato salad or a green salad to go with our dinner, and I stumbled on a delicious-looking recipe that combined potatoes and bell peppers. It sounded like a fantastic summer side, especially with all the brightly colored peppers included.
It fit the bill perfectly, and not only was I happy with the flavors but it also ended up being a great meal for leftovers later on.
This comes from the blog “Will Cook for Smiles.” You can find the original post at https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/southwest-roasted-potatoes. I added extra spices and vegetables in my version.
Southwest Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 large Russet potatoes
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 large green bell pepper
- 1 large yellow or orange bell pepper
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 heaping teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a large, rimmed baking sheet by lining it with foil.
- Cut potatoes and onion into about one-half-inch pieces. Cut the peppers into about one-inch pieces.
- Add all of the vegetables to a large bowl or directly onto the baking sheet to combine with the other ingredients.
- Add the oil, herbs and spices to your vegetables and mix well until they are evenly coated in the mixture.
- Evenly spread out the coated vegetables on your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Serve hot.
If you’re into something a bit spicier, you could easily toss in some hot peppers or maybe some cayenne pepper in the mix for this. But I will say this combination of spices was definitely flavorful while still being a crowd pleaser.
It was also super gorgeous on the table. I would highly recommend this one for a gathering if you need a good side dish this summer. We really enjoyed it.
And, in the grand scheme of things, heating up the kitchen was very much worth it. There’s something about roasted bell peppers that I absolutely love, even if I have to sweat just a bit to get them.
This piece first appeared in print on June 9, 2022.
Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.
