Italian Potato Recipe with Tomatoes and Onions

This Southern Italian Potato Recipe, with crushed tomatoes and onions, is an easy Mediterranean side dish. Serve this baked potato dish with meat, chicken or fish.

Once you try this recipe, you will agree that this is one of the best potato dishes ever!

If you recall, this is not the first time we combined potatoes and tomatoes to make a delicious side dish.

In this recipe for Mediterranean Vegetable Bake, fresh Italian plum tomatoes are baked with potatoes and then topped with breadcrumbs and cheese.

Today, we are using a combination of canned tomatoes (can also use frozen tomatoes) and sliced onions with red potatoes. A grated cheese topping is optional.

Healthy, nutritious and delicious.

You won’t believe how flavorful these simple wholesome ingredients become when they are baked together.

Mise en place

Before we can assemble our dish, we need to peel about 3 pounds of red potatoes. This is roughly 9 medium red potatoes. Cut equally into wedges and place them into a large bowl of water while prepping the rest of the ingredients.

Next, thinly slice one onion and mince about 4 cloves of garlic.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

Place the oven grate on the lower center rack, that is the second from the bottom.

Instructions

Empty a can of 28 ounces (796 mL ) of whole peeled canned tomatoes in a large bowl. Add 1 cup of water to the can, swirl it around and add the contents back to the bowl with the tomatoes.

Crush the tomatoes with your hands.

To this, add the 4 cloves of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of dried oregano, 1½ teaspoons of paprika, salt, and pepper to taste. (I used 1½ teaspoons salt and ⅛ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper). Combine properly together.

Drain the water from the potatoes.

Add the sliced onions and crushed tomatoes and mix them together.

Transfer the mixture to a large deep baking dish (10.5 x 14.75 inches).

Arrange the potatoes and vegetables in a single layer. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of olive oil over the top.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 45-60 minutes or until a knife can easily pierce through the potato. Gently move the potatoes around in the baking pan. 

Bake for another 15-20 minutes, without the foil or until most of the moisture has evaporated from the tomato sauce. Stir occasionally. 

Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve. 

OPTIONAL: Garnish with grated pecorino romano cheese or parmesan cheese.

Tips

• Cutting the potatoes uniformly will ensure even baking.
• Use a large baking dish to spread the potatoes evenly, in a single layer.
• The long baking time reduces the “acidity” of the tomatoes.
• This potato recipe is the perfect side dish to serve at family gatherings.

What’s the best type of potatoes for this recipe?

Red skinned potatoes are best because:

• they have a waxy and firm texture;
• will stay firm and retain their shape throughout the roasting time and
• have a full flavor with a hint of sweetness.

How to choose the best potatoes

Choose potatoes that are firm and smooth. Avoid potatoes that have wilted skins or are wrinkled. Also, choose potatoes that have a uniform shape as this prevents having too much waste when peeling them.

How many potatoes are in one pound?

There are usually 3 medium potatoes or 10 small potatoes in one pound of potatoes.

What’s the best way to slice these potatoes?

You can cut them into slices, wedges or chunks. Cut them the same size so that they cook evenly. 

How do I store leftover potatoes?

Cover and refrigerate leftover potatoes for 3 days. It can be reheated in the microwave or the oven.

Potato side dishes we love

• Italian Potato Croquettes
• Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes 
• Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
• Italian Potato Salad
• Roasted Small Potatoes
• Roasted Red Potatoes

Recipe inspiration

Once again it’s back to my Italian upbringing for this rustic recipe of Italian potatoes with tomatoes and onions.

My mom would make this vegetable side dish as a contorno (side dish) whenever she would make grilled meats and roasts. 

If you are looking for potato side dishes for fish, this was the recipe my mom would make to serve alongside all of the fish recipes served on Christmas Eve, including this Baked Codfish recipe. 

There are countless variations of this simple side dish. What is important is that you use red potatoes so that they do not turn to mush when you are ready to serve them.

I recently made a variation of this recipe with my friend Carlo, a professional chef. If you would like to see how it is made, head on over to YouTube.  Just click on the following link and be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel as my friend Carlo and I plan to share more wonderful recipes with all of you!

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

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Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made these Potatoes in Tomato Sauce, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!