Recipes › Fingerling Potato › Pan-Seared Fingerlings with Garlic and Herbs
Pan-Seared Fingerlings with Garlic and Herbs
Parboiled fingerling potatoes finished in a hot skillet until the cut sides are deeply golden and caramelized, then finished with a generous shower of garlic, parsley, and lemon. Ready in 30 minutes total, this is the weeknight side dish that makes people reach for seconds before the main course is even cleared.
Fingerling Potato is usually ready July to August. More fingerling potato recipes, or see what to sow this month where you are.
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Method
- Parboil fingerlings in salted water for 8 minutes until almost tender — not fully cooked. Drain and pat very dry.About 10 min
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add potatoes cut-side down in a single layer. Do not move for 6 to 8 minutes until deeply golden.About 8 min
- Flip potatoes. Add garlic and rosemary to the pan. Cook 4 to 5 minutes more until second side is golden and potatoes are fully tender.About 5 min
- Remove from heat. Add parsley, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat.About 2 min
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately straight from the pan.About 1 min
Tips
- Dry the parboiled potatoes thoroughly — moisture is the enemy of a golden crust
- Don't add the garlic too early or it will burn — add when you flip the potatoes
- Add herbs off the heat so they stay bright green and fresh-tasting
Ring the changes
- Use brown butter instead of olive oil for a nutty, rich finish
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end for extra brightness
Keeping it
Best eaten immediately. Reheat leftovers in a hot dry skillet for 3 minutes to restore the crust.
In the app this recipe finds you
Log what you've picked and GrowMore CookMore matches it to 2,482 more recipes like this one, tells you what's ready before the frost gets it, and keeps the freezer honest. Free to start.
More from the same crop
Whole fingerling potatoes roasted at high heat until their thin skins blister and crackle, their interiors creamy and rich. Served alongside a garlicky aioli for dipping, this is the simplest possible way to let fingerlings shine — and they need almost no help. A restaurant-quality appetizer from very little effort.
40 min · easy · Fingerling PotatoElegant halved fingerlings paired with silky smoked salmon, capers, red onion, and a dill crème fraîche dressing — an assembled salad that looks like it belongs on a brunch menu at a fine hotel. Fingerlings' nutty, waxy flesh is the perfect foil for the rich, salty salmon. Effortlessly impressive.
33 min · easy · Fingerling PotatoWhole roasted fingerlings served alongside a vibrant, smoky romesco sauce made from roasted red peppers and almonds — a Spanish-inspired combination that makes the fingerlings feel like the main event rather than a side dish. The sauce turns a simple roast potato into something worth sitting down at the table for.
45 min · easy · Fingerling Potato
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 4 April 2026.