Roasted Potatoes with Yogurt Tahini Sauce
I'm dying to make spring recipes — with strawberries, asparagus, ramps, garlic scapes and the works — but it's just not quite spring yet. The kale in my garden has just started to pop up, but that's the only sign of life so far.
In lieu of the real spring produce bangers, I'm turning to fresh herbs to save me from the winter produce scene. Tarragon, in particular, has a super refreshing quality that puts me in the spring mood without jumping the gun on the spring produce.
This potato with yogurt sauce recipe might seem simple, but it was actually a real struggle to land this recipe. I started out trying to make a vegan tarragon aioli to go along with the potatoes, but it turns out that aioli made with cashew milk just doesn't jive. I think soy milk would have worked a lot better, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy a whole carton of soy milk for a little dipping sauce (fyi: soy milk can be made into aioli more easily than its friend cashew milk because it's a lot more bubbly and can form a more airy mixture).
After several failed aioli attempts, I turned to the unsuspecting yogurt and tahini in my fridge and just started throwing things together. In the end, I think this yogurt tahini sauce turned out even better than an aioli would have, so it's all Gucci here.
Let me know what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!
Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 6 as a side
Ingredients
About 4 medium russet potatoes
1 medium clove garlic
1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1 tablespoon sesame tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh chopped tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Steps
Heat oven to 400 F. Cut potatoes into pieces about 1 1/2-inches in length and width. Lightly coat potatoes in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown and easily pierced with a fork, tossing and rotating pans halfway through.
While the potatoes are roasting, make the yogurt tahini sauce. First, finely mince the garlic and use the edge of a sharp knife to crush the garlic into a paste. Then, whisk together garlic paste, yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, tarragon, salt and pepper. Store in fridge until potatoes are finished roasting. Serve potatoes warm with sauce on the side. Eat up!
Sustainability Tips
Potatoes and garlic: There's really no reason not to buy local potatoes and garlic for this. Potatoes and garlic are both super hardy, so they can last in local storage way past their harvest season in the fall. If you can get them organically too, you're well on your way to being a sustainability rockstar.
Yogurt: Since yogurt comes from cows, which are just terrible for the environment, make sure you buy your yogurt from a brand you trust. I like to buy dairy from B Corp companies (like Stonyfield!) because I know they're held to a high environmental standard.
Tarragon: Like potatoes and garlic, tarragon is also fairly easy to buy locally and organically all year round. This is because even in cold climates, herbs are often grown in greenhouses through the winter. If you can't find local, organic herbs, then grow your own! Herbs are easy to take care of and are perfect for growing in small spaces.
Lemon: If you live in the sun belt of the U.S., try to source your lemons as locally as possible. Ideally, get them from your back yard or buy them from a local organic farmer you know and love. If you don't live in a lemon-producing area, buy organic lemons that were grown in your home country or as locally as possible.