Fluffy and full of flavor, these dry roasted diced potatoes and onion with cumin, garlic and chili powder are oil-free, vegan and low in calories. Make potato tacos with them or serve them as a side dish drizzled in hot sauce, ketchup or crema.
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These roasted potatoes and onions are whole food plant-based no oil, gluten-free and nut-free, as is.
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🧄 Ingredient notes
- Russet potatoes - One of the cheapest and most filling foods you can buy, russet potatoes are a staple to keep around. They also stay good for a long time, if you store them in a cool, dry place in your house. Look for potatoes that don't have dark spots, cuts or blemishes. And make sure the bag doesn't have moisture inside or a foul smell coming from it when you buy them (rotten potatoes are one of the absolute worst smells!).
- Yellow onion - Look for sweet yellow onions or just yellow onions when shopping. They roast up and caramelize slightly in the oven.
- Chili powder - a blend of spices used to make Texas Chili and other TexMex-inspired recipes. Chili powder should not be confused with chile powder (with an "e"). Chile powder is typically one type of chile pepper (for example, chipotle, ancho, guajillo, arbol, etc.), dried and ground.
- Ground cumin - Cumin seeds ground into a powder is a key aromatic and warm spice in TexMex cuisine.
📋 Substitutions and variations
Here are some suitable substitutions for the ingredients in this recipe:
- Potatoes - instead of russet potatoes, you can use gold potatoes (which have a slight buttery flavor - YUM), red potatoes, white potatoes or purple potatoes. This recipe also works to roast sweet potato cubes with cumin, garlic and chili powder.
- Yellow onion - instead of yellow onion, you can use purple onion or white onion.
- Chili powder - instead of chili powder, you can use taco seasoning (reduce the salt if using this, since taco seasoning is already salted), smoked paprika or sweet paprika. You can also use ancho chile powder, chipotle pepper powder or other chile pepper powder you have, but may want to reduce the quantity since these will produce a spicier result since they are 100% chiles.
- Granulated garlic - use garlic powder instead of granulated garlic, but may want to reduce the quantity a little bit since garlic powder is a finer consistency
- Dried parsley or cilantro - use finely chopped fresh parsley or cilantro instead and use ¼ cup instead.
- SOS-free - make this SOS-free by omitting the salt
Switch things up with these variation ideas!
- Spicy - add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to increase the spice level
- Italian-inspired - make these to go with an Italian meal by using an Italian blend of herbs (basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, parsley) and garlic
- Greek-inspired - make these to go with a Greek meal by using Greek oregano, onion powder, garlic powder and finishing them with a drizzle of red wine vinegar or lemon juice
🔪 Instructions
Step by step instructions for how to make dry roasted diced potatoes and onion without using oil in the oven.
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Add diced potatoes and onion to a medium bowl, along with the chili powder, ground cumin, granulated garlic, salt and dried cilantro/parsley.
Toss to coat the potatoes in the spice mixture.
Spread the potatoes and onion on the lined baking tray in a single layer. Use two trays if they don't all fit in a single layer on one tray.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until fork tender.
Remove from oven and add to tacos, tostadas, nachos, burrito bowls or salads.
🧯 Food safety
- Wash hands with soap and water before cooking
- Wash potatoes with a scrub brush under running water to clean them before cutting them
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave baking food unattended
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
🥡 Make ahead and storage tips
These TexMex potatoes and onions can be made ahead or meal-prepped and then stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This recipe does not freeze well.
🚦 Calorie density score
🟢 This recipe gets a green light on the calorie density chart. All of the ingredients are lower than 600 calories per pound, so eating meals like this regularly may help you lose body fat. Learn more about calorie density from Jeff Novick, MS, RDN.
Get your own printable calorie density chart for your refrigerator and free ebook explaining calorie density in simple terms.
👨👩👦👦 Serving suggestions
These diced roasted potatoes and onion go well in tacos or enchiladas.
When making a burrito bowl, rice bowl or salad, add these as a starch element to keep you full for longer.
❓ FAQ
When roasting cut russet potatoes in the oven, line the sheet pan or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent them from sticking to the pan. This is a low-calorie, healthier way to prevent stuck-on potato without having to use oil.
Line the sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. These are non-stick surfaces that the onions won't stick to.
🗺 Cultural influences
This recipe is inspired by my mixed ethnic background and heritage as a native of Houston, Texas, where the flavors of this dish (chili powder, ground cumin, garlic and cilantro) are abundant and common. The spice combination is based culturally in Mexican cuisine and Southern or Texan cuisine. See About for more information on my cultural influences and how I attribute recipes.
💜 More recipes you'll love
If you love this roasted potatoes and onion recipe, check out these other plant-based potato recipes!
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📖 Recipe
Oil-free Roasted Potatoes and Onion with Cumin, Garlic and Chili Powder
Equipment
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds russet potato diced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro or parsley or fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Add diced potatoes and onion to a medium bowl, along with the chili powder, ground cumin, granulated garlic, salt and dried cilantro/parsley. Toss to coat the potatoes in the spice mixture.2.5 pounds russet potato, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon dried cilantro or parsley, 1 yellow onion
- Spread the potatoes and onion on the lined baking tray in a single layer. Use two trays if they don't all fit in a single layer on one tray. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until fork tender. Remove from oven and add to tacos, tostadas, nachos, burrito bowls or salads.
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