These quick, easy and tasty oil-free roasted potatoes are paired with steamed broccoli for a low calorie, but filling and nutritious meal. Excellent for those on the potato reset, Mary's Mini, McDougall diet or any vegan, plant-based way of eating.

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This recipe is naturally gluten-free, nut-free (check your spice blends, though!), vegan and whole food plant-based (WFPBNO).
Using pre-steamed potatoes for this, then air-frying them produces that lovely brown crust with no oil.
Looking for more potato recipes? Check out these 17 healthy potato recipes for weight loss.
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🧄 Ingredient notes
- Pre-steamed potatoes - Each week, I steam about 5 pounds of russet potatoes in the Instant Pot to have on hand for easy meals like this. Steaming them, then cooling them and storing in the refrigerator also produces resistant starch.
- Cajun salt - There are several options, we tend to use Tony Chachere's the most. But, it's really just a salt blend with cayenne pepper and a few other spices.
- Aldi frozen broccoli in steam-able bag - You should see me trying to buy out all of Aldi's frozen broccoli bags each week, haha. They are cheap (less than $1), convenient and tasty. Of course, use what you can find, but these get my wholehearted approval for a quick veggie side. Sprinkle with kosher salt or everything bagel seasoning after steaming in the microwave for 4.5 minutes.
📋 Substitutions and variations
Here are some suitable substitutions for the ingredients in this recipe:
- Pre-steamed potatoes - instead of pre-steamed potatoes, you can use raw potatoes, but you'll likely need to air fry them a little longer and they won't crisp up as much.
- Frozen broccoli in steam-able bag - you can use fresh cut broccoli instead of frozen. Cook in a pan until tender. Or, steam it in the microwave, stove or pressure cooker. You could also use any other frozen veggies in a steam-able bag you have for the fastest and easiest preparation, such as: cauliflower, california medley (broccoli, cauliflower, carrot), mixed vegetables or green beans.
- Cajun salt - substitute with seasoned salt, garlic salt, sea salt or kosher salt
- Paprika - substitute with smoked paprika for a smoky flavor
- Freshly ground black pepper - substitute with pre-ground black pepper, but reduce the amount since it is usually a finer consistency
- Dried parsley - omit or substitute with fresh minced parsley
- SOS-free - make this SOS-free by omitting the cajun salt
Switch things up with these variation ideas!
- Rosemary Roasted Potatoes - substitute all the spices and seasonings for rosemary and sea salt instead to make rosemary roasted potatoes.
- Cheesy Roasted Potatoes - add 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast when tossing the potatoes to add a cheesy flavor.
- Simple Roasted Potatoes - just use kosher salt or sea salt to season the oil-free roasted potatoes for a simple seasoning option
- Charred Roasted Broccoli - air fry the broccoli along with the potatoes for charred roasted broccoli with roasted potatoes
See this oil-free potato wedges version of this recipe on my website!
These roasted potatoes would be delicious served with Winter Roasted Vegetables instead of steamed broccoli.
🔪 Instructions
Here's the step by step instructions on how to make roasted potatoes in the air fryer without oil, alongside steamed frozen broccoli.
Add cut pre-steamed potatoes to a medium bowl. You can use raw potatoes also, but they may take a little longer to roast in the air fryer and may not get as crunchy.
Mix in all the spices and stir with a spoon to coat the potatoes well.
This is what your coated potatoes should look like.
Spread the coated potatoes over your air fryer basket in one layer. Air fry at 400°F for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, toward the end of roasting your potatoes, steam your broccoli in the microwave according to the package instructions. If you have 12 ounces of frozen broccoli in a steam-able bag, just put it in the microwave, steam for 4.5 minutes, then cut the top off and drain any excess liquid. Be careful, the bag will be hot!
Your roasted potatoes are done when they are golden brown and will release from the air fryer basket without sticking. You may need to air fry an additional 3-6 minutes, depending on your air fryer and how done your potatoes are.
Serve the oil-free roasted potatoes in a bowl alongside the steamed broccoli.
Sprinkle salt on top of the steamed broccoli and enjoy with or without condiments, such as ketchup, BBQ sauce, vegan cheese sauce, etc.
🧯 Food safety
- Wash hands with soap and water before cooking
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oven mitts when using an oven or air fryer
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
⭐️ Expert tips
- Don't over-steam the broccoli. For the Aldi frozen broccoli bags, I steam for 4.5 minutes.
- Use parchment paper to line your air fryer if you know things stick really bad in it.
🍳 Equipment
- Ninja Foodi Air Fryer - I use the Ninja Foodi that folds up to make more counter space when not in use. We love it! You can use any air fryer or convection fan oven for this roasted potato recipe.
🚦 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 and free ebook explaining calorie density in simple terms.
🥡 Make ahead and storage tips
These ingredients are best made fresh, but they can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. They will stay good for up to 5 days refrigerated.
❓ FAQ
Yes! Potatoes can be made lots of ways without using oil. And, it makes them much healthier to eat when they are prepared with oil or butter. Use parchment paper to prevent cut potatoes from sticking in the oven. Or, air fry them at high heat (400F) to help them form a crust. This will also help them not stick to the air fryer basket.
The healthiest way to cook potatoes is to keep the skin on and cook them using liquid that is not high in fat, such as water, broth, tomatoes, in soups, etc. You can also air fry them with no oil to make fries, wedges, roasted potatoes and more.
💜 More recipes you'll love
If you love this recipe, check out these other healthy potato plant-based recipes!
Love this recipe?
Please rate it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment below, so I know which recipes you like the best. This helps me know what to make more of!
📖 Recipe
Oil-free Roasted Potatoes with Steamed Broccoli
Equipment
- Ninja Foodi or air fryer, convection fan oven
Ingredients
- 5 medium pre-steamed potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon cajun salt we use Tony Chachere's or seasoned salt, garlic salt or sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces frozen broccoli in steamable bag
Instructions
- Add cut pre-steamed potatoes to a medium bowl. You can use raw potatoes also, but they may take a little longer to roast in the air fryer and may not get as crunchy.5 medium pre-steamed potatoes
- Mix in all the spices and stir with a spoon to coat the potatoes well.½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried parsley, ¼ teaspoon cajun salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Spread the coated potatoes over your air fryer basket in one layer. Air fry at 400°F for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toward the end of roasting your potatoes, steam your broccoli in the microwave according to the package instructions. If you have 12 ounces of frozen broccoli in a steam-able bag, just put it in the microwave, steam for 4.5 minutes, then cut the top off and drain any excess liquid. Be careful, the bag will be hot!12 ounces frozen broccoli in steamable bag
- If you're don't have frozen broccoli in a steamable bag, then steam the broccoli another way, such as in a steamer basket on the stove or Instant Pot, in a microwave safe steamer container or by cooking it in a skillet and placing a lid over it to steam-saute the broccoli until it is tender.
- Your roasted potatoes are done when they are golden brown and will release from the air fryer basket without sticking. You may need to air fry an additional 3-6 minutes, depending on your air fryer and how done your potatoes are.
- Serve the oil-free roasted potatoes in a bowl alongside the steamed broccoli. Sprinkle salt on top of the steamed broccoli and enjoy with or without condiments, such as ketchup, BBQ sauce, vegan cheese sauce, etc.
Pam says
I don't have any of the new gadgets such the air fryer or instapot. Do you have any alternate ways of successfully making this? Thnx