Crispy Smashed Potato Cups with Roasted Garlic Pesto Cream Cheese

Ingredients

• 12 small baby or new potatoes
• 3 tbsp olive oil (For greasing and drizzling over the potato cups)
• 1 tsp salt (For the potatoes; use some in the cooking water and for seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp black pepper (For seasoning the potato cups)
• 3 whole garlic heads (Slice off the tops to expose the cloves)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (For roasting the garlic)
• 200 g vegan cream cheese
• 2 tbsp basil pesto (Use vegan pesto if needed to keep the recipe vegan)
• 250 g cherry tomatoes (Quartered)
• 2 tbsp fresh basil (Chopped)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (For the tomato bruschetta)
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 pinch flaky salt (For the tomato bruschetta)
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (For the tomato bruschetta)
• 0.5 tsp dried oregano (For the tomato bruschetta)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the baby potatoes in a pot of salted water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes for about 15–20 minutes, depending on their size, until fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain them and let them cool slightly.

2. 2

   While the potatoes boil, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the tops off the three garlic heads to expose the cloves.

3. 3

   Place the garlic heads in a small baking dish, drizzle them with the 1 tablespoon olive oil, and cover the dish tightly with foil.

4. 4

   Roast the covered garlic at 400°F (200°C) for 35–40 minutes, until the cloves are golden and soft. Let the garlic cool enough to handle, then squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins.

5. 5

   Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with a little of the olive oil. Place one boiled potato into each muffin cup.

6. 6

   Using a shot glass or another small round object, press firmly down into each potato to create a cup shape.

7. 7

   Drizzle the potato cups with the remaining olive oil and season them with the salt and black pepper.

8. 8

   Bake the potato cups at 400°F (200°C) for 25–30 minutes, until deeply golden and crispy around the edges.

9. 9

   In a bowl, combine the vegan cream cheese, basil pesto, and squeezed roasted garlic cloves. Stir until smooth and well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

10. 10

    In a separate bowl, gently toss the quartered cherry tomatoes with the chopped fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, and a pinch of flaky salt. Set the tomato bruschetta aside.

11. 11

    Spoon a generous amount of the pesto cream cheese filling into each baked potato cup.

12. 12

    Top each filled potato cup with the cherry tomato bruschetta. Serve immediately.

Notes

The tomato topping can be made ahead and benefits from resting for 15–20 minutes so the flavors come together. For advance preparation, boil the potatoes and make the filling ahead; shape and bake the cups immediately before serving for the best texture. Boiled potatoes can be refrigerated for up to a day before shaping and baking. If you do not have a muffin tin, smash the potatoes flat on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, then add the toppings. Cashew cream, blended silken tofu, or thick hummus can replace the vegan cream cheese. Check pesto and cream-cheese labels if gluten-free preparation is important.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• vegan
• gluten-free
• baked
• party food
• game day
• holiday
• make-ahead