Air Fryer Potato Roses Recipe

Take your dinner parties to the next level with these air fryer potato roses. Cheesy, herb-scented and absolutely delicious! 114 calories and 4 Weight Watchers SP. Thank you to The Little Potato Company for helping me share this recipe with you.

Have you ever wow-ed your guests with a special side dish? These Air Fryer Potato Roses are Little and your ticket to entertaining accolades! Tender on the inside, crispy on the outside, beautiful tri-colored Creamer potatoes, and layered with melted Parmesan cheese and fragrant rosemary. Think of them as individual scalloped potatoes without all of the milk, cream and long cooking times.

Potato roses are nothing new in the culinary world. If you’ve dined at a fancy restaurant, chances are you’ve been rose-d at some point. Traditionally, these impressive sides are made in muffin tins, forming an upright flower shape. This air fryer version takes things in a different direction.

You’ll be shocked at how easy they are to make, and how quickly the air fryer produces that alluring golden brown, crispy topping. But if you don’t have an air fryer, no need to panic. Instructions for cooking these potatoes in the oven are included below.

What you need for these Little potato roses:

These are the main components need for this recipe…

• Little potatoes: The Creamer potatoes from The Little Potato Company (LINK) are the perfect size for these potato roses. I used the Terrific Trio Holiday Blend (LINK), but any of the Creamer varietals would work (the Terrific Trio colors just blend together nicely for extra color on your plate!)
• Olive oil spray: You could either use an olive oil spray purchased from the grocery store or a refillable olive oil mister, filled with your favorite extra virgin olive oil. If using a grocery store-purchased olive spray, double check that the only ingredient is olive oil. Avoid sprays with fillers for the best taste (and chemical-free experience).
• Cheese: Parmesan, Asiago or Pecorino Romano cheeses are all good options for this recipe. Finely grate the cheese so that it’s light and fluffy, and spreads as far as possible.
• Seasonings: Kosher salt, ground pepper and dried rosemary are all you need! Sprinkle just a pinch of each on each potato layer so that the seasoning is dispersed throughout the roses.

Why use Little potatoes for potato roses?

Little potatoes were made for this recipe! Think of each potato slice like the petal of the rose, layering and overlapping them to build the prettiest side dish. Making this recipe with large potatoes would require cutting the potato slices into small sections to form the petals. Labor intensive and time consuming. No, thank you!

If you’re making this recipe for a special occasion, chances are that you have a cooking list as long as your arm. You can scratch “wash potatoes” off your list because these Little potatoes are pre-washed and ready to go, and no peeling is required – in this case you want those pretty colors for serving (plus they taste delicious)! Convenience is key when you’re entertaining!

Can potato roses be made without an air fryer?

Yes! As I mentioned above, potato roses are traditionally made in muffin tins and baked in the oven to form a 3-dimensional rose that is shaped more like a cup.

Another option is to line a baking sheet with a silicone mat (affiliate link) and form the roses directly on the mat, working with 4 to 6 roses at a time. Bake the potato roses in a 400 degree F oven until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Pop them under the broiler for the last couple of minutes to achieve a golden brown, crispy texture on the top layer.

Tips for making these air fryer potatoes:

Slice the potatoes very thinly so that they cook quickly when layered. They shouldn’t be paper thin and flimsy, or else they’ll burn. A sharp chef’s knife is key for slicing the potatoes.

If the olive oil sprays out a little too aggressively, keep a paper towel on hand to lightly blot any excess oil off of the potatoes.

Just a sprinkle will do you. A very small pinch each of salt, pepper and rosemary are all that’s needed for each layer. Since the Parmesan cheese is salty, avoid overdoing it with the kosher salt.

Spread the cheese out evenly over the layers. The idea is for the cheese to melt and “glue” the potatoes together to form a flower. So, avoid big clumps and cover as much territory as possible.

The potato roses are done when tender on the inside (pierce with fork), and golden brown and a bit crispy on top. If they are not quite done after 10 minutes, pop them into the air fryer for an additional couple of minutes.

Let the cooked roses rest for 2 to 3 minutes before carefully lifting them out of the air fryer basket. This will allow the cheese to cool and set slightly.

Other Creamer potato recipes:

Brie & Cranberry Potato Bites {Cookin’ Canuck}
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole with Bacon & Caramelized Onions {Cookin’ Canuck}
Air Fryer Potatoes and Sausage Meal {The Country Cook}
Roasted Potatoes & Carrots {The Recipe Rebel}

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.