Alex MacKay's spring vegetables with roast potatoes, mozzarella and basil

Name: spring vegetables with roast potatoes
Prep time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings

Fresh, sweet vegetables and fluffy roast potatoes take centre stage in this excellent vegetarian spring or summer supper.

A colourful plate with peas, sun dried tomatoes, roast potatoes, radish, carrots and mozzarella

Published - 25 Mar 2026

Prep time

50 mins

Serves

Ingredients

700g of fluffy King Edward potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
2 tbsp vegetable oil
The leaves and smaller stalks from 1 bunch of basil
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp water
200g small Chantenay carrots, washed
8-12 asparagus spears, woody bottoms trimmed, cut in half widthways
12 radishes, halved
150g peas
100g sugar snap peas
16 sunblush tomatoes
A 150g tub of mozzarella balls (16-18), drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 200C / gas 6. Boil your kettle.
Get an oven tray with low sides. Spoon the vegetable oil onto it. Put the tray into the oven for 5 minutes to heat the oil. Add the King Edwards to the tray in a single layer and turn them in the oil to make sure they are fully coated. Roast for 15 minutes. Turn the King Edwards and baste them with a heatproof brush. Roast for 20 minutes more, basting them twice during this time.
While the potatoes roast, prepare your vegetables. Put the basil into a small blender. Add the extra virgin olive oil and 3 tbsp water. Blend to a smooth puree, season with salt and set aside.
Fill a large pot (24cm) with boiling water to two-thirds full. Bring the water to the boil. Add the basil leaves to the boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds. Scoop the leaves out and put into a bowl of cold water; keep the boiling water for the vegetables. As soon as the basil leaves are cold, drain them and squeeze out any excess water. Add the carrots to the water and boil for 7 minutes. Add the asparagus bottoms and the radishes to the water and boil for 3 minutes. Add the asparagus tips, sugar snap peas and peas, and boil for 2 minutes or until just tender. Drain the vegetables in a colander. Return them to the pan.
Sauté over a medium heat for 15 seconds to evaporate away the water. Toss in the sunblush tomatoes. Turn off the heat.
By this stage, the King Edwards should be ready. Toss them with 3 tbsp of the basil puree. Put them onto your plates. Scatter the mozzarella balls over. Add the remaining puree to the vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the vegetables and remaining puree over the top of the King Edwards and serve.

Tip

The basil puree can easily be made a couple of days ahead. Keep it in the fridge with a layer of olive oil over the top.

Our thanks to The Potato Council for providing this recipe.

(Hero image credit: The Potato Council)

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Alex MacKay's spring vegetables with roast potatoes, mozzarella and basil

Ingredients

Method

Tip

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