Cajun Roasted Potatoes with Smoked Paprika Aioli

These potatoes are in frequent rotation alongside various forms of protein for an easy, delicious dinner at our house, and this smoked paprika aioli really takes them to the next level. These are great as a side or as an easy appetizer. I have included two variations for the aioli; you can either make the entire thing from scratch or use store-bought mayo to cut down on time. Also, feel free to add more or less spice on the potatoes, depending on your preference. Note: I prefer to use avocado oil with these because it has very little competing flavor and a much higher smoke point than olive oil, which allows the potatoes to get really crispy without burning.

Ingredients:
6-8 red potatoes, washed and diced in chunks
3-4 Tbs. avocado oil (enough to coat potatoes well)
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
Dash cayenne pepper

Smoked Paprika Aioli: (Homemade mayo technique)
1 egg (room temperature) - pasteurized eggs are the safest to eat raw
1 cup light olive oil or avocado oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. smoked paprika*
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Put first 3 ingredients in a wide mouth mason jar.  Hold immersion blender at the bottom for about 30 seconds and then slowly pull up to incorporate the rest of the oil. (You just made homemade mayo!) Remove half the mayo and add the remaining three ingredients (stir with a spoon to combine). Store extra mayo and aioli in a sealed container in the fridge. It's good until the eggs expiration date if using pasteurized eggs.

Smoked Paprika Aioli: (Store-bought mayo technique)
1/2 cup mayo (make sure it's whole 30 compliant, or follow directions above if doing a whole 30)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. smoked paprika*

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

*Using smoked paprika is really key to the flavor of this aioli. No need to spend time trying to smoke your own though, most grocery stores carry it (I found mine at Kroger). If you can't find it at your local grocery store there are several options available for around 5$ on Amazon, or you could take a fun trip to your local specialty food and spice store.

Roasted Potato Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Toss potatoes in oil, and then add spices. Stir until evenly coated. Potatoes should bake for 35-45 minutes until fork tender and crispy. Feel free to turn up the temperature to 450 the last 5-10 minutes to crisp them. While potatoes cook, mix aoili ingredients together. Allow a few minutes for potatoes to cool down a little before serving.

-brittany