This is a life-changing recipe for crispy smashed potatoes! The perfect side or appetizer, these potatoes are fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. This recipe requires only 5 kitchen staple ingredients. They are a healthy and delicious alternative to French fries. Serve them with grilled chicken, air fryer chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, steak and more. They will become your new favorite way to make potatoes.
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Somewhere between a French fry and a boiled baby potato, they will soon become your all-time favorite recipe. These scalloped potatoes will also be a favorite!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Smashed potatoes go with everything.
- Serve with roast chicken, steak, grilled fish, or sandwiches.
- There is not much these buttery potatoes will not pair well with. These are soon to become your new go-to side dish.
- These potatoes are tasty comfort food.
- They are super easy to make. Nothing special is needed regarding kitchen skills.
- These are simple to make yet very impressive.
- They are the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Everyone will be asking for the recipe and a second helping.
- Enjoy these potatoes the next day as leftovers or meal prep. They reheat easily.
- They are kid-friendly. Children generally adore potatoes.
- They are similar to French fries, without the deep-fried oil.
- Great for every occasion. Serve them at a casual cookout by the pool or alongside elegant crusted salmon and Brussels sprouts.
- Make them ahead of time. These are a great option to prepare before serving them. Boil the potatoes the day before or a few hours early.
- This recipe is Whole30 compliant, Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, and sugar-free.
- Check out these Potato Skins or these Air Fryer Potatoes for another delicious side dish recipe!
Ingredients & Substitutes
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full smashed potatoes recipe.
Choose baby yellow potatoes or baby gold potatoes. Ideally, look for ones that are small and similar in size. Potatoes with a high starch content will become fluffy inside. Potatoes with a waxy exterior become creamy but less fluffy.
Olive oil helps make the potatoes crispy. Feel free to use avocado oil instead. Melted coconut oil is another great option. Be sure to use refined coconut oil. Unrefined coconut oil has a slight coconut flavor.
Sea salt and pepper complement the potato flavor well.
Garlic powder adds a delicious garlicky flavor!
Lastly, top with chopped fresh herbs if desired. Parsley is a great option.
Which Potatoes To Use
Most potato varieties will work well for a crispy smashed potato recipe. Baby gold potatoes are best with their lovely high-starch value. You can use yellow potatoes too. Red baby potatoes are more flavorful, a little sweet, and look beautiful too. Try these Crispy Red Potatoes!
Small Yukon gold potatoes are high in starch and will work perfectly in this recipe.
Very waxy potatoes do not offer the best texture for smashed potatoes.
It is essential to pick out potatoes that are relatively even-shaped and the same size. This will result in evenly cooked and uniform crispy smashed potatoes.
Taste & Texture
This easy recipe will give you the best crispy smashed potatoes. Season them correctly. They will be buttery, salty, and full of savory goodness.
They are soft and fluffy on the inside, with a crack of crispy skin on the outside.
How to Make
Step 1
First, add the baby potatoes to a pot of boiling water. Boil for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Then, rinse under cold water and drain completely. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2
Place one potato on a large plate. Use the bottom of a mug or a potato masher to smash each potato. Next, arrange on a baking pan in one even layer.
Step 3
Once the potatoes are all smashed, drizzle oil and seasonings on top. Coat the potatoes fully in oil and spices.
Step 4
Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until potatoes are crispy.
Step 5
Lastly, remove the smashed potatoes from the oven. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
Air Fryer Instructions
First, boil the potatoes for 20 minutes or until fork tender.
Rinse and drain completely.
Smash the potatoes.
Spray with nonstick spray and add seasonings.
Arrange in an even layer in the air fryer.
Air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 18 minutes.
Expert Tips for Success
Pick out small potatoes. They should be evenly sized and roughly the size of an egg. This will deliver the perfect side dish or appetizer.
In addition, the smaller potatoes look a lot more elegant than the larger ones.
Allow a little space between the potatoes. This will deliver superior crispy potato skin. If they are too close together, they will steam. A steamed potato is not a crispy potato.
Season them well. Adequate seasoning is essential. Salt and pepper, of course, but add garlic powder for garlic smashed potatoes. A little paprika will tone up the color and taste.
Make them your own. Customize a seasoning combination to make them your own. Think Italian herb blend, Moroccan spices, Indian spices, or a blend of rosemary and garlic for a Greek twist.
Ensure they do not stick. Coat the potatoes in oil generously. Use olive, avocado, or any other oil with a high smoke point. This oil will add to the crunch and prevent them from sticking to the sheet pan.
How to Serve & Store
These crispy smashed potatoes are the perfect side or tasty appetizer.
Try them alongside this skirt steak or these marinated chicken. Totally delicious paired with this baked cod too.
Scoop up a little of this healthy cheesy chicken dip as a crowd-pleasing appetizer. You will also love these golden potato pancakes.
They go beautifully drizzled with a creamy sauce or a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Try sugar-free ketchup or sugar-free BBQ sauce.
Store leftovers in an airtight container.
First, ensure the potatoes are completely cool.
Next, pack them into the container and keep them in the fridge.
These potatoes will store for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
To reheat them, pop them into the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Crispy smashed potatoes do not freeze well. Freezing affects their texture. Therefore, freezing is not recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, boil the potatoes before you roast them in the oven. Boiling them first contributes to the fluffy center. The potatoes should be boiled until fork-tender.
Baby gold or baby yellow potatoes are best for smashed potatoes. High in starch, they deliver a pillowy center and a crunchy exterior.
Gordon Ramsay begins by boiling the potatoes in salted water. Next, he drains the potatoes. After that, he stirs in butter, sour cream, herbs, and seasoning. This is Gordon Ramsay’s version of smashed potatoes, which differs from the one in this recipe.
Add more oil or cook them for a longer time for extra crispy potatoes. Make them in your air fryer for more crunch!
Do not peel the potatoes for this recipe. The skin of the potato is what delivers a crispy exterior.
Yes, as long as you do not add a dressing, topping, or seasoning that contains gluten.
No, these potatoes do not freeze well.
Yes! Boil the potatoes until fork tender. Then, smash them. Spray with nonstick spray and add seasonings. Air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit fo 15 to 18 minutes.
Equipment Needed
Large Baking Pans: These large baking pans are great for roasting veggies. They have rimmed edges. In addition, these pans are high quality and easy to clean.
Air Fryer: This recipe can be made in the air fryer. The air fryer makes these potatoes extra crispy!
You May Also Enjoy
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Duchess Potatoes
- Southern Potato Salad
- Sweet Potato Casserole
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Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby yellow or gold potatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- fresh herbs (optional garnish)
Instructions
- First, add the baby potatoes to a pot of boiling water. Boil for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Then, rinse under cold water and drain completely. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place one potato on a large plate. Use the bottom of a mug or a potato masher to smash each potato. Then, arrange on a baking pan in one even layer.
- Once the potatoes are all smashed, drizzle oil and seasonings on top. Use your hands to coat the potatoes fully in oil and spices.
- Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until potatoes are crispy.
- Finally, remove the smashed potatoes from the oven. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- Pick out evenly sized, small potatoes. Yellow and gold potatoes are best for this recipe.
- Boil the potatoes before roasting. This allows them to get soft and fluffy inside.
- Use the bottom of a mug or potato masher to smash the potatoes.
- Do not skimp on seasonings. Feel free to add in some cumin, paprika, or chili powder for extra spice.
- Fully coat the potatoes in seasonings and oil before roasting.
- Arrange in one even layer on the baking pan.
- Continue baking until potatoes have reached the desired level of crispiness.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, add them to a baking pan. Spray with nonstick spray. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 to 7 minutes.
- These can be made in the air fryer too.
Enjoy this oven smashed potatoes recipe!
Wonderful!!!!
There will be no leftovers to store…..
These potatoes are so good. I can’t believe how crispy they are, and how soft and fluffy they are on the inside!