Smashed Potatoes
These crispy Smashed Potatoes are so irresistible, you’ll want to eat them all straight from the pan!
These smashed potatoes are everything we love about Roasted Potatoes, only better. The potatoes are partially cooked in boiling water to soften them and then smashed on a baking sheet, giving the potatoes more surface area for crispy edges. Then they’re brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with a generous amount of seasonings before baking in the oven until they’re golden brown and extra crispy. Take just one bite and you’ll have a new favorite potato side dish!
Smashed Potatoes Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need only a few ingredients to make this smashed potatoes recipe.
- Small Yellow or Gold Potatoes: Baby potatoes are perfect for making smashed potatoes. I love using gold potatoes because of their rich, creamy flavor. You can also use red potatoes if you prefer.
- Olive Oil: Brushing the smashed potatoes with a generous amount of olive oil adds flavor and helps them to crisp up in the oven.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper give the potatoes the best flavor. They’re garlicky, salty and downright irresistible!
- Fresh Herbs: If desired, you can sprinkle on some fresh chives or parsley after baking for a pop of color and flavor.
How to Make Smashed Potatoes
Making smashed potatoes with crispy edges and fluffy centers is surprisingly simple! Here’s how to do it:
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until just fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander. Set them aside for 5 minutes to cool.
- Spread the potatoes out on a greased rimmed baking sheet.
- Use a fork or greased potato masher to gently mash each potato.
- Brush potatoes with olive oil and then sprinkle them with the seasonings.
- Bake at 425ยฐ F for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
- Sprinkle on chopped fresh herbs, if desired, and serve.
These smashed potatoes are best served right away, hot from the oven. If you have leftovers, you can reheat them in the oven or in a lightly oiled skillet on the stove.
Recipe Tips
- Bake the potatoes directly on the baking sheet, greasing the pan with oil to prevent them from sticking. Don’t use parchment paper because it will keep the potatoes from getting as crispy.
- Let the potatoes drain and cool for 5 minutes in a colander after boiling. This also allows extra moisture to evaporate.
- When smashing the potatoes, be gentle so that the potatoes don’t fall apart. Using a large fork or greased potato masher will give you ragged, irregular edges that will crisp up especially well in the oven. You can also use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup, but the potatoes will turn out rounder with less ragged edges.
- Aim to smash the potatoes 1/2-inch thick or a little less. Thinner potatoes will be crispier; thicker potatoes will turn out fluffier.
- The first time I made these potatoes, I didn’t bake them long enough. They’re best if you bake them until they are nice and golden brown on the edges. Bake potatoes on a rack in the upper third of the oven will also help them to crisp up more.
Serving Suggestions
These smashed potatoes are as versatile as they are delicious! Here are a few ways to serve them:
- With a sauce: Amp up the flavor even more by serving the potatoes with a sauce. We love them with Tzatziki Sauce, Chimichurri or Basil Pesto.
- Holiday meal: Smashed potatoes are a fun Thanksgiving side dish.
- Weeknight side dish: Try them with Baked Chicken Breast, Air Fryer Salmon or Grilled Pork Chops.
More Favorite Potato Recipes
Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds small yellow or gold potatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt, for the potato cooking water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing the baking sheet
- ยพ teaspoon garlic powder
- ยฝ teaspoon onion powder
- ยฝ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt, up to ยฝ teaspoon, to taste
- ยผ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- chopped fresh herbs, such as chives or parsley, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, gently scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt. Be careful to not break the skins.
- Once the water is boiling, add 1 teaspoon of salt and the potatoes. Boil for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are just fork tender. Drain potatoes into a colander. Set them aside for 5 minutes to allow extra water to evaporate and to let the potatoes cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425ยฐ F with a rack in the upper third of the oven.
- Grease a large rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.
- Spread the potatoes out on the baking sheet. Use a large fork or greased potato masher to gently smash each potato to ยฝ-inch or a little less than ยฝ-inch thickness. Thinner potatoes will turn out crispier, and thicker potatoes will be fluffier.
- Pour the 2 tablespoons olive oil into a small dish and brush over the potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes with the garlic powder, onion powder, up to ยฝ teaspoon coarse salt and pepper.
- Bake potatoes for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh herbs, if desired.