Smashed Potatoes
23 Comments
Updated Jul 09, 2024
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These smashed potatoes might just be your new favorite way to serve up potatoes! They’re crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and roasted with garlic parmesan goodness. And if you want to make them extra crispy or need a dipping sauce, I’ll go through all that below!
Smashed vegetables are here to stay, especially these smashed potatoes roasted in the oven with a simple garlic seasoning and topped with melted parmesan cheese. They’re like a variation of my garlic herb roasted potatoes — but better. They’re substantial enough to serve as a crispy potato side dish or a brekkie smashed potato lox bagel, yet simple enough to snack on as you would regular potato chips. I’ve been doing both, and I can’t get enough!
The idea of smashed potatoes might be a viral social media phenomenon, but I’m here to tell you that this recipe holds up to the hype. I’ve got several tips and tricks for you as well, so be sure to read through everything below. And let me know what dipping sauce you serve them with! It’s not mandatory, but it really does makes this dish all the better.
Smashed Potatoes Recipe Ingredients
- Small White Potatoes: For that crispy, creamy texture, grab a bag of small white potatoes potatoes (I think the smaller the better). Red potatoes are another option to throw into the mix, but they’re less starchy than white ones and might not have quite as fluffy of an inside.
- Seasoning: We’re keeping it simple here with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. But you can always add spices and herbs like paprika, onion powder, dried thyme, and rosemary.
- Parmesan Cheese: To top it off, I’m adding freshly grated parmesan cheese. Because what’s better than a garlic parm combo?
Find the printable recipe with measurements below
How To Make Smashed Potatoes
Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a pot and fill it with enough water to cover them by an inch. Salt the water (I use about a tablespoon of kosher salt). Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then cook the potatoes until fork-tender. This should take about 15 minutes.
Drain and cool. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them cool to the touch. Letting them cool for a good 10 to 15 minutes before you smash them helps them to get extra crispy, as they’re less likely to steam in the oven.
Season and flavor. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Transfer the potatoes to a mixing bowl, then add the oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss the potatoes with your hands or a large spoon until they’re fully coated in the seasoning. If you feel like it’s not enough seasoning, add a bit more for maximum flavor!
Smash the potatoes. Place the potatoes on a sheet pan and use the bottom of a glass to gently smash them down until they’re about ½-inch thick. Then, bake them for 25 to 30 minutes until they’re golden and crispy. See my tips below for crispier smashed potatoes!
Add parmesan cheese. When they’re almost done cooking, sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly on top and bake for an additional 5 minutes so that the cheese gets all melty. And if you want a pop of green, sprinkle some finely chopped parsley on top!
Common Questions
For extra crispy smashed potatoes, here are a few tips to try. First, smash them down to an even thinner potato. Be forewarned that they’re more likely to break apart, but at least they’ll be super crispy! Second, let your smashed potatoes air dry for another 5 to 10 minutes after smashing them on the baking sheet. Third, brush the smashed potatoes with more olive oil or melted butter before baking them. If you have extra tips, share them in the comments below!
Yes! First, air fry your potatoes at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes or until fork tender. Toss the potatoes in olive oil and seasoning, smash them on a baking sheet or board, and transfer them back into the air fryer in a single layer. Air fry at the same temperature for 10 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Note: Make sure not to overcrowd them in the air fryer and cook in two batches if needed!
Make these smashed potatoes even better with a dipping sauce! A few of my favorites are garlic aioli, chipotle sauce, or Romesco sauce.
Storage Tips
- To store for the week: Any leftovers will be good in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- To freeze for later: Yep, these are freezer-friendly! First, freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. They will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Ways to reheat: To make these crispy again, reheat them in the oven at 400°F for about 10 minutes. If you’re using an air fryer, reheat them at 370°F for about 5 minutes.
More Potato Recipes
For more delicious ways to prep and serve potatoes, you’ll love these recipes!
- Mashed Potatoes – This creamy side dish is a classic for a reason!
- Potato Salad: A perennial winner for potlucks and barbecues.
- German Potato Salad: This warm version is amplified with a savory bacon Dijon dressing — SO good!
- Scalloped Potatoes: The 4-cheese blend on this is perfect for cheese lovers!
- Potato Pancakes: The perfect way to use up leftover mashed potatoes.
- Skillet Breakfast Potatoes: My version of diner-style home fries is perfect for breakfast.
I hope you love these smashed potatoes as much as I do! If you make the recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.
Smashed Potatoes (Garlic Parmesan)
Description
Equipment
- Heavy Duty Baking Sheet My favorite baking sheets I've had for years!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds small white potatoes
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a pot and fill it with enough water to cover the potatoes by an inch. Salt the water (I use about a tablespoon of kosher salt). Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then cook the potatoes until fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
- Drain and cool. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.
- Season and flavor. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Transfer the potatoes to a mixing bowl, then add the oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to fully coat the potatoes in the seasoning.
- Smash the potatoes. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and use the bottom of a glass to smash them down. Thinner potatoes are more crispy, though are also more likely to break apart. Aim for a height of about ½-inch. Bake until the potatoes are golden and turning crispy, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Add parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the top and bake 5 minutes more.
- Serve. If you'd like, sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving, then serve them up warm!
Lisa’s Tips
- I do recommend finding really small potatoes or baby potatoes. They’re easier to smash and more likely to crisp up!
- To make this recipe dairy-free, just omit the cheese. You can also add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast if you’d like, for a nod to that cheesy flavor.
Nutrition
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These were FABULOUS! I used baby Yukon Gold Potatoes (they were BOGO) and it turned out great! I did use the Nutrional Yeast and sprinkled with some freeze-dried chives. This will be a new regular in my house!
Hi Susan – Glad these smashed potatoes were a hit!
I pan fried in a little oil, not as healthy just quicker, they were crispy and yummy 😋
So glad you enjoyed them, Penelope!
The potatoes turned out great! I just put cheese and black olives on them as I was making them for my 4 year old grandson and he is rather picky. He does like sour cream so we added some after they were out of the oven. They were so crunchy we both loved them! there was one left so the next day for lunch I put it in the air fryer and it tasted just as yummy as the night before!!! Definitely a keeper!
Hi Jeri – I love the way you topped your smashed potatoes!
The recipe came out perfect. One bag of baby potatoes was too many for my largest baking sheet, so I put the remaining 6 potatoes in my air fryer, stopping the process with 2 minutes remaining to sprinkle parmesian on them. Perfection! Thanks .
Happy you loved these smashed potatoes, Chuck!
These were so easy to make and taste wonderful! I added some bacon to them and my husband loved them! He said they were excellent and wants them again! Thank you Lisa!!
Perfect! Bacon elevates them even more. Enjoy!
I made these for dinner last night and everyone loved them :))
Yay, love to hear that!
Really delicious, thank you! Question: The sheet pans you mention in this recipe are aluminum, which I thought was to be avoided to due health concerns related to toxicity. Is this not a concern? Thanks!
I’ve smashed and fried the potatoes in a little extra garlic butter or garlic oil, it’s quicker although probably not as healthy
That’s a great alternative as well!
Just a thought can I boil potatoes day before as I’m working with the idea of resistant starch. Cool overnite then free to heat up or whatever
As I haven’t tried that, I’m not sure how soft the insides will remain for smashing once fully cooled. But if you try it, let us know how it turns out.
I’ve fully cooked potatoes, had left overs and smashed them the next day. A little butter and oil with garlic and herbs in a fry pan works well on a medium heat
Thanks for the tip!
These look amazing! I would like to make them for a gathering in a couple of weeks. What would be the best way to transport them? Layered on top of each other or spread out and not layered? I don’t want them to become mushy but also don’t want to take up a lot of space on a table. Thank you.
You could definitely layer them to transport them. I’d just layer some parchment paper in between, so they don’t accidentally stick to each other. Enjoy!
These turned out sooo good! I added sour cream and chives and they have a crispy baked potato flavor. Love them!
Yay, so happy you loved them! And what a perfect pairing with sour cream and chives.