It’s official. Smashed potatoes is my favorite accoutrement to almost any protein. Roasted until perfectly crisp on the outside, salty, with a little hint of garlic and herbs, and mushy, moist on the inside. Flavors that make up the almost perfect side dish. It’s like the love child of mashed potatoes and French fries.
But what are the secrets to that P E R F E C T smash? Let me tell you, because it’s real simple.
1. Use small potatoes, and for the love of God, don’t peel them. This perhaps goes without saying, but I’ve seen some disturbing recipes where people peel the potatoes. Don’t, the peel is what keeps the potato together, and it actually significantly adds to the crispiness. 
2. Let the potatoes rest a bit after boiling and smashing. This contributes to the crispy surface, as the crust of the potato dries out after the boil.
3. Use butter. I love olive oil, and I actually use a little bit in this smashed potatoes recipe – but BUTTER is the secret to ultra-decadent crispy potatoes. (Don’t OVER-butter the taters though) And yes, if you want to make this vegan – I’ll allow you to stick to all olive oil.
4. Side note, you can play around with almost any herb or spice you like. Smoked paprika? Sure! Thyme? Absolutely! Rosemary? Chives? Black pepper? Hell yeah! Cumin, chili flakes and BBQ rub are other favorites.
OK, let’s get to the recipe.
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The Crispiest Smashed Potatoes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 People 1x
Description
The secret to the best, most crispy roast, smashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Small potatoes
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 pinch parsley flakes
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Cook potatoes: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Boil potatoes until soft – about 20 minutes. Drain.
- Smash Potatoes: Gently smash each potato, using a fork or potato masher. Try to keep them in one piece. Let sit for about 10 minutes, to dry out the surface.
- In a separate bowl, mix melted butter, olive oil, salt and garlic powder.
- On a sheet pan, drizzle potatoes with butter mix, and make sure to cover all parts of the potatoes completely. NOTE: Do not over-coat the potatoes, as you don't want them to sit in a bath of butter. This will make them struggle to crisp properly.
- Let the potatoes sit for about 10 minutes so the butter is soaked up before baking.
- Bake for 40-60 minutes until golden and super crispy. Sprinkle with parsley flakes and serve immediately
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Category: Appeitzer, Side
- Cuisine: American
I tried so many different smashed potato recipes and this was the best by far. The potatoes were super crispy and perfectly seasoned while taking just minutes to make! If you’re looking for a great mashed potato recipe, you should give this one a try!
Very happy to hear they turned out great!
These turned out crispy, golden and delicious. Will definitely be my go to potato prep!
Amazing recipe, huge success with the whole family!
On the first try, these came out so great! I loved how crispy they were, but the inside was still smooth and mushy. Thanks for a great recipe.
This looks SUPER GOOD!!
This is by far the best smashed potato recipe I have ever tried – and I have tried MANY!!
My family is obsessed with this recipe, and my kids are asking me to make it over and over again with almost every single protein. I’ve served it with salmon, steak, sausages, and just fried eggs, and every time it is a huge success at our dinner table.
I love love LOVE this recipe. Have made it dozens of times and always comes out perfect.