Crispy smashed potatoes with garlic herbs are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Hard to resist those crispy edges topped with the brightness of fresh garlic herbs. Brunch, lunch or dinner, this easy tasty side dish or snack is irresistible - better than french fries!
Meet your new favorite way to enjoy spuds - ultra crispy smashed potatoes recipe! These little gems are incredibly addictive, boasting a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior that'll remind you of buttery french fries with an even better crunch!
Whether you're serving them as a fun side dish, a snack, or a complement to your brunch, lunch, or dinner, these easy-to-make potatoes are sure to steal the show.
Get ready to elevate your potato game and discover the secrets to achieving the perfect level of crispiness and flavor.
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Why You'll Love this recipe
- Small potatoes such as Yukon gold or baby reds are the star of this dish. They crisp up beautifully on the outside while staying golden brown and velvety creamy inside. Baby potatoes or smaller potatoes work best, about the size of a golf ball.
- This easy recipe is a breeze to make - just boil, smash, and bake until crispy for an easy side dish. For extra crispy smashed potatoes, do a quick broil on high heat for the last minute of baking.
- Versatile and delicious, these smashed potatoes are perfect for brunch, lunch, as a perfect side dish, or snack. Best part, you can double the recipe for an extra crispy treat to share with a crowd.
- Serve these sheet pan crispy potatoes with these other great recipes like this main dish white bean chicken chili, veggie burgers, sloppy joes, or super moist roast turkey breast as a holiday side. Pair with other side dishes like shaved zucchini ribbon salad, sriracha roasted cauliflower or yummy crunch cabbage salad.
Ingredients
- Small potatoes: opt for Yukon golds, baby reds, new potatoes or baby russet potatoes. Their waxy, low-starch nature makes them perfect for achieving the desired crispy outside and creamy inside.
- Fine sea salt: boiled potatoes need plenty of salt to penetrate their dense flesh and add flavor. Use kosher salt if you prefer.
- Olive oil: drizzling the potatoes with olive oil ensures optimum crispy perfection while roasting.
- Garlic herbs chimichurri: a delightful mixture of fresh parsley, fresh mint, green onions, jalapeño, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey and sea salt. A burst of vibrant flavors that pairs beautifully with the potatoes.
See recipe card below for all ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Potato varieties: try red potatoes, yellow potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes to discover your favorite flavor and texture. Smaller potatoes work best. Cut larger potatoes in half before boiling for even cooking.
- Fresh herbs: swap in cilantro, dill, fresh thyme or basil.
- Flavorful additions: add chives or shallots for added complexity. A sprinkle of flakey sea salt makes a nice finish.
- Vinegar: substitute with red wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, or red balsamic vinegar.
- Dipping sauce: aioli, vegan cashew mayo or butter bean hummus. A sprinkle of parmesan cheese, a grind of black pepper, or a dollop of sour cream or garlic butter work well (I prefer plant-based yogurt or ghee).
- Grilling options: if you're feeling adventurous, finish the smashed potatoes on the grill for a unique smoky flavor.
- Muffin pan: consider making individual portions in a muffin pan if you don't have a sheet pan available.
- Smashing: use a potato masher, bottom of a glass, bottom of a mug, small saucepan, bottom of a cup or back of a fork.
I have not tested this recipe with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please share how it turned out in the comments below!
How to Make the Best Smashed Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up, or oil the sheet pan for extra crispy potatoes. Set aside.
- In a large pot, add small potatoes, cold water an inch above potatoes, and a tablespoon of sea salt. Bring to boil then simmer until cooked potatoes are just past fork-tender. About 15-20 minutes. Drain boiled potatoes.
- Place hot potatoes on baking sheet and press down with potato masher or bottom of glass until about ¼-inch thick. Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Roast in hot oven about 20-30 minutes, until edges are crispy and golden.
- In a small bowl, whisk together jalapeño, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, fresh lemon juice, zest, honey, and sea salt.
- Serve the crispy smashed potatoes hot out of the oven!
- Add parsley, mint and green onions and stir until combined.
- Top with oil mixture of garlic herbs chimichurri. Or serve the garlic herbs on the side.
Expert Tips
- Choose small potatoes for a crispy outside and tender, creamy inside. Large potatoes can be cut in half before boiling to cook through evenly and have more surface area to crisp.
- A large rimmed baking sheet provides best results. It allows heat to circulate and create crispy edges.
- For extra crispy bottoms, broil them for the final minute of roasting. Keep a close eye so they don't burn.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Simply reheat at 425°F until they're heated through. The chimichurri will keep in the fridge for a few days. It may brown over time.
Common Questions
Small waxy potatoes like new potatoes, red bliss, and Yukon gold potatoes are perfect for boiling and smashing. They have less starch and get crispy skin with buttery creamy centers.
The best part of smashed potatoes is that they don't need to be peeled! The peel is what gets nice and crispy while roasting.
If your potatoes are overcooked, they may fall apart when smashed. Be sure to boil or steam them until they're just past fork-tender.
If your potatoes are crumbling when smashed, they may not have been boiled enough. Ensure they are cooked just past fork-tender.
Freezing the potatoes after boiling and smashing, then drizzling with oil on the day you want to cook them should work well. You may need to adjust the timings slightly to account for them being frozen, though it won't significantly affect their crispiness.
Boiling and smashing the potatoes a day ahead and baking them the next day should work and still turn out deliciously crispy. They can also be fully made the day before and reheated at 425°F until fully heated through. Don't heat the chimichurri.
These crispy smashed potatoes can make fantastic appetizers when served at room temperature. Try with a dip like avocado basil pesto, creamy vegan cashew mayo or caramelized leek and cauliflower cream sauce. Yum!
Covering with foil may trap moisture and affect the texture of the potatoes, potentially making them less crispy.
Pair With These Perfect Main Dishes
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Recipe
Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Herb Chimichurri
Equipment
- 1 large pot of water cold or room temperature
- 1 large baking sheet oiled, or lined with parchment paper
- 1 potato masher, back of a fork or drinking glass to smash potatoes
Ingredients
Smashed Potatoes:
- 2 lbs small potatoes (yukon gold, baby reds, baby russet potatoes)
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt plus extra for seasoning
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Garlic Herbs Chimichurri:
- ½ bunch fresh parsley (about 1 ounce)
- ½ bunch fresh mint (about 1 ounce)
- 3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar
- zest of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up, or oil the baking sheet without parchment for extra crispy potatoes. Set aside.
- In a large pot add potatoes, ensuring they're covered with cold water by about an inch. Add a tablespoon of sea salt. Bring salted water to boil, then simmer until potatoes are just past fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain.
- Place hot potatoes on baking sheet and press them down with a potato masher, back of a fork, or bottom of a measuring cup press down on the potatoes until about ¼-inch thick. Leave space between each potato to allow air to circulate and create crispy edges.
- Drizzle smashed potatoes with olive oil and fine sea salt. Roast in a single layer in hot oven for 20-30 minutes until edges turn golden and crispy.
- Meanwhile, prepare the garlic herbs chimichurri. In a small bowl, whisk together the jalapeño, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, and sea salt. Add the parsley, mint and green onions and stir until combined.
- Serve the crispy smashed potatoes hot out of the oven, and top with garlic herbs chimichurri either on top or on the side.
Notes
- Small potatoes are best for crispy outside and tender, creamy inside. Large potatoes can be cut in half before boiling to ensure they cook evenly.
- A large rimmed baking sheet provides the best results, allowing heat to circulate and create crispy edges and crispy bottoms.
- For extra crispy potatoes, broil them for the final minute of roasting. Keep a close eye so they don't burn.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Simply reheat at 425°F until heated through.
- The chimichurri will keep in the fridge for a few days. It may start to brown over time.
Julie
These smashed potatoes came out perfectly! I served them along side the turkey breast recipe on your site. Perfect combo and the family loved it!
Jacqui Wilson
We love these too! Smashed potatoes goes with everything!