Crunchy on the outside and tender in the middle, these buttery, crispy smashed potatoes are totally addictive. Try this recipe once and it will quickly become your favorite potato recipe!
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Pin RecipeI know that everyone here loves easy recipes (I sure do!). And who doesn’t love potatoes?! Whether it’s mashed potatoes, twice-baked potatoes, or scalloped potatoes, I don’t know anyone who can resist those starchy spuds.
These easy smashed potatoes are made with just four ingredients—that’s it! Four, simple ingredients come together to make a side dish that will have everyone at the table asking for seconds. It is pretty incredible what you can do with butter, salt, and pepper.
I must say that if you haven’t tried smashed potatoes yet, you need to! It is a whole new way to eat potatoes. Serve them with popcorn chicken, pair them with a juicy burger, or just make some smashed potatoes to enjoy as a snack. I know I have eaten quite a few of these potatoes as a late night, salty treat!
Easy Crispy Smashed Potatoes Recipe
Delicious foods sometimes take a little bit of time to make. These smashed potatoes are simple to make but they do take a little prep time. You need to boil the potatoes in order to make them nice and soft before you smash and bake. While any kind of potatoes will work great for this recipe, I recommend using small, bite-sized potatoes if you are in a rush. They will boil and cook faster.
I always cook my smashed potatoes with butter. It gives them a perfect, rich and creamy taste. You can use olive oil in place of butter if you’d like, which will make the potatoes dairy-free, but still super crunchy. These potatoes turn out fantastic every time. You really need to make these easy smashed potatoes ASAP!
Ingredients
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Small Potatoes – Any kind of small potatoes will be great. Starchy potatoes will bake a little crispier, while waxy potatoes will stay more tender as they bake. Just be sure they are small and well-washed since the skin stays on.
- Melted Butter – I like to use salted butter because potatoes taste best with lots of salt.
- Salt
- Pepper
Variations
There are a few things you can do to switch up these easy smashed potatoes. Here are my favorite alterations:
- Sprinkle the potatoes with grated parmesan cheese after they come out of the oven, while they are hot. Let the potatoes sit for about 5 minutes, until the heat from the potatoes melts the cheese. Parmesan smashed potatoes are delicious and also super easy.
- Pull the potatoes out of the oven in the last 10 minutes of baking time. Sprinkle them with some fresh chopped garlic and pop the potatoes back in the oven to finish baking. This creates tasty garlic smashed potatoes.
- Use tri-colored baby potatoes to make a super pretty potato dish.
How to Make Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Boil the potatoes: Start by boiling the potatoes in salted water until tender. They should be soft enough for a fork to go right through each potato easily.
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Smash the potatoes: Place the potatoes on the foil lined sheet pan and smash with a fork or potato masher. Try to keep each potato in one piece so it bakes together.
- Add the butter: Drizzle the melted butter over the potatoes, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake the potatoes: Bake the smashed potatoes for about 45 minutes. They will be golden brown on the top and have crispy edges.
- Serve: Enjoy the crunchy smashed potatoes while hot with a side of sour cream, ketchup, or fry sauce. They are also delicious eaten plain!
Quick Tip
After the potatoes have boiled, be sure to let them sit for a few minutes to dry. Allowing some of the water to evaporate off the hot potatoes will help them crisp up in the oven.
How to Store
Once your crispy smashed potatoes have cooled, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. To reheat the potatoes, place them back in the oven and bake at 350ºF for 10 minutes. This will help them crisp back up again! You can also microwave the potatoes for about a minute, but they will be a little bit soft.
You can freeze the potatoes in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Anytime you need an easy side dish, place the frozen smashed potatoes on a baking sheet and bake at 350ºF for about 10-12 minutes to reheat.
FAQs
Soaking potatoes will help remove some of the starch and help make them crispier. My smashed potatoes are boiled first and then baked, which makes them nice and tender, and ready to crisp in the oven.
No, they are not the same. Mashed potatoes are made by boiling potatoes and then beating or mashing them until they are smooth, creamy, and fluffy. Smashed potatoes are made by cooking the potatoes and then smashing them just once, leaving pieces of the potato whole and chunky.
You can use just a fork to smash potatoes or a potato masher, which is specially designed just to smash potatoes! It is a tool every chef should have. The bottom of a glass or measuring cup works, too.
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Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds small potatoes, about 15 potatoes
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add one tablespoon of the salt to the water.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking tray with foil.
- Add the small potatoes to the boiling water and cook for about 20 minutes. The potatoes should be soft. Try sticking a fork through a potato and it should slide easily right through.
- Drain the potatoes and then let them sit for about 5 minutes to cool and dry.
- Spread the potatoes out on the baking sheet tray then use a fork to smash each one. Try to keep the potato in one piece as you smash. The thinner you make them, the crispier they will be. Thicker potatoes will have a fluffier center.
- Once the potatoes are smashed, let them sit for another 10 minutes just to dry off. Waiting will also help them get crispier when they bake later on!
- Drizzle the melted butter over the potatoes, making sure you get butter over each one.
- Sprinkle the remaining teaspoon of salt over the potatoes as well.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. The potatoes will be golden and crispy.
- Enjoy with a side of sour cream, chopped green onions, ketchup, or just plain!
Notes
- Any type of small potato will work with this recipe, either waxy or starchy potatoes. You can even use multi-colored potatoes for a fun look! I love new potatoes, which get nice and crispy but still have a buttery center.
- Add any herbs or seasonings to the potatoes after they bake. They take a while to get crispy in the oven and I have found that herbs tend to burn. Feel free to sprinkle some garlic powder or parsley over the potatoes when they come out of the oven.
