Crispy Smashed Potatoes
These smashed potatoes are baked to crispy perfection! You're going to love this smashed potatoes recipe. Find topping ideas within the post!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 14, 2024
Would you look at those crisp and golden potatoes? Tell me you don’t want to eat those puppies straight off the pan. Yeah, I know you do. I do, too. These crispy smashed potatoes are best when they’re hot and fresh, so right off the pan is actually the best serving method.
Smashed potatoes are fun for brunch or dinner. They’re also perfect any time you get a hankering for some crispy potatoes, but want something a little more redeeming than French fries. They go great with hearty salads, too, when salad-for-dinner feels too austere.
These smashed potatoes are a fun way to use up the bag of potatoes in your pantry. They’re gluten free and vegan, too, for all to enjoy.
Smashed potatoes aren’t the quickest potato option around (you’ll boil them until tender, then smash and bake), but they are not difficult to make. Will you try them this weekend?
How to Make the Best Smashed Potatoes
Choose small potatoes, rather than large. You can use this technique on potatoes of any size (even Russet potatoes!) but for crispy potatoes, choose potatoes around the size of a golf ball or two.
Smaller potatoes are usually available in red or yellow varieties. Both are delicious, but the red potato skins have more flavor, so the reds were my favorite.
Use a large baking sheet. In my dream world, everyone owns a half-sheet pan (affiliate link), because that’s what us recipe testers are always baking on. You need a large baking surface to accommodate all the potatoes, while leaving a little breathing room around each one. If necessary, use two pans instead.
Brush the baking sheet with olive oil. I generally use parchment paper for its non-stick surface and easy clean-up factor, but baking the potatoes against an oiled baking sheet makes them even more crispy. It’s worth the clean-up, if you ask me.
Add a little garlic and onion powder. These are my secret ingredients when I’m working with potatoes. They add a subtle savory note that sends potatoes over the top! They’re especially great when you’re baking potatoes, since you run the risk of burning your garlic in the oven (burnt garlic is the worst flavor).
Watch How to Make Smashed Potatoes
Smashed Potato Topping Suggestions
I was surprised to find that I liked my crispy potatoes best when baked without cheese. You could always add a dusting of cheese after baking, though, such as grated Parmesan or crumbled feta or goat cheese.
Creamy or herbed sauces contrast deliciously with these golden, craggy potatoes. Here are some ideas:
- Easy Romesco Sauce
- Aji Verde (Spicy Peruvian Green Sauce)
- Green Goddess Dressing
- Tahini Sauce
- Basil Pesto or Kale Pesto
- Vegan Sour Cream or regular sour cream thinned with a splash of water and pinch of salt
Craving more potatoes? Here are a few of my favorite recipes:
- Best Baked Potato
- Ultra Crispy Baked Potato Wedges
- Delicious Crispy Hash Browns
- Roasted Breakfast Potatoes
- Perfect Roasted Potatoes
- Herbed Red Potato Salad (no mayo!)
Please let me know how your smashed potatoes turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
These smashed potatoes are baked to crispy perfection! You’re going to love this smashed potatoes recipe, which is both vegan and gluten free. Recipe yields 4 side servings.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds small-to-medium red or yellow potatoes
- 1 tablespoon plus ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, chives and/or green onion
Instructions
- To prepare the potatoes, scrub them clean if dirty and rinse under running water. Remove and discard any nubby sprouting areas. Place the potatoes in a large Dutch oven or soup pot.
- Fill the pot with water until the potatoes are submerged and covered by 1 inch of additional water. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and continue cooking until the potatoes are very easily pierced through by a fork (smaller potatoes are done around 20 minutes, and medium around 25 minutes).
- While the potatoes cook, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over a large, rimmed baking sheet. Brush the oil so it’s evenly distributed over the sheet.
- When the potatoes are done, drain them in a large colander and let them cool for about 5 minutes, until they can be handled safely.
- Evenly distribute the potatoes over the prepared baking sheet, and use a potato masher or a serving fork to gently smash each potato to a height of about ½ inch. (Thinner potatoes are more crispy.)
- Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the smashed potatoes. Sprinkle the garlic powder, onion powder and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt over the potatoes. Finally, sprinkle them lightly with freshly ground black pepper.
- Bake until the potatoes are nice and golden on the edges, about 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle them with chopped fresh herbs, and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
It was delicious. I noticed my husband went back to eat a few more off the pan. Great finger food.
Made this for the fam tonight and served with baked pork chops and fried apples.
The smashed potatoes was the star. They almost didn’t make it to the table, as my daughter and grand-daughter started picking at the crispy bits when my pan came out of the oven. Adding this to our family collection of recipes. So good!
I’m so glad it was a hit with your family, Anne!
As one person said these are the BOMB! Am expecting a crowd in December and planning to make as much as possible ahead of the day. Is it at all possible to make these the day before and reheat the next without compromising the flavour?
Hi Paulette, these are really best same day. Sorry!
One word. Delicious. Couldn’t stop picking at them before I served them as a side. Would make a great hot appetizer. Can’t wait to make them again. I used mini yellows.
Making these again right now! I’ve had some not-crispy missteps in the past, but I’m following all the steps to the letter this time. Don’t get me wrong—even the less-crispy results are delicious, but this time I’m hoping for some greatness lol! I don’t recommend what I’ve tried before—I’ve used my instant pot to cook the potatoes through & they’ve gotten too soft. Boiling them on the stovetop the “old fashioned way” today. Doesn’t really save any time to use the instant pot imo… and if they don’t get crispy enough in the oven, you can always use a skillet to correct any earlier mistakes. That’s what I’ve done so far. Thanks for the awesome recipes—I always seem to land on this site when I’m searching time & temp for oven-cooked food. :)))
Making these again right now! I’ve had some not-crispy missteps in the past, but I’m following all the steps to the letter this time. Don’t get me wrong—even the less-crispy results are delicious, but this time I’m hoping for some greatness lol! I don’t recommend what I’ve tried before—I’ve used my instant pot to cook the potatoes through & they’ve gotten too soft. Boiling them on the stovetop the “old fashioned way” today. Doesn’t really save any time to use the instant pot imo… and if they don’t get crispy enough in the oven, you can always use a skillet to correct any earlier mistakes. That’s what I’ve done so far. Thanks for the awesome recipes—I always seem to land on this site when I’m searching time & temp for oven-cooked food. :))) aaaaand they’re done—they’re perfect! (I’m not sure why I’m still so surprised that my food tastes good, but by now, even my neighbors know when I’ve made some amazing food (thin walls…lol). I hope they can smell the delicious aromas that (for the most part) come from my kitchen…) so yay! & thanks! Happy to give this 5 stars bc as soon as followed the recipe perfectly, the potatoes came out just as crispy & amazing as promised. *happy!*
Made theses potatoes for thanksgiving dinner
THEY CAME OUT AMAZING
Thank you
These smashed potatoes are delicious! Enjoyed by kids, parents, and grandparents alike!
Great recipe! Finally got to making this. I have always used fresh chopped garlic when roasting potatoes… it worked on these even at 425… it turns out candied and delicious. Fresh shaved parm for last 5-10 adds even more flavor! thanks
Delicious but each time I made them, the potatoes fall apart i to more of a crumble. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Kelly! I’m sorry to hear that. Are they falling apart after baking or when you smash them?
Hi Kate, thanks for responding. They fall apart at the smash. Pressing down, they crumble into pieces.
They may have needed a bit more time before smashing. Let me know if you try again!
Hi! When I smash mine, they crumble all over the place vs staying as a blob. Any ideas? Not boiled enough?
They may have not been cooked long enough. Were they easily pierced by a fork?
What is the dip in the photo?
It’s my Easy Romesco Sauce. I hope you try it!
Umm the potatoes just burst apart and turned into a mash potatoe with this recipe… How tf are y’all doing this?
Hi Deven, I’m sorry to hear you didn’t have great results. Did you follow the boiling instructions? What were the size of the potatoes you used?
Made these potatoes with steaks tonight and they were delicious. My husband said this is the only way he’ll eat potatoes from here on out! The recipe was simple and easy to follow. They turned out great. My only problem, and it’s possible it’s all in my head, was the I lined pan with foil and brushed that with the olive oil. My bad. I think they would have been a smidge crisper if I had just used baking pan. So next time I’ll take your advice. You did say it was worth the cleaning.
Thanks for sharing. I’ll be making these again and again!
Hooray! I’m glad these potatoes were a hit.
Definitely worth the work. Delicious
Great recipe. I made them tonight, followed the recipe to a T and they were perfect
Thank you for the recipe.
Delicious! Easy. Can’t wait to make them again.
Great easy – so many options recipe- has been a great hit at pot lucks and really works well at grilling parties- just make ahead on sheet pan – and briefly reheat on grill!!!
Wow these turned out so good. I used little baby red potatoes and pressure cooked them in the instant pot for 7 minutes, threw them in a bowl with the EVOO and seasoning. Placed them on a parchment covered sheet pan and smashed them with my glass measuring cup. They were so delicious and crispy. We had them with stuffed chicken breasts and asparagus. Top notch
Delicious and easy.
Really took a plain chicken dinner up a notch!
Great to hear, Jean! Thank you for your review.
Tried it for the first time tonight and they were DELICIOUS!! You should definitely make them for yourself and your family.
Great to hear, Stephanie! I appreciate your review.
Made these last night and they are delicious. I didn’t have garlic powder so in order to prevent burnt garlic, I minced a couple cloves very fine and put a small amount under the potato on the baking sheet. I also used flaky sea salt on the tops instead of table salt. They cooked perfectly and had nice crispy bits and soft bits and were delightfully buttery, garlicky, and salty.
This looks great! Yet, I’m averse to cooking on/with aluminum. Which prompted me to wonder: Have you ever done a product review? Meaning: Which pots/pans/tools you find to be best? I will give this recipe a go (with parchment :).
Love your content! Thank you for all the good info!
Hi! You can find all my kitchen essentials on my shop page.
Love these, leftovers are great with fried eggs and kale!
That sounds delicious, Jacquie! Thank you for your review.
They did not turn out. Not crispy at all, just soft like a baked potato. I was generous with oil, though I used grapeseed since we do not have olive oil.
I’m sorry to hear that, Evelyn. Did you have them too crowded on the pan?
Yum! I am definitely making these ASAP – depends on getting a cool enough night to have the oven on (Florida, ya know!). Reheating in the toaster oven will keep the leftovers from being a heat issue too!
This recipe was very delicious. I made these potatoes for my coworkers and they loved them.
Thank you for your review!
Made these a week or so ago, and they are yummy. Making them again tonight and as with so many of your recipes, they will become part of the regular rotation. I’m looking at you, crispy baked tofu and ultimate veggie pizza and best stir fry to name a few!
Very good I will make them again
Great to hear, Michele! I appreciate your review.
Made these tonight with mini red skinned potatoes, absolutely delicious, easy to prepare and easy to clean up as well. I used a little less olive oil, based on the amount and size of the potatoes. Now I am thinking of adding in organic carrots with my next batch.
Thank you for sharing, Linda!
As we all agreed – this recipe is dangerous – for the waistline!, Huge success – the whole family devoured them. When I pulled the pan from the oven I sprinkled with shredded cheese & bacon bits for a little extra pizzazz. Definitely will be a repeat!
I’m excited you loved it, Carol!
Devine, delicious.. will definitely make again .. i added some dried rosemary
July 2023 ❤️
Wonderful, Linda! Thank you for your review.
I have made thes a couple times now!!! Absolutely amazing. Thank you for the recipe
You’re welcome, Jami! Thank you for your review.
Hello,
These are so yummy!! But what I was wondering is how to stop the oil from popping everywhere in the oven?? Can I cover with foil or will the change the texture of the potatoes? Please help….
Hi Melody! I’m sorry you are having issues. It sounds like you may have to much oil. How did it turn out?
Absolutely delicious! First recipe for smashed potatoes I tried and the one I have come back to! By far my favorite. its the perfect amount of seasoning and quicke and easy to make. Dont need all the other added toppings of other recipes such as bbq sauce etc. My potatoe can still be tasted. I can put the cheese and bbq sauce adn loaded toppings on the other dishes in my meal. These are perfection. Since it was my first attempt…it set the bar. Nothing else met it
Hi Kate,
Love your recipes! I’m trying to do a lot of prep for entertaining a large crowd in a few days time. Do you think it would work if I boiled, smashed, cooled then froze these potatoes? Then on the day drizzle oil on them and follow your recipe as usual (maybe up the timings a bit since they’re frozen)?
Or would this affect their crispiness?
Hi Brittany! This is best as written. I hope you are able to try it!
A smashing dish in all ways! ☺
I made these and they are just Wonderful!
I made these and they are just Wonderful!
I also made the with the recipe and added a little grated parmeisain and it awesome
SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!
I only had baby potatoe medley so I used those and did this as a topping to shepherd pie! Turned out beautifully!
That’s great to her, Meghan! I appreciate your review.
I looked at several recipes before I came across yours so I decided to try yours and it was fantastic. Thank you
You mentioned your dream that everyone owns a Half Sheet pan. You probably already know this, but most full-sized ovens today will fit a 2/3 sheet pan. 16 x 22 inches. Substantially bigger space. Rare, but they do exist. I have this one from Winware, which I bought in Canada, and it is excellent.
Cheers!
The Crispy Smashed Potatoes were THE HIT of the whole Christmas dinner this year! Thank you!
(Only Change: substituted refined Avocado Oil for the Olive Oil. I was concerned about smoke point of Olive Oil at 425f for 25 mins.)
We made these for Christmas dinner and they were a big hit- had a big group so we used both red and yellow small potatoes. I used a brush to put the oil on because I can never drizzle in a way that evenly coats the potatoes.
I’m excited they were a hit, Hilary!
We absolutely loved this recipe. Followed it exactly as written. I can’t wait to make it next time and put my own variations on it. I will share what I tried and how it came out.
The potatoes were perfect. Crispy and more delicious than I thought possible.
Thanks for this recipe, Kate. It was very good – although I added a wee bit too much salt and baked them a wee bit too long . . . but they were very crispy and well received. If any readers are interested, I used small red potatoes, about 2 inch diameter and it took 25 mins to cook on the stove, then I let them sit in the hot water, off heat, for another 5 mins, before draining and letting cool.
I will say that using a potato masher was inconsistent and left a lot of little bits. Next time, I’ll try a glass measuring cup or something like that. But yes, I will use this recipe again and recommend it. Cheers, El
Thank you for sharing how you made these potatoes and what you plan to try next time, El! I appreciate your review.
I CANNOT GET OVER JUST HOW GOOD THIS RECIPE IS !!
I WILL NOT BE MAKING POTATOES ANY OTHER WAY FOR A LONG TIME !!
Thank you so much!
Rob
Hooray! Great to hear, Robert.