Introducing your new favourite potato recipe – buttery, crispy SMASHED POTATOES! Crazy crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, there’s a serious risk that only half of these will make it to the dinner table….
Smashed Potatoes
Let me introduce you to your new favourite way with potatoes.
SMASHED!
CRISPY!
BUTTERY!!
Buttery CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES!
Best ever potato recipe!
If you are yet to experience the joys of crispy smashed potatoes, and my first experience was only 3 years ago when I was introduced to them by Claire from Sprinkles and Sprouts, a fellow Australian food blogger, these are going to change your potato game forever.
These taste like buttery french fries, albeit they are look completely different. “Rustic”, I declare loftily. They’re fluffy on the inside, and ultra crispy on both the underside and on the surface. All those ridges are the best! Forget squashing them neat and flat – the more nubbly the surface, the better the crunch!!!
Tips to make ultra crispy smashed potatoes
Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes are straight forward to make – boil, squish, drizzle, bake – but there are two little tips I’ve discovered along the way:
Let the potatoes steam dry a bit after smashing them. This ensures optimum crispiness!
Use butter and a touch of oil. Because butter = flavour, oil ensures more even and better browning and crispiness. Can’t use just butter because it burns in the oven at high temperatures.
Also, you can totally feel free to add flavourings like garlic and dried herbs, but they do burn a bit so you’ll get little black bits on the surface. In all honesty, these are so tasty as they are, they don’t need anything more! (In my personal, potato-opinion)
How to serve Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes
I would be totally happy just munching on these as a snack. And if I had a larger oven, or multiple ovens, I would make loads of these and serve them as a snack at gatherings. Because if you make these with small potatoes as I have done, they are perfect finger food snacking size.
But I typically serve these on the side of mains. It will go with pretty much any Western dish, from pork chops to fish, chicken to steak. Try it on the side of this Steak with Creamy Peppercorn Sauce, these Lemon Garlic Marinated Pork Chops, these Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs or this Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breast.
However you plan to serve these Crispy Smashed Potatoes, it has your name written all over it. Do it, do it, do it! – Nagi x
More potato recipes
Crispy Parmesan Crusted Potatoes (side dish or to nibble)
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Sometimes it helps to have a visual, so watch me make these Crispy Smashed Potatoes!!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Potatoes – choose:
- 700g / 1.4 lb small potatoes (12 – 14) (Note 1)
- 1 – 1.2kg / 2 – 2.4lb medium potatoes (6 – 8)
Cooking:
- 1 tbsp salt (for boiling)
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp salt (for sprinkling)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Finely chopped parsley , optional garnish
Instructions
- Cook potatoes: Bring a pot of water to the boil, add 1 tbsp salt. Cook potatoes until soft – small ones should take around 20 to 25 minutes, medium ones might take 30 minutes. It's ok if the skin splits. Alternatively, steam or microwave them.
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan).
- Steam dry: Drain the potatoes and let them dry in the colander for 5 minutes or so.
- Smash! Place on the tray then use a large fork or potato masher to squish them, keeping them in one piece. Thin = crisper. Thicker = fluffier insides. (Both good!) More nubbly surface = better crunch!
- Steam dry again: Leave on the tray to steam dry for 5 minutes or so – makes them crispier!
- Drizzle: Drizzle with butter, then olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake: Bake for 45 minutes (small potatoes) to 55 minutes (medium) or until deep golden and crispy. Do not flip!
- Serve hot, sprinkled with parsley if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
When I travel, Dozer stays with a golden retriever boarder. Rumbling with his friends, a whirlwind of fur chasing each other around the backyard, somersaulting across the lounge room as they tumble.
I’m told he’s internally fretting about me. 😂
Has anybody tried doing pumpkin this way?
I haven’;t because I think they are too juicy 🙂 N x
I’m a queen of potatoes but these are the best by far. The family now demands on special dinner nights (I’m not telling them how easy they are to make, or they would demand them more often!)
I’ve just finished making these and they turned out perfectly! Delicious! Will definitely be making again. I only had really big potatoes in my pantry so cut them in half and it still worked great. 🙂
I love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed this Isabel! N x
Have you ever used fingerling potatoes?
I’m just wondering which small potato would give the most rustic flavor.
Thank you.
Hi Brad! I believe fingerling are low in starch so they won’t work so well with this recipe unfortunately!
No never
Made these last night, to go with a roast chicken as part of a welcome-home dinner for a family member who’s been away. I found your recipe easy to follow, accurate in terms of timings, temperature, and result – and they went down a treat. Crisp and creamy all at once – definitely savoury, properly peppered and salted, but also with a very subtle caramel-y flavour (from the butter, I’m guessing), which set the rest of dinner off beautifully. Wonderful – I’ll be cooking these again and again. Thank you for the recipe.
That’s great Jen! Thanks for letting me know! – N x ❤️
So easy, and tasty. Struggled for years to make perfect roast potatoes to go with roast dinner. These do the job every time.
OMG! I’m definitely going to make these tonight. They look so good and my family are potato fanatics. Will return with the verdict.
I don’t think I cooked them long enough. they didn’t “smash” very well-kinda just fell apart… 🙁
If they fell apart, they were cooked too long. Shorter cooking time, like 8 minutes, is plenty. You just need them to yield slightly, as they will cook completely during the second stage.
Me too… mine fell apart as well. I’m assuming it wasn’t cooked for long enough🤔
I made these yesterday and they were SO GOOD! I received compliments all around the table! Thanks
Can I boil the potatoes several hours in advance?in
Sure. However, they will be easier to smash while warm, so, I would suggest smashing them before you continue on with other things.
If only a few hours, they can sit at room temperature until ready to bake. Otherwise, they will need refrigeration (especially overnight).
Baking time will differ depending on the initial temperature of the potatoes when placed in oven. The baking time isn’t very important. What’s important is to bake the potatoes until your desired crispness.
I tried these a few nights ago and they were nothing short of astonishingly spectacular! i seasoned them with malt vinegar powder (got it from Amazon!) Holy cow… If you’re a fan of salt & vinegar crisps/chips, you have to try it!
Oooh that sounds terrific, I LOVE Salt and Vinegar chips!! N xx
This is the third recipe I have tried in two days. Wow! I am in HEAVEN. I tried a similar recipe before, but your tips and cooking time made all the difference. So happy I found your blog.
I love hearing that Beth! I’m so glad you found me too 🙂 N x
This may have solved my potato chip problem and created another one.
I think I’ll be okay with this snack problem. As long as I leave the Bacon off.
Maybe. Possibly.
This comment really did make me LOL
Is it possible to freeze these? If so when in the process would you freeze. I want to have them for party but need to make ahead
Yes! Follow the recipe up until it calls for them to be baked. Instead of placing them on a baking sheet and then into the oven, you’ll want to place them on a baking sheet (flavoring, oil, butter and all) and put them in the freezer. Once completely frozen, pop the potatoes in a freezer safe container or Ziploc bag.
When ready to bake, lightly oil a baking sheet and place the frozen or thawed potatoes on it. Bake at 350° until desired crispness (cooking time will differ depending on the initial temperature of the potatoes when placed in oven).
I hope this has helped.
Should the potatoes be peeled?
As previous reply you do leave the skin on. In instruction 1 it says ‘It’s ok if the skin splits’.
This recipe is the best smashed potato recipe I’ve ever made, and I have made lots. I’m a potato lover.
It doesn’t say but I’d leave them on to hold them together after you smash them.
My husband and I love making these! One difference was to add up to 1/4 cup of salt to the water when boiling the potatoes in their jackets, the potatoes do not get salty, but when smashed and baked the insides are creamy. SOOO good!
How do you “steam dry” the potatoes after cooking? I’ve never heard of this. Thanks.
I would also suggest returning the potatoes to the saucepan or stockpot and cover with a clean tea cloth for about 4-5 minutes to absorb some of the excess steam that tends to cling to the potatoes and make them soggy.
Hi Carol! That’s what happens when you leave the smashed potatoes for a bit on the tray 🙂 The heat from the potatoes makes them “steam dry” 🙂
what degree do you set oven at
Please see the recipe! 🙂 N x
Anyone tried this recipe with sweet potatoes?
Step 2 says “Preheat oven to 180C/350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan / convection).”
350°
Thank you LG! N x
Hi, if you want the flavor of butter and the effect of oil, ghee would fill that requirement.
Thank you.
YES!
I’m going to make these tonight but I have a question: can I boil them ahead of time? Or will that mess them up? Can’t wait to have them!
That’s an interesting question Elise! I can’t believe I’ve never made this with potatoes cooked ahead – I will try it and update the recipe! N x
Are you supposed to leave the skin on the potatoes. I bought some small red potatoes to try for the recipe.
Yes skin on!