Smashed Potatoes
on Sep 09, 2022, Updated Apr 02, 2025
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What's best about roasted potatoes, tender on the inside, but with even more crunchy bits!

My crew can make quick work of a pan of roasted potatoes, and I decided to play around with the balance of crispy and tender with this smashed version.
What Are Smashed Potatoes?
Smashed potatoes are small pottoes that have been cooked until tender, then smashed or crushed, and the drizzled with olive oil and baked until the outside is crispy, but the middle is still a bit soft and fluffy.
They look very cool, and the smashing part is quite satisfying. Let whomever had the toughest day take on this task.
Make Ahead Smashed Potatoes
If you want, at this point you can put the smashed un-baked potatoes into a container and refrigerate them for up to a day before proceeding with the rest of the recipe (obviously don’t preheat the oven if this is your intention).
How to Serve Smashed Potatoes
You can serve them as is, as a side to anything that potatoes would go well with (which is pretty much anything). I’m thinking about using them in lieu of toasted bread for a bruschetta appetizer next time I’m in that mode. Imagine them piled with chopped tomatoes, garlic and basil, or a little dollop of tapenade, or some chopped grilled artichoke hearts. Not quite finger food probably, once topped, unless you’re dining with very close friends. Though if you leave them untopped, and out them out with cocktails they are most definitely finger food, at least in my house.
I am the happy owner of a jar of truffle salt, so on one occasion I used that. To finish them off, you can also sprinkle over some fresh chopped herbs, anything from basil to thyme to oregano.
Cooked baby potatoes are smashed and roasted for the ultimate in crispy-tender bites.
What to Serve with Smashed Potatoes:
And since I am a huge fan of dipping roasted potatoes in sauces, I see no reason why these little smashed beauties should get similar treatment. Try:
- Roasted Potatoes with Arugula-Basil Dipping Sauce
- Roasted Potatoes with Harissa Dipping Sauce
- Carrot Fries with Sriracha Sauce
- Creamy Avocado Dip
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Ingredients
- 24 ounces baby yellow potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet or spray it with nonstick cooking spray (you can line it with foil first, for easier clean up).
- Place the potatoes in a pot and add water to cover. Salt the water, cover the pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are quite tender.
- Drain the potatoes let them dry and cool for 5 minutes or so in the colander. Transfer them to the baking sheet. Use a sturdy metal spatula or the bottom of a can of beans or tomatoes, or anything else that seems appropriate, to press down on each potato, smashing it to about ½-inch thickness (they will burst open a bit, which is perfect).
- Drizzle half of the olive oil over the potatoes, then flip the potatoes with your fingers or a spatula, and drizzle over the rest of the oil. Sprinkle them with salt. Bake for about 20 minutes, until they are crispy on the outside, but still nice and tender inside. Sprinkle the Parmesan (if desired) over for the last few minutes of cooking. Serve hot or warm.
Never refrigerate potatoes!