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!!
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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. 😂
Covering the potatoes with parchment paper before using the potato smasher makes handling easier. Great recipe!
The only thing I add is throw a clove of crushed garlic in the butter to make these smashed garlicky goodness
Family fave
i’ve been using this recipe for years. always turns out delicious and the entire batch gets scarfed down every time! I make the garlic infused butter as directed and it’s a great extra touch. thanks for the simple yummy recipe!
Made it with what I had at home. Pretty good considering the type of potatoes I had.
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing how to make your incredible dishes! You’re my new go-to for meal planning!
Thanks for all your recipes Nagi, I love them all especially this one, I call these ‘magic’ potatoes, because it doesn’t matter how many you make they just disappear! So no matter how many you think you need, double it.
Sue.. “Magic Potatoes”… love that & so true. Good advice to double the recipe. 👌
Dear Nagi – wow! Made as directed with all your tips. Hubby scarfed down nearly the whole batch. Combo of roasted potatoes and home fries. Keeper recipe.
good recipe i love it
I was wondering if i could make them ahead of time travel and keep warm in crock pot? Thank you in advance
I think that using Russet potatoes was where the recipe started going sideways on me.
From what I can tell, you are using what you call “waxy” potatoes.
In the states those are called Yukon Gold.
The russets weren’t “crispy” in the traditional sense, the skin becomes a cross between crunchy and leathery. Hard to eat, hard to chew, hard to enjoy.
I think for this to be successful, you must start with tiny Yukon Golds or else this recipe is doomed from the start.
Made exactly as written otherwise.
Love most of your recipe’s and hold great respect for your love of cooking and your fuzzy Sous Chef!
George the Greek
George, I just did these with little potatoes(reds and yellows) steamed in the Magic Pot for 10 mins. Tray in the oven, butter, olive oil, fresh black pepper, coarse salt. 15 mins bake then broiled for 5. Less O.O. next time but tender, crispy and worth making again for sure. Any idea why yours seemed leathery ? My caveat : little potatoes are sold here as Gourmet vegetables and are stupidly expensive..
Perfect crunchy baked potatoes – regular rotation in our house. Super easy too.
So tasty. My wife and I ate 900 grams of the taters, and we’re NOT big people. Has become a fav. Thank you
These were wonderful! I mixed the butter and oil together and brushed it evenly on the baby potatoes I used. I also added garlic powder and rosemary. Totally yummers! Great recipe–thank you!
This is our fave potato recipe. I’m lazy so microwave then smash, add butter, oil and some flavours then into the airfryer until browned. Amazing!!! Thanks lovely Nagi for your generous sharing. Love, love, love your food.
Kids won’t touch mashed potatoes but they can’t eat the fast enough! I’ve had to double the recipe – twice – and they still finish them every time. This was is a staple in our house!
Make ahead works!
I boiled and smushed the potatoes on lightly olive-oiled parchment treated with a sprinkle of garlic powder and salt, then left the baking sheet uncovered overnight in the fridge before baking the next afternoon. To bake, I brushed them lightly with olive oil and salt (dairy allergies here) They were absolutely perfect — crispy and popular. I’d doubled the amount and they were gone in seconds. Next time I might make a dip for them.
Shame on you for not answering any of the questions below. Great potatoes but I came back to see if you’re able to smash them a couple hours before baking and recipetins hasnt replied to any comments.
Lol as of she can reply to everything. You really need to try to see see other people’s realities, not just your own….
For crying out loud – show a little initiative will ya!
Oh my goodness! Very good. I selfishly made some for myself and not my husband. Next time I will make for him too. I used mini potatoes aka bite sized but some are bigger than that. What I like also is that I can prep and then bake when I’m ready. Thank you much.
I’ve made these a few times, they are fantastic!
I want to make them ahead of time for a Sunday dinner this week (the boiling, smashing part), thinking I’d like to do that on Saturday. Has anyone done this step ahead of time?
I also don’t like how they smash with my potato masher (I usually use medium sized potatoes). Has anyone used something else other than a fork or potato masher? I’m thinking the bottom of a glass maybe…
I was using a potato masher but kept getting bits of potato stuck in it and just tried a burger smasher. Works perfectly and much easier to clean!
I like using a flat bottomed cup.
Thanks!
I use a large, flat pancake turner–one that is not slotted.
Yes, I think that would work! Thank you. 🙂
Glass measuring cup
Yes, I just made these again yesterday and used a glass, worked much better. (not my measuring cup, never thought of that. Will definitely use that next time). Thank you. 😊
Yes glass much better. I boiled mine ahead and covered in fridge for overnight then took out an hour beforehand to get to room temp. Then oil oven and was perfectly awesome 👌