Last summer I shared my favorite crispy oven-roasted potatoes with you, and I have another favorite potato side dish for you today, one that’s EVEN CRISPIER: roasted smashed red potatoes. Have you ever had smashed potatoes before? Friend, they are sooooo good, and I’m genuinely SO excited for you to try them. They have these fabulous creamy centers and crispy, almost potato-chip-like edges. You make them once, and you’ll probably end up a little obsessed and find yourself making them constantly because they are impossibly good.
Ingredient Notes
Small/new red potatoes: Smashed potatoes are best with small/new potatoes. If you’re having trouble finding them in the produce section, they’re often sold in bags rather than as loose individual potatoes the way larger potatoes are. Olive oil: There are 3 tablespoons of olive oil in this recipe. Don’t try to reduce the oil as it’s part of what helps these potatoes become so crispy and delicious in the oven!!
A Note on Potato Size
Most smashed potato recipes will call for small/new potatoes. This is because larger potatoes are too big to cook evenly all the way through when boiling, so you end up with overcooked outsides that will not hold together after smashing. You can make smashed potatoes with medium-to-large red potatoes, but they’re not going to be pretty individual potato bites that hold together like the ones in these photos.
How to Make Smashed Potatoes
Smashed potatoes take a little while to make, about 45 to 55 minutes, but all the steps are super easy, and 95% of that cooking time is hands-off. To make this recipe with larger red potatoes, after smashing (you might want to use the bottom of a small pot to smash them), you’ll have a giant mass of smashed potatoes. Separate the mass into smaller sections on the tray so there are plenty of edges (the edges are what become crispy) and then cook according to the recipe instructions.
Garlic Aioli
Smashed potatoes are fabulous on their own, but they are even better when dipped in tangy garlic aioli. This aioli can be made with either mayonnaise or plain, unsweetened yogurt for yogurt aioli, and really just takes the potatoes to a whole new level of amazing.
What to Serve With Smashed Potatoes
Smashed potatoes make a pretty great side for most proteins, but since they’re going to occupy your oven for upwards of half an hour, I like to serve them with grilled or pan-cooked mains like a Marinated Steak or Panini and a side of corn or broccoli.
What is the difference between mashed potatoes and smashed potatoes?
That’s an easy one. Mashed potatoes are boiled until soft and then mashed with butter and cream or milk until creamy and delicious. Smashed potatoes are boiled until fork tender and then smashed on a baking sheet, drizzled with oil and baked until they are crispy and perfect. Both are amazing but one is creamy and one is crispy.
Do you boil water before adding potatoes?
No. Always start potatoes in cold water. This is because potatoes are quite dense but cook quickly, so it’s easy to overcook the outside of the potatoes before the insides are tender. Starting the potatoes in cold water allows them to cook more evenly all the way through.
More Favorite Side Dishes
Roasted Zucchini Butter and Garlic Green Beans Roasted Broccoli Parmesan Orzo Italian Roasted Potatoes
Recipe Notes
These potatoes are best when eaten immediately (reheated leftovers become a little chewy), so this recipe is written to serve 2-3. If you’re feeding a larger number of people, the recipe doubles with no adjustments needed. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
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