Home » Entertaining » Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

posted by Liz Berg on September 3, 2010 (updated 6/14/23)

My family goes nuts for these Crispy Smashed Potatoes and requests them frequently. And making them is a breeze!

These Crispy Potatoes were a hit from day one. This Smashed Potato Recipe is terrific with burgers, grilled meat, chicken, or with any meal you’d normally serve potatoes.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes in a white bowl on a red and white checked napkin.

Table of Contents hide

1 Why You Must Make

2 How to Make Smashed Potatoes

3 Recipe Tips

4 Frequently Asked Questions

5 You May Also Like:

6 Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Why You Must Make

The guys in this family are definitely meat and potato lovers. I discovered this method for making new potatoes about four years ago when many versions were floating around on the Internet.

These oven-smashed potatoes are adapted from a Fine Cooking recipe. I’ve been making them since 2006.
When I rattle off a list of potato options for our dinner and these crispy smashed potatoes are mentioned, there is a resounding, “Make those!” from my family. My oldest requests these for his birthday dinner every single year.
You can cook the small potatoes ahead of time, streamlining the procedure for getting the potatoes ready for the oven.

Crsipy Smashed Potatoes on a foil lined sheet pan.

How to Make Smashed Potatoes

These irresistible smashed oven potatoes are a piece of cake to make! The potatoes can be boiled ahead of time, making the final prep a snap.

Just boil up a bag of new potatoes until just tender and allow to cool slightly.
Place on a prepared baking sheet that contains some melted butter, smash with a meat mallet, sprinkle with kosher salt, drizzle with olive oil. A few grinds of black pepper are nice, too. Or even a few fresh thyme leaves.
Bake at a high temp and flip halfway through.
Serve hot! Your family will be grateful for this easy smashed potatoes recipe—just like mine!

Recipe Tips

Any small potatoes will do, red, yellow, purple, or a variety.
They can be boiled ahead of time and smashed, seasoned, and then roasted near dinner time.
I keep the seasonings simple: butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper. But you can add whatever you like. Herbs, onion powder, garlic powder, etc. would be tasty additions.
If you have access to duck fat, it would be a delicious alternative to oil on your baking sheet.
Use a meat mallet to smash your potatoes. Other alternatives are the bottom of a cup or glass or a cast iron skillet.
Use non-stick foil so there is no trouble flipping the potatoes halfway through the roasting time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Know When Your Potatoes Are Done?

When boiling new potatoes, just use a fork or sharp knife to pierce a few of the potatoes. When it goes in easily, the potatoes are done. They typically take 15-20 minutes to cook.

Any Tips for Boiling Potatoes?

The biggest tip is to salt the water. Since salt is a flavor enhancer, this allows some of the salt to be absorbed by the potatoes. Note that it’s best to wait until the water boils before adding the salt since salted water boils at a lower temperature. The water should taste like seawater so make sure to add enough to the cooking water.

Can Oven Smashed Potatoes Be Made Ahead of Time?

Yes, they can be made the day before. Just reheat in the oven to recrisp before serving.